Hollywood has fallen into a frustrating habit of creating backstories for characters who already have perfectly good origins. It feels like studios are just trying to profit from well-known names and ideas. For example, Johnny Depp is filming Ebenezer, which tells the story of how Ebenezer Scrooge became the man we know, even though A Christmas Carol already explained his past. Similarly, Prime Video recently released Elle, a prequel to Legally Blonde, showing a young Elle Woods. But Elle’s real growth happened when she decided to go to law school – that’s where her character developed! Anything before that isn’t really important and doesn’t need its own series.
It’s funny how some prequels that people didn’t think were needed – like Andor or the new Wonka movie – have actually been really good. So, fans are usually wary when another one is announced. When Amazon said Guy Ritchie was creating a Young Sherlock series, many wondered why he wasn’t working on Sherlock Holmes 3 instead.
I’ve been hoping for so long – over fifteen years! – to see Ritchie direct Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes again. For a while, his commitments to the Marvel movies made it impossible, and even after Iron Man was finished, a third film just never seemed to get off the ground. Now, it looks like Downey’s taking on another big role with Marvel, and Ritchie is actually developing a completely new take on Sherlock Holmes without him! It’s frustrating as a fan who really loved their chemistry.
“Young Sherlock” is a surprisingly good show that features a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes investigating his first murder while studying at Oxford. With plans for a third film in the Ritchie/Downey series stalled, this series offers a welcome alternative. In fact, it’s the most engaging Sherlock Holmes-related TV project since the popular runs of “Sherlock” and “Elementary.”
Young Sherlock Is The Best Sherlock Holmes Show In Years
Before Young Sherlock was released, there were reasons to be skeptical. Sherlock Holmes doesn’t really need an origin story, the creator’s previous show, MobLand, received mixed reviews, and the cast largely consists of actors with famous parents – including Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock, Joseph Fiennes, and Max Irons. However, when it debuted on March 4th, Young Sherlock unexpectedly became one of the year’s best new shows. The actors deliver strong performances, and the central mystery is compelling enough to keep you hooked throughout the season.
This year, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by several spinoff shows that initially seemed unnecessary or like simple marketing ploys, but ended up being fantastic. For example, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms might actually be better than any previous Game of Thrones series, and its focus on a smaller story with less at stake was a major strength. Similarly, Spider-Noir – a live-action series based on the comedic relief character from an animated film – turned out to be one of the most enjoyable and original superhero shows in years.
Like The Irregulars, Young Sherlock was also surprisingly good when it came out a few months ago. Tiffin Barnard does a great job as young Sherlock Holmes, but Dónal Finn really shines as James Moriarty – we see him as Sherlock’s school friend in this story, setting up their famous rivalry for the future. And thanks to director Guy Ritchie’s style, the show is visually appealing and more dynamic than many streaming series.
The show Young Sherlock Holmes was a hit! Amazon quickly ordered another season, just a month after it first aired. If you haven’t seen the first season yet, now’s a good time to watch it – the second season isn’t expected for about three years.
2026-07-25 20:57