One of the most famous detectives in the world is Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional character Sherlock Holmes.
Known for his deduction skills and logical thinking, Sherlock is basically a genius. According to CinemaBlend, this character has been portrayed by over 350 actors across a spectrum of shows and films.
Sherlock has been reimagined over and over again, sometimes to fit modern sensibilities and other times to make viewers forget about them.
Here is a list of four Sherlock adaptations that have made waves int he recent times.
‘Sherlock Holmes’ (2009)
Directed by Guy Ritchie (“Aladdin”), this film takes Sherlock back to 1890 when he is hired by a secret society to take down one of London’s most dangerous serial killers, according to IMDb.
“The Victorian sets are terrific and the performances of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, both consummate actors with a special style, are excellent. Nevertheless, their performances are not enough to compensate for a less than stellar script,” Ed Koch wrote for The Atlantic.
It is rated PG-13 for an intense sequence of violence and action, some startling images and a scene of suggestive material, and available to watch on Netflix.
There is another installment — “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” — featuring Downey Jr. and Law as the detective duo.
‘Sherlock’ (2010-2017)
In a more contemporary version, Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, is a consultant to Scotland Yard and Watson, played by Martin Freeman, is an army vet who just got home and is looking for a place to stay. With a total of 13 episodes, each lasting as an hour and a half and spanning over four seasons, the show introduces devious but silly villains like Moriarty.
“The writers have done a splendid job of keeping the audience off-balance while weaving in elements of the Holmes mythology,” said Variety’s Brain Lowry.
It is rated TV-14 for sex and nudity, violence and gore, alcohol, drugs and smoking, and a sequence of frightening and intense scenes. The television show is available to rent on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
‘Enola Holmes’ (2020)
Breathing in fresh life to Sherlock’s world is Millie Bobby Brown playing Enola Holmes, Sherlock’s little sister. The Netflix franchise’s first installment featured Enola searching for her missing mother. While she carries on sleuthing, she comes across a runaway.
“Enola Holmes 2” was released in November and followed Enola on bigger adventures that tangled up with Sherlock’s own detective work, per Rotten Tomatoes.
“It’s a romp geared especially towards tweens, but one that certainly holds enough depth to delight their parents as well,” said Matthew Huff from the A.V. Club.
Both films are rated PG-13 for some violence and bloody images, and are available to watch on Netflix.
‘The Hound of Baskervilles’ (1959)
Going back half a decade is where viewers will find Basil Rathbone playing Sherlock. He played the character in 14 major films, according to Collider.
This is the film that made the line ”Elementary, my dear Watson” popular. The sentence was never a part of Doyle’s works, per the report.
In the story, Sir Charles Baskerville dies mysteriously, with the doctor believing he was frightened to death. Sherlock agrees to take on the case and put the rumors of a supposed curse behind them.
According to Common Sense Media, this film is appropriate for ages 10 and up, and is available to rent on YouTube.
‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ (1984-1985)
This two-season television show, featuring Jeremy Brett as Sherlock and David Burke as Watson, is set in London in the late 1800s.
New York Times critic Richard Grenier called Brett’s performance “truly splendid” as he portrays the character as “vain, arrogant, imperious, rude.” Meanwhile, Danilo Castro from ScreenRant noted that the actor had many similar life experiences as Sherlock, dealing with bipolar disorder and depression.
Common Sense Media rated it appropriate for 13 years and older.