The Best Sherlock Holmes TV Shows, Ranked

Have you ever noticed just how many different versions of Sherlock Holmes on TV there are? It’s quite astounding, and when you think about how timeless Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works are, it’s not really a shock. Even though the stories become public domain starting January 1, 2023, television companies have been producing them for a long time before that date.

Why does Sherlock Holmes translate well to TV, considering he and his stories originated before television existed? It’s because Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales follow a structure that suits TV – each mystery is self-contained within a single act, making them easy to adapt into an hour-long screenplay. Essentially, Sherlock Holmes was the prototype for weekly procedural dramas long before they became popular.

Mystery tales featuring Sherlock Holmes hold a lasting charm, weaving intricate plots that spark obsession and wonder. Interestingly, the character of Sherlock Holmes, along with his companions Dr. Watson, Mrs. Hudson, and Inspector Lestrade, are all likable regardless of the version of the stories you’re engaging with, be it reading or watching.

Following that thought, we’ve chosen to arrange the top 10 Sherlock Holmes TV series, spanning from lesser-known sci-fi animations and Soviet productions to contemporary adaptations located in England, America, and even Japan. The enduring appeal of Sherlock Holmes is quite simple: it’s all about common sense.

The Best Sherlock Holmes TV Adaptations, Ranked

10. Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century

It’s often said that things were better in the past, but I must say, old cartoons were remarkably bizarre compared to today. For instance, consider “Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century,” which was initially intended to be called “Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century” before production delays made the title less futuristic. This series revolves around a police inspector from a century ahead who employs a mad scientist’s technology to revive Sherlock Holmes’ preserved body. The show was produced at the turn of the millennium and may seem cheesy, but it did receive a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program during its run.

9. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

Russian television has a peculiar fondness for Sherlock Holmes, particularly the TV movie series “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson” which started in 1979. This adaptation stands out among the three they’ve produced so far. Each film, consisting of two or three episodes, brought to life renowned Holmes stories such as “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” “A Study in Scarlet,” and “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.” The series starred Vasiliy Livanov as Sherlock Holmes and Vitaliy Solomin as Dr. Watson. These productions were highly acclaimed not only in Russia but also in the U.K., earning Livanov an honorary MBE in 2006 for his contributions to theater and performing arts.

8. Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars

If you’re not an ardent fan of Aaron Taylor-Johnson or Jonathan Pryce, the 2007 TV movie “Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars,” which aired on British television, may have escaped your notice. However, it’s definitely worth watching, especially for its fresh perspective – instead of concentrating on Sherlock Holmes and his escapades, it delves into the lives of the Baker Street Irregulars, a secret band of Holmes’ informants. They are investigating the disappearance of some of their own members, while simultaneously trying to help Holmes avoid being convicted for murder.

7. The Irregulars

Similar to “Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars,” Netflix’s “The Irregulars” revolves around Sherlock Holmes’ lesser-known assistants instead of the man himself. Unfortunately, this series was cut short (being a Netflix production), and it follows a gang of street children in Victorian London who solve supernatural mysteries for Dr. Watson. Interestingly, the Sherlock Holmes in this universe is conspicuously absent. The show is more suitable for younger viewers but carries a rather grim tone, and despite not garnering a dedicated following, it’s worth watching if you’re a fan of Sherlock Holmes and appreciate shorter TV series.

6. Miss Sherlock

In this collection, several gender-swapped Holmes characters can be spotted, yet only the contemporary Japanese series “Miss Sherlock” had the audacity to transform both Holmes and Watson into women. The show features Sara “Sherlock” Futaba, played by Yūko Takeuchi, a modern-day detective solving mysteries in current Tokyo alongside her friend and roommate Dr. Wato Tachibana (Shihori Kanjiya). Although the series primarily creates its own mystery plots, it maintains an intriguing overarching storyline about a clandestine organization called “Stella Maris.” Despite this originality, the show remains a compelling adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, offering raw and distinctive performances by its cast.

5. Lupin the Third Part 6

In the world of anime, Lupin III, the hero of the “Lupin the Third” series, is actually the grandson of a fictional character, Arsène Lupin – a thief from the tales penned by Maurice Leblanc. Interestingly, it wasn’t until Part 6 of the anime that he crossed paths with Sherlock Holmes, who initially appeared as a minor adversary in his own series. Holmes suspects Lupin of murdering his friend Dr. Watson, and thus, Lupin and his companions find themselves in a race against time to clear Lupin’s name while also hunting for a treasure secretly guarded by a mysterious organization (as is typical in the Lupin saga).

