'Young Sherlock' Review: Guy Ritchie's Action-Packed Prime Video Prequel Delivers a Completely New Take on Holmes

Let's face it, the most interesting thing about Dr. John Watson is the fact that he's friends with Sherlock Holmes. Take Watson away, and you free the Baker Street detective from the trappings of Arthur Conan Doyle's original formula. Enola Holmes did it by centering it around Sherlock's teen sister, and now Young Sherlock is doing it as well by focusing on the titular teenager, played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin. Based on the young adult thriller novel series Young Sherlock Holmes by Andrew Lane, the Prime Video series follows a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes at Oxford University, long before he's even heard of Baskerville or done any studies in scarlet. Directed by Guy Ritchie and created by Matthew Parkhill, this youthful adaptation of the titular consulting detective is full of action, mystery, and gumption, boldly taking on new directions with the existing lore and creating a uniquely new take on Holmes.

What Is 'Young Sherlock' About?

What is immediately apparent as you jump into the world of Young Sherlock is that it isn't exactly interested in sticking to the canon with any strictness. Eschewing Watson is just the beginning of it, as Tiffin's Sherlock is impulsive, emotional, and hardly the master detective at this point in his young life. The series abandons all the modern interpretations of Holmes' character. He's not nearly as cold as Benedict Cumberbatch, he's not as erratic as Jonny Lee Miller, he's obviously not as well-balanced or as mature as Henry Cavill, and he certainly can't throw a punch like Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock. Tiffin brings a new version of the character to life, but retains the bare bones of the protagonist. He's exceedingly intelligent, hyper-focused on detail and deductive reasoning, and he's unrelenting when he gets his hands on a mystery.

When a murder occurs at Oxford, Holmes befriends a student named James Moriarty, played superbly by Dónal Finn. Yes, that James Moriarty. But there's no mustache twirling or deviousness to be found in Finn's version of Moriarty, at least not in the beginning. This young man is as bright as Sherlock, albeit much more willing to break the law and disregard authority figures. What makes Young Sherlock so compelling is this relationship between Moriarty and Sherlock. Rather than making them enemies from the start, their close friendship and the fact that Moriarty essentially almost becomes adopted into the Holmes family make his inevitable turn to evil all the more devastating.

In fact, although the show is called Young Sherlock, the series also doubles as a bit of an origin story for Doyle's most infamous villain, who rarely gets to be humanized as he is here. There are even moments when Moriarty and Sherlock are going through a case, trying to understand the clues, and they are both seen in a "mind palace" where they can talk through the minute details of the crime and try to solve the mystery at hand. These moments are what make the series and do a strong job of depicting the equal footing these two characters are on.

The Mystery at the Heart of 'Young Sherlock' Will Keep You Guessing

The exact mystery of Young Sherlock first involves a murder at Oxford, but soon brings in characters like the visiting Chinese Princess Shou'an (Zine Tseng), Sherlock's own family members, and suspicious figures from the Holmes family's past. As the mystery slowly unravels, the larger conspiracy at the heart of it all is by far one of the most compelling parts of Young Sherlock. The near-perfect execution of the final twist alone is enough to spend a night on the couch binge-watching the series. But on top of that, the show utilizes elements of horror, suspense, and adventure to keep the pacing going at a thumping rhythm.

It's here that Ritchie's directing style takes center stage. The kinetic action scenes, the staccato pace of the dialogue, and the frenetic camera that keeps us right in the thick of it all are all on display. However, Ritchie manages to show some restraint by not leaning fully into his signature style. Ritchie's pacing is perfect for this youthful version of Sherlock, and it slots perfectly into place with a story that keeps its characters on their toes.

From Oxford to the Holmes manor to jumping across the English Channel to Europe, showrunner Parkhill packs a lot into the eight episodes. At the center of it all is a compelling mystery that, at first, seems fairly simple, before it slowly takes you on a winding journey that spirals inward. If you're looking for a story where Sherlock is solving the cases of other people in an episodic fashion, this is not the show for you. Instead, the series weaves a complicated web of conspiracy that places Sherlock at the very center without losing its focus.

'Young Sherlock's Magic Is in Its Cast

Young Sherlock is filled with a magnificent cast of characters. Tiffin is compelling as the titular Holmes, embodying a certain naivete that's rarely seen in Sherlock Holmes, but not wholly out of character given his age. It's quite entertaining to see this version of Sherlock, who doesn't have all the answers and doesn't pretend to. Finn is insanely charming as James Moriarty, instantly coming in with cheeky grins and flirting with anything that breathes. It's almost impossible to see the villain he might become, but Finn's performance makes James come off as a trickster figure, an agent of chaos, and that's the first crack we see in his otherwise wholesome persona.

Tseng is a surprise hit as Shou'an. Though how a Chinese princess plays into the story is a far bigger spoiler than I can divulge, what makes her stand out is the fact that she does feel so out of place at first. Shou'an is not some simpering royal; she's a martial artist, a highly intelligent student, and as cunning as Sherlock or Moriarty. Tseng gives Shou'an layers, and as you slowly peel them back, learning about her true purpose in England, every new revelation offers another twist.

The supporting cast is a star-studded affair. Joseph Fiennes plays Silas Holmes, Sherlock's somewhat absent and seemingly insignificant father. Max Irons plays Mycroft Holmes, though his version of the character is probably the biggest flaw of the series, as he comes off far more plebeian than his other family members and is far from the genius tactician who is meant to be smarter than Sherlock. He's by far one of the weaker characters, though Irons' natural chemistry with Tiffin bolsters the character's shortcomings. Colin Firth plays Sir Bucephalus Hodge, an Oxford professor, who is equal parts arrogant and bumbling. At his side is his extra-capable assistant Edie, played by newcomer Holly Cattle, who shows off a surprisingly dynamic performance in the latter half of the season.

But the highlight in the supporting cast has to be Natascha McElhone's Cordelia Holmes, the mother of Sherlock and Mycroft. Sherlock and Cordelia are defined by their grief, both keenly feeling the loss of Beatrice, Sherlock's younger sister, who passed away as a child after an accident. When we first meet Cordelia, she's aloof and absentminded, living in an asylum alone. But as the series continues, McElhone's charisma jumps off the screen, and Cordelia is such a warm and loving character that she practically glows.

Though it's far from the most loyal adaptation, what Young Sherlock lacks in accuracy to the source material, it makes up for in pure entertainment. It's not fancy or pretentious; it's just having fun and takes you on the ride with it. By the end of the season, it's hard not to imagine where the next mystery will lead Sherlock and his friends. The characters have all evolved, and it almost feels like the chessboard is set for a game years down the line, but what's for sure is that Young Sherlock has a refreshing and unique take on the famous detective, one that breaks with tradition in a way that is determined to keep you on your toes.