Young Sherlock Review
Director: Guy Ritchie, Dennie Gordon, Tricia Brock, and Anders Engström
Date Created: 2026-03-04 02:06
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Young Sherlock Review: Directed by Guy Ritchie, Dennie Gordon, Tricia Brock, and Anders Engström, and created by Matthew Parkhill, the Prime Video series stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a young Sherlock Holmes, Dónal Finn as James Moriarty, Zine Tseng as Princess Gulun Shou’an, alongside Ravi Aujla, Holly Cattle, Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone, Max Irons, Colin Firth and others. The series runs for eight episodes of approximately 50 minutes each and explores the reckless early years of the genius detective before he became the legend of Baker Street.
Young Sherlock Review
When I first heard that Prime Video was bringing us Young Sherlock, I was both excited and sceptical. We’ve had many different versions of the character of Sherlock Holmes that, at this point, reinventing him feels like a game of walking on thin ice. However, this time, instead of the cold, razor-sharp mind of the famous detective, we get a reckless, emotional, and wildly impulsive teenager who’s trying to figure himself out long before he meets Watson. And I have to say, I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I actually did.
Prime Video’s Young Sherlock, based on the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle and the novels by Andrew Lane, takes us to 1870s Oxford, where a disgraced Holmes finds himself at the centre of his first big murder investigation. However, what starts out as a scandal quickly evolves into a complex web of conspiracy, politics, revenge, and hidden family secrets. I found that the show struck a great balance between the mystery and the character pieces, and I found myself more interested in the character of Sherlock than the mystery he was solving.
What makes this version of the character of Sherlock Holmes different from the others that I’ve seen, and what I loved about this, was how flawed he was. He was arrogant, impulsive, and emotionally volatile. He didn’t yet possess the level of polish that the famous detective was known for. He was still young, still learning, and still making mistakes. He was still impulsive, still let his ego control him, and still didn’t always think before acting.
However, that was what made him interesting. I felt like I was watching the making of a legend, not the legend himself. I felt that Hero Fiennes Tiffin was fantastic as the character of Sherlock, capturing the balance between intelligence and vulnerability, especially when the story starts to reveal the complex web of his family dynamics.
One of the most interesting aspects of the show is the interaction between Sherlock and James Moriarty, played by Dónal Finn. I had to get used to seeing Moriarty, rather than the traditional villain, but rather as a smart and charismatic partner. This works well. They have great chemistry. They’re equals in intelligence, but they have very different personalities. Their dialogue is full of witty banter. There’s a certain level of cat and mouse and pride at stake in each scene, and it sizzles. Knowing the trajectory of their story adds an extra layer of intrigue to their relationship.
Princess Gulun Shou’an, played by Zine Tseng, is another interesting addition to the show. Her story eventually becomes an integral part of the overall mystery. I liked how her character was not simply a plot device. She adds depth to the show. While the international intrigue aspect of the show feels a bit far-fetched at times, this was still enjoyable.
Visually, the Prime Video Series Young Sherlock is very stylish. Directed by Guy Ritchie and an executive producer on some of the episodes, this show moves at a quick pace. The action scenes are fast and furious. The visuals, particularly Sherlock’s mental images, are creative. This was some of the strongest aspects of the show. This show has a certain lightness and fluidity to it rather than the traditional slow-burning of a mystery show.
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However, this show is not strictly a mystery. I think this show leans far more towards the young adult adventure genre. While the main mystery was interesting, the middle portion of the show was a bit of a dip in terms of the pace. Some of the plot elements feel like they’re added simply to thrill rather than to further the plot.
The performances elevate the material each time. The supporting cast, Sherlock’s family, and the university crowd all help flesh the world out a bit. The Victorian Oxford is alive and buzzing, not dull and stuffy. The production design is also worth praise for breathing a sense of life into the 19th-century settings rather than dullness.
What really got me were the emotional layers. It’s not just about solving cases; it’s about who you are. Sherlock’s genius makes him a loner; his intelligence is not about glamour; it’s about how it makes him different from everyone else. Seeing him deal with belonging, with loyalty, with the truth is something I never expected to get so interested in.
There’s a bit of a tangle with the final episodes, and the finale is not quite as sharp as the buildup was. It’s satisfying, yes; it’s not quite a knockout blow. It does lay the groundwork well for the next season or so, though. I do hope Prime Video continues this journey.
Prime Video Young Sherlock Review: Summing Up
All things considered, the Young Sherlock series is a fresh, electrifying retelling of a legendary character. It may not be quite so deep as the classic tales of Sherlock Holmes, but it certainly makes its own bold, young, stylish, and emotionally charged mark on the character. For me, that alone is something worth celebrating.