4. Sherlock

Indeed, we’ve criticized BBC’s contemporary take on Sherlock Holmes as cringe-worthy, but there’s a reason why Sherlock holds such significance. In contrast to most other adaptations on this list, it skillfully merges the detective stories from the turn of the 20th century with the 21st, demonstrating an impressive blend of tradition and modernity. From the titles of its episodes, which cleverly reference Arthur Conan Doyle’s original works — such as “A Scandal in Bohemia” becoming “A Scandal in Belgravia” — Sherlock is a version that embraces smartphones, computer viruses, and advanced laboratories, making it all the more compelling.

3. House

The television series “House,” which can be seen as a subtle adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, is a classic that predates current knowledge (House … Holmes … Watson … Wilson). This show distinguishes itself from other Holmes TV productions by transforming its protagonist into a medical doctor and confining the story entirely within a hospital setting. Dr. Gregory House, portrayed by Hugh Laurie, is a brilliant surgeon with a genius mind, albeit his gruff bedside manner, and his only friend is another doctor, James Wilson, played by Robert Sean Leonard. Despite his substance abuse issues and struggles with patient relations during difficult times, Wilson helps him function. Remarkably, the show’s creators echoed Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories when House (spoiler alert) staged his own death in the final season to spend more time with his friend, much like Holmes’ “death” and subsequent return.

2. Elementary

In modern times, the United States has its own contemporary take on Sherlock Holmes through the TV series “Elementary”. Similar to the BBC’s “Sherlock”, this adaptation brings the original characters into the present. In this version, Johnny Lee Miller portrays Sherlock Holmes, and Lucy Liu plays Dr. Joan Watson, a female version of John Watson who is just as exasperated by Holmes’ behavior as her male counterpart. Holmes, now a recovering drug addict and former Scotland Yard inspector, resides in New York where he assists the NYPD with investigations. Initially hired to monitor Holmes’ sobriety, Watson eventually joins forces with him due to her talent for solving crimes. To make things even more intriguing, “Game of Thrones” actress Natalie Dormer appears as Holmes’ arch-nemesis, Jamie Moriarty.

1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The quality of TV soared with Granada Television’s “Sherlock Holmes” series, which spanned four seasons and brought to life many classic Holmes tales. Jeremy Brett, an English actor, took on the role of Holmes, one he would become renowned for, and this adaptation is often hailed as the truest to the original stories ever made for screen. It skillfully balances fidelity and creativity, adapting both famous and lesser-known Holmes stories while taking minor creative liberties with the source material. Unlike many portrayals, Dr. John Watson, played by David Burke in this series, was not a bumbling fool. Additionally, the show made a notable change, having Holmes give up his famous cocaine habit, a decision endorsed by Conan Doyle’s daughter Jean Conan Doyle after it was discovered that the show had a large child audience.

TV Shows We Used to Love That Are Cringe Now

The West Wing (1999-2006)

In discussions about TV shows that were once popular but seem outdated today, The West Wing often comes up frequently. It’s not because the show was bad or had poor storylines or provided awkward dialogue (though this can sometimes be true). Instead, it was a show that aspired to ideals rather than reflecting reality. With its idealized and somewhat unrealistic portrayal of politics, given our current political climate in the country, it doesn’t feel very authentic. In The West Wing, the government was run by wise philosopher kings who always emerged victorious from every moral dilemma, or, if they didn’t, faced consequences later on. Unfortunately, that’s not how the real world operates, and watching something like this now leaves a sense of emptiness rather than comfort. (We won’t delve into The Newsroom here.)

Entourage (2004-2011)

In a surprising turn of events, the show “Entourage,” often dubbed the most unbelievable series of its era, continues to astound with both its creation and lasting power. At first glance, it seems like an ordinary tale about a moderately successful Hollywood star and his entourage navigating Los Angeles. However, it was produced during the latter part of the 2000s, a time marked by suppressed sexual tension and rapidly advancing technology-driven lifestyles. Characters like Vinny Chase and his friends, once embodying the epitome of masculinity in 2004, now come off as rather grating. To put it mildly, the sexual dynamics portrayed in “Entourage” are painfully outdated. It still offers a certain amusement as a relic of pre-pandemic times, but barely so.

Supernatural (2005-2020)

Does a TV series inherently become cheesy, or does it gradually develop into something cringe-worthy? This is the conundrum faced by “Supernatural,” a show that, in its initial stages, offered an enjoyable blend of monster hunting and classic rock music, creatively reinterpreting Biblical mythology. However, it extended its stay beyond its prime for approximately four to five seasons too many. From then on, each season’s end-of-the-world arc seemed to blur into the next, characters were frequently revived after death only to meet their demise again, and the dynamics between the primary characters became a tiresome repetition. In its final episodes, it even managed to give canonical recognition to its fanbase’s favorite ship in a manner that left many fans feeling it was homophobic. What an extraordinary journey!

