There's a new 8-episode Young Sherlock Holmes show on Amazon Prime. It's more a pastiche than an adaptation of Sir ACD's stories. Apparently it's based on some book series of the same name from the 2010's.
Guy Ritchie is producing and directed the first two episodes, though it's not really like his two Sherlock Holmes films with RDJ and Jude Law, beyond being a period piece. The credits, some visual elements and music choices are probably the main Guy Ritchie influence. Stars Ralph Fiennes' nephew, who previous played the young Tom Riddle in one of the Harry Potter films, as the young Sherlock Holmes at Oxford.
I'm about halfway through, and it's not a terrible show, however it doesn't really feel anything like Sherlock Holmes. We don't get enough clues to work out the mystery each episode to the extent there even is a mystery. Worse, the main lead could be playing any character, there's nothing particularly Holmesian about him. No charisma; he's sort of a less autistic Sheldon Cooper, than Sherlock, but not as terrible as that sounds. Holmes should feel like the smartest man in the room, but this version is overshadowed by other characters throughout.
I don't know if its the writing or the lack of presence in the actor, but if this show was called Young Oxford Detective and didn't use Holmes' names, it would be better for it.
There is so far no Watson character, but instead James Moriarty takes the Watson role, and together with Holmes, they both come across more like well-read young British men, than super geniuses. Though Moriarty is better acted and better written, of the two. I was initially worried about having Moriarty as his friend, but it rather works I think. They're sort of good and bad influences on each other. As long as they don't do something stupid like having Moriarty being secretly the arch villain who has been running everything the whole show.
Anyway, if you can get past them making Moriarty his best friend, Lestrade the local constable, and an underlying plot arc about Sherlock having a dead sister he keeps hallucinating about (I suspect they're going to have her still alive, kidnapped by Sherlock's father for some reason), it's an okay watch. Though again, I'm only about halfway through the season.
I haven't noticed anything terribly SJW/Woke messaging in it yet, beyond maybe a few jabs at British imperialism in China and some basic classism that is pretty accurate to the period. None of it is dwelt on or made into a lecture. So by that standard it's above average for something on Amazon Prime.
Holmes' sister is worrying me, though. I don't know what it is about modern films/shows, but between 'Sherlock', 'Enola Holmes', and now this, they sure love giving Sherlock a younger sister. I swear, if we end up with another Eurus Holmes, I'm going to lose my mind.
