Young Sherlock Fixes Sherlock’s Biggest Mistake With Holmes Sibling Story

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Warning: spoilers for Prime Video’s Young Sherlock

Prime Video’s new show, Young Sherlock, offers a fresh take on the classic detective, and it cleverly improves upon one aspect of the popular BBC series Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Sherlock Holmes has been adapted for television many times, and the version created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat is considered one of the best detective shows ever made.

As a huge fan of clever mysteries, I was completely hooked by the first couple of seasons of Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman absolutely nailing the roles of Holmes and Watson. But honestly, the show really lost its way after that. I think one of the biggest problems was introducing Eurus, Holmes’s sister, played by Sian Brooke. It felt so out of nowhere and just didn’t work for me – a criminal mastermind sibling felt like a desperate attempt to add drama, and it ultimately dragged the show down.

Eurus’ arrival and complicated scheme were confusing and ultimately disappointing. The show Young Sherlock revisits a similar family connection, but in a way that cleverly addresses a major flaw in the original Sherlock series.

Young Sherlock Gives The Holmes Sister A Better Story

Inspired by Andrew Lane’s novels, Young Sherlock transports viewers to Victorian England and introduces a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). While studying at Oxford University, Sherlock befriends the intelligent James Moriarty (Dónal Finn) and a new arrival, Chinese Princess Shou’an (Zine Tseng).

After a professor is murdered at Oxford, Sherlock is wrongly accused and must prove his innocence with the help of James. Their investigation quickly reveals a dangerous conspiracy and hidden, troubling truths about the Holmes family. The story, Young Sherlock, immediately shows that even at a young age, the detective is haunted by past trauma.

Sherlock has long carried guilt over the death of his younger sister, Beatrice, which occurred twelve years prior. As the story unfolds, it’s revealed that Beatrice isn’t actually dead, and her supposed death, along with her mother’s subsequent time in a mental institution, were orchestrated by their father, Silas (Joseph Fiennes), as part of a larger scheme.

When Beatrice was a young child, she was led to believe her family had died in a house fire. She was then raised by a new family who couldn’t have children, but this led to feelings of bitterness, anger, and confusion. Though she was cared for, Silas continued to send her a birthday gift each year, and Beatrice used these gifts as clues to find him.

Silas, as usual, manipulated the situation, convincing Beatrice that her family was the source of the trouble while presenting himself as her protector. Beatrice, deeply devoted to Silas, even went so far as to help him with a dangerous scheme – she pretended to be Professor Hodge’s (Colin Firth) assistant to aid in the creation of a lethal chemical.

While Sherlock used a single flashback to reveal Eurus’s criminal intelligence, Young Sherlock explored Beatrice’s history in much more detail. The series depicts the relationship between the Holmes siblings before Beatrice was presumed dead, her descent into villainy due to Silas’s schemes, and her eventual realization that she had been manipulated by him all along, leading to her redemption.

Will Beatrice Holmes Become A Full Villain In Young Sherlock Season 2?

The series Young Sherlock introduces a surprising connection between Sherlock and his future nemesis, James Moriarty, hinting at Moriarty’s eventual villainous role. Beyond that, the show also reveals a romantic connection between James and Beatrice, stemming from their time at Oxford, where James doesn’t realize who Beatrice truly is, creating instant chemistry between them.

By the end of Young Sherlock, James and Beatrice are secretly in a relationship. Even though Beatrice has gone back to her family, she’s connected to a future enemy and has shown she can be a strong opponent. In a second season of Young Sherlock, Beatrice could either become a villain alongside James, or she might try to convince him to change his ways.

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2026-03-07 17:34