Like many 19-year-olds, Sherlock Holmes is a little lost.
Sure, he may be a certifiable genius, but genius isn’t everything. It certainly doesn’t make him a very good thief, which becomes very clear when a failed pickpocketing attempt earns him a stay behind bars.
Thankfully, it helps to have friends in high places—and it’s even better when they’re family. Mycroft Holmes, a high-ranking member of the British government, comes to bail Sherlock out of jail, and Sherlock is thrilled to learn that his dear older brother has snagged him a position at Oxford University.
Except that position isn’t quite what Sherlock expected. Instead of a student, he’ll be a scout—the lowest rung of the serving staff. Mycroft believes his younger brother could use a lesson in humility, and what better way to learn humility than cleaning up behind stuck-up college students?
Still, Sherlock’s lowly position has its perks. He spends most of his time around classrooms, and the professors quickly realize that he’s brighter than most of the students. There’s also a lot of buzz around Oxford at the moment; the princess of China has come to England for her studies, and she’s brought a set of ancient (and priceless) scrolls with her.
And then, of course, there’s James Moriarty—a charming student who forms an instant bond with Oxford’s newest scout, and whom Sherlock has no idea will one day be his greatest enemy.
No, despite his fall from grace, things aren’t too bad for Sherlock Holmes. Until the princess’ scrolls go missing, and Sherlock is pegged as the prime suspect.
The disappearance throws Oxford into chaos. But what starts as a simple theft is quickly revealed to be much more. There’s a conspiracy unfolding here, and if Sherlock can’t solve it, he’ll lose much more than his job. He’ll be headed straight back to prison.
It seems the game (to quote a certain famous detective) is finally afoot!
When you hear “Sherlock Holmes,” it’s impossible to tell who pops into your mind. Maybe it’s Robert Downey Jr. from the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes. Maybe it’s Benedict Cumberbatch and his iconic trench coat from the 2010 series Sherlock. Or maybe it’s Henry Cavill, or Jonny Lee Miller, or…well, you get it.
What you likely don’t envision is a teenager racing through the streets of Oxford to “Neat Neat Neat” by the Damned.
Of all the many versions of Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective, Young Sherlock most clearly draws from Downey Jr.’s interpretation (which makes sense, considering the series was developed by Guy Ritchie, director of the 2009 film). Still, it does its best to breathe new life into one of the most adapted characters of all time.
Punk-rock needle drops accent heart-pumping chase scenes. Sherlock, still growing into his genius, spends most of his time on the ropes rather than constantly having the upper hand (in just the first episode, he gets punched in the face three times). And, of course, there’s no Watson or Baker Street to be found. Instead, Moriarty is his trusty partner—an intriguing twist, knowing where that relationship ends.
It’s not exactly clear, though, who this shiny new Sherlock is for. It’s hard to imagine fans of BBC’s Sherlock tuning in to watch the consulting detective break into a college party. It’s equally difficult to picture a Gen Z audience caring about an Oxford mystery set to ‘70s punk rock.
In terms of content, though, Young Sherlock leans a bit more heavily towards the “young” in its name. Violence is limited to shootouts and brawls, none of which are particularly bloody. We do see some dead bodies, and a few people are shot point-blank in a carriage heist, but nothing graphic or over-the-top is shown. There’s also a bit of language and mildly suggestive content. In general, you won’t have to worry much about straying beyond the TV-14 range.
Much like its titular detective, Young Sherlock suffers from something of an identity crisis. Still, it’s a unique interpretation of a classic character, and it’s cleaner than many other adaptations. Don’t let your guard down, though. Any good detective knows that danger, however small, could lurk around every corner.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
After a brief stint in prison, a young Sherlock Holmes takes on a serving position at Oxford University and is framed for the theft of an ancient Chinese scroll.
Sherlock has a knack for getting into trouble, usually in the form of a good old-fashioned fistfight. While in jail, he brawls with a fellow prisoner and earns a punch in the face, resulting in a bloody nose. He gets another bloody nose from an insulted student after breaking into a party, and another when chasing down a suspect. It gets to a point where Sherlock’s friend James Moriarty questions if he’s capable of blocking a punch with anything but his face.
The Chinese princess attending Oxford is much more capable in a fight. When her carriage is ambushed by bandits, she takes out several of them with a gun and breaks another’s arm during a melee (there’s a somewhat stomach-turning snap of bone). While several people are killed in the carriage shootout, their deaths don’t result in much blood or gore.
The most graphic image in the episode comes at the very end, when a body is found with a knife in its back. We only catch glimpses of the corpse, but the knife is briefly shown, along with the bloody wound.
Bucephalus Hodge, head of Oxford University, uses very vivid language to describe his plans to punish whoever’s behind the theft (it has a lot to do with disembowelment). A professor tells Sherlock that “there’s a special place in hell” for thieves.
Wine and cocktails are served at a high-class party for Oxford students. Sherlock and Moriarty have several conversations over glasses of whiskey.
The Chinese princess flirts with Sherlock, and though he resists her advances, it’s implied there may have been intimacy between them. They have a drink together, Sherlock passes out, and when he wakes up it’s unclear what actually occurred.
The s-word is used twice. The British curse “bloody” is also used twice, and God’s name is taken in vain two times.
Lauren Cook is serving as a 2021 summer intern for the Parenting and Youth department at Focus on the Family. She is studying film and screenwriting at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. You can get her talking for hours about anything from Star Wars to her family to how Inception was the best movie of the 2010s. But more than anything, she’s passionate about showing how every form of art in some way reflects the Gospel. Coffee is a close second.
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