Young Sherlock series review: Problems are elementary in this Sherlock Holmes adaptation

Young Sherlock series review:

At first glance, Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock feels like a generic buddy-cop procedural in the garb of a Victorian-era murder mystery. Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) is not the famous resident of Baker Street here, as the series traces his origins. This means that the detective does not have the same razor-sharp acumen as he does in some of the other Sherlock Holmes adaptations. It also makes James Moriarty (Donal Finn) about as good as Holmes when it comes to his ability to make ‘deductions’ about events, both mundane and extraordinary. In doing so, the series departs considerably from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books, making Moriarty a Watson-like investigative partner to Holmes. This is both a strength and an inherent weakness. The dynamics and interactions between Tiffin and Finn are among the highlights of the series. Then again, you wish that the series did not undermine Holmes’ genius from time to time. For example, in many places, Moriarty giggles when another character belittles Holmes. Sometimes, you feel like it would have been better to have Watson instead, not that Moriarty is a force-fit in this narrative. Add to that, it is bizarre that Holmes hardly ever doubts Moriarty’s integrity when certain events happen in his personal life. Understandably, this is his first case, but is he as dumb as to overlook obvious clues? Besides, why should it matter whether Holmes can fight or not? And why bother with multiple references to Holmes’ time in prison? While this may not be the makers’ intention, the series belittles the agency of its titular hero. After all, this is a man who can look at someone’s footprint and form an accurate profile of them and even tell their whole lineage. However, Young Sherlock makes him look like a hungover Benoit Blanc—showcasing the flair yet missing the precision.

The issue with Young Sherlock is not that it does not acknowledge the titular character’s prodigious talent—it does, but then again it fails to focus enough on how he forms this incredible skill of deduction. The character goes through a gradual evolution over the course of the show, and by the end, we get to see inklings as to how he could end up becoming the legend that he is today. However, this arc is buried under a bloated plot, including a conspiracy with a deadly weapon, a Chinese revenge plot, and Holmes’ own struggles with his dysfunctional family. In between, there are also portions where Holmes and Moriarty try to appease a university head (Colin Firth), turning the series quite a drag.

Creator/showrunner: Matthew Parkhill

Directors: Guy Ritchie, Anders Engstrom, Dennie Gordon, Tricia Brock

Cast: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Donal Finn, Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone

Streamer: Prime Video

Suffice to say, Young Sherlock has a form of narrative density that works against it big time. The revenge plot is the weakest link of the lot as it gives the series the feel of a ‘hop-on, hop-off’ adventure, with the characters going from London to Paris and what have you. When has Holmes’ forte been adventurous action? It can add flavour to a Sherlock Holmes adaptation, but cannot be the centrepiece attraction. You can put Holmes in one room and make a compelling chamber drama with it. Strangely enough, whenever Young Sherlock limits the titular hero in one place, it only makes the show stagnant, striving and straining for momentum.

At some level, you wonder whether Ritchie is being self-aware of the series’ weaknesses. For example, when a character asks Holmes about whether it is fun to be in his world, pop comes the reply: “I suppose it is.”

Unfortunately, thanks to the show’s focus on the adventure element, Moriarty's arc takes the biggest hit, especially with it already acknowledging his monstrous roots, often giving us subtle and well-placed hints as to how he could end up becoming the evil adversary to Sherlock in future seasons. To give credit where it is due, Finn plays Moriarty with the perfect blend of charm and enigma, showing us how, even amidst his search for truth, a monster lies dormant inside of him. And while Tiffin struggles to make Holmes’ internal turmoil palpable enough, he puts in an earnest effort and still serves as the perfect foil for Finn’s Moriarty. The series is at its best when the two actors are together, making observations and deductions about the mysterious events happening around the world. Unfortunately, though, the writing fails to take the dynamics between their characters beyond the familiar beats of a standard police procedural.

Young Sherlock makes compelling points about how much we can trust our memories, the futility of power when it is in the hands of the corrupt and evil, repentance, and the cyclical nature of life. Some of its references to the Victorian era appear appropriate, especially the scant regard for human life. Remember how in Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, humanity becomes as good as the mercy killing of a dove in the name of stage magic? However, the series ultimately fails to coalesce into a cohesive whole and does not offer anything more than surface-level thrills.