Young Sherlock Series Review: Thrilling Caper

Thanks to assured performances from its star-studded cast and Guy Ritchie’s household dynamic style, Prime Video’s Young Sherlock is a winner.

That’s why some might have been disappointed when it was announced that Ritchie would be working not on a third Sherlock Holmes film, but on a Young Sherlock television series, based on Andrew Lane’s young adult novels. 

Anyone who might have been initially bummed out by the news should be relieved to know that Ritchie infuses the same verve into his past two attempts at a modern Sherlock Holmes for an adolescent public in Young Sherlock. They may be completely different objects, and entirely unrelated to one another, but they complement each other quite well, notably in adopting the same type of “investigative” eye Sherlock (now played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin) had in the films, but slowing it down further and integrating the side characters within it, as they attempt to uncover a conspiracy of gargantuan proportions.

It’s difficult to discuss some of the details without spoiling a thing, but the events begin with a murder within the Oxford walls, as the newly arrived Sherlock becomes the primary suspect. To clear his name, he teams up with a bright young student named… James Moriarty (Dónal Finn). That’s right – there’s no Watson here. Ritchie and showrunner Matthew Parkhill have flipped the classic story of Sherlock Holmes on its head by making the detective’s biggest nemesis his best friend. The emotional progression, which could perhaps hint at an eventual heel turn, is what makes a good chunk of the series very intriguing. 

The show also further explores the relationship Sherlock has with his parents, notably his mother, Cordelia (Natascha McElhone), who has sadly been locked up in a mental institution after the death of her daughter, Beatrice. Their father, Silas (played by Joseph Fiennes, Hero’s real-life uncle), has been mostly absent for a good chunk of his life, but makes a return later down the series after news of danger is made known to him. Sherlock and his brother, Mycroft (Max Irons), essentially had to fend for themselves for a good part of their lives. However, as a series of murders is being committed, each targeting specific people of the teaching community, the game is afoot, and the two must put their differences aside to solve the crimes. 

Ritchie doesn’t visualize a Sherlock in the same vein as Robert Downey Jr’s iteration of the character, but a more carefree (and troublesome) version of the detective, before he even became interested in crime-solving. Forging a close friendship with Moriarty is a gutsy move, but the dynamic between the two consistently keeps the audience on their toes, especially as we try to figure out if there will be an inflection point regarding the trajectory of his arch-nemesis. I’d be a fool to spoil this here, but fans of the characters will be pleased to know that Ritchie and Parkhill have figured out a natural emotional progression for both protagonists, and how it could perhaps be explored in subsequent seasons should it occur. 

While the show seems more targeted to an adolescent viewing public than Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films, it doesn’t stop the filmmaker from employing his household style – montages, dynamic action, animated sequences, improvisational acting – for the audience he wants to reach. It might perhaps be more “talky” than the films (but that’s television for you), yet it’s never boring, thanks to the effervescent charisma of its lead actors and a more-than-game supporting cast. As Sherlock, Hero Fiennes Tiffin couldn’t have been a better choice. His comedic timing is pitch-perfect and consistently adapts to Ritchie’s on-the-fly approach to acting. It makes his dynamic with Moriarty or Princess Gulun Shou’an (Zine Tseng, incredible) feel natural, and, most importantly, alive. 

Throughout the series, Ritchie consistently finds exciting ways to keep us on our toes and expand the mystery beyond the confines of Oxford, moving the story to the middle of the Franco-Prussian War on the streets of Paris and, eventually, to the exotic locales of Constantinople. At this point, you might think you’re watching an episode of Young Indiana Jones, but the core of what was introduced in Young Sherlock’s earlier episodes is still present when it ultimately gets bigger in scope and more action-oriented as a result. Sadly, though, there isn’t a single memorable action setpiece in this, which are usually Ritchie’s bread and butter, especially the show-stopping forest chase in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. 

That scene probably has the best use of slow-motion you’ll ever see in a major motion picture. None of the same energy is found anywhere in Young Sherlock’s action scenes, although this is compensated for with sharp dialogue and a bevy of fun performances from its cast. Colin Firth is a particular highlight as Sir Bucephalus Hodge, though one wishes he had a more prominent role as the mystery deepens, and many characters we’ve grown to love in earlier episodes take a backseat, and Parkhill diverts his focus mostly on the relationship Sherlock has with his parents and brother. 

Though who am I to complain when all performances from the Holmes family are all great, and as we learn more about the murders, each familial character has a more significant role? I wouldn’t dare say anything in that regard, but fans of each respective actor playing Sherlock and their family members will be pleased with the developments taken by the showrunner as the series reaches a natural – and earned – climax. 

One wonders if there will be more seasons of Young Sherlock, although its open-ended conclusion certainly points in that direction. And with Ritchie essentially working nonstop these days, going from one film (and television) project after the next, you can bet it won’t be long before we’ll see Hero Fiennes Tiffin don the character again, and the show’s final episode does make me curious to see exactly what will happen next…

Young Sherlock will be available to stream globally on Prime Video from March 4, 2026.