The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008-2013)

The show titled “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” known for its family-friendly portrayal of teen pregnancy, has been criticized for being awkward from the start, yet it managed to gain massive popularity. With a title that suggests a warning from fearful parents in the 1970s, one might expect the show to offer insightful commentary on today’s youth, but instead, it presented a fairly traditional high school drama with a rather conservative perspective on teen pregnancy (keep the baby, find a husband, start a family, etc.). The dialogue is so poor that searching for “secret life cringe” brings up numerous results, including this incredibly regrettable exchange of lines.

Glee (2009-2015)

The TV series, “Glee,” often evoked a sense of secondhand embarrassment as it straddled the line between truly awful and so bad it’s entertaining, much like a car accident you can’t help but watch. Following the “I can’t believe I’m seeing this” principle, which seems to be Ryan Murphy’s signature style, Glee consistently pushed boundaries with its bizarre plotlines that grew increasingly absurd as the seasons progressed. Each character was either too one-dimensional or overloaded with excessive storylines, and their performances of popular songs often felt grating, making us prefer other options. A performance of “Blurred Lines” led by a school faculty member is just one of many extravagant mistakes Glee made.

Sherlock (2010-2017)

Sherlock has a significant disparity between “we adored this” and “we no longer enjoy it,” for numerous reasons. Initially, it was incredibly popular upon release, catapulting its star Benedict Cumberbatch into international fame, and the combination of classic tales with a contemporary twist appealed to audiences craving a creative mystery series beyond typical police dramas. However, as only three extended episodes were released every two or three years, the show became too grandiose for its own good, and fans who cherished the early episodes had moved on by the time it reached later seasons since they had grown older. The “mind palace” scene, once praised as brilliant, is now remembered as dull.

Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

A series that was initially cherished but later met with criticism, “Game of Thrones” transitioned from being admired to becoming awkwardly disappointing before its conclusion. Despite this, we firmly believe that the show remains excellent, up until a certain point. The decline in quality following this point is significant. The show required a great deal from viewers, asking them to remember fictional titles and locations, as well as keeping track of numerous intricate plots within each episode. Over time, this became tedious, particularly during the final stages of the series, when fan-favorite characters were being unceremoniously killed off, with each death seeming increasingly undeserved. Today, when someone claims to be a fan, they often feel compelled to specify “of the earlier seasons,” to avoid heated debates reminiscent of the Dothraki warrior clashes.

House of Cards (2013-2018)

It might seem hasty to label a series struggling due to its canceled main actor as “poor now,” but we’d argue that “House of Cards” wasn’t particularly impressive from the start. As one of Netflix’s initial original series, it was marketed as a thought-provoking political drama, akin to “The West Wing,” with a dark edge, following a ruthless congressman and his equally ambitious wife as they climbed the political ladder through murder and betrayal. Initially, its breaking of the fourth wall was fresh and innovative. However, over time, the escalating one-upmanship in season finales became monotonous and uninteresting, causing many viewers to drop off, primarily due to the show’s awkward handling of its lead actor’s real-life scandal.

Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019)

Similar to how the appeal of “House of Cards” decreased before its conclusion, the excitement for “Orange Is the New Black” also dwindled prior to its final episode. Initially, it captivated audiences as a blend of prison drama and dark comedy, featuring a multicultural cast and an intricate web of storylines that promised countless seasons filled with suspense and entertainment. However, its main drawback was consistently centering the least engaging character in each scene. This issue became particularly evident in the lead character, who even devoted fans admitted was the most uninteresting on “OITNB,” yet received the majority of screen time. After two or three seasons of this, viewers began to question their continued engagement, and now serves as a cautionary tale about how not to manage subsequent seasons of a highly successful series.

The Mandalorian (2019-2023)

The Mandalorian and its spin-offs may have significantly tarnished the prestige of The Volume, an innovative video wall soundstage that enabled simultaneous filming of digital backdrops and special effects. Originally, the first season of this show presented a stylish, Wild West-infused Star Wars tale following a solitary gunfighter navigating a treacherous desert realm. However, subsequent seasons focused more on cramming in excessive lore that didn’t resonate with audiences, resulting in haphazard effects and unclear scenery that failed to live up to the potential of the groundbreaking technology showcased by the filmmakers. As its final season progressed, viewership dwindled significantly from its initial popularity.

2025-01-24 18:24