Young Sherlock surprisingly won me over
I went into Young Sherlock completely blind. No trailers, no expectations, barely even knew the series existed. Honestly, I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected.
After finishing the first season and checking out some discussions online, opinions seemed a bit divided. Personally, I think the show works best if you view it less as the "classic Sherlock Holmes" and more as a portrayal of who Sherlock was before becoming the version we are most familiar with.
I've watched a few Sherlock adaptations over the years (BBC’s Sherlock, RDJ’s, Jeremy Brett’s, some I’d want to mention) and have read the original stories. Even with those versions in mind, I still found myself genuinely growing fond of this Holmes portrayal. Sure, he isn't yet the intensely calculating, reserved detective most people immediately associate with Sherlock. But honestly, I think that's what made this version interesting to me.
The show leans more into him being slightly silly, curious, quite emotional, and still trying to figure himself out, while still keeping the core traits that make him, well, Sherlock. It's the fact that you can see fragments of the Holmes he'll eventually become, despite the chaotic moments, given his age. He wasn't a fully formed genius, and this show makes a point that he started somewhere. It makes the idea of his future development feel "earned" rather than automatic.
Oddly enough, this adaptation made me feel "closer" to Sherlock than some other portrayals have. I adore each portrayal I know of in their own separate ways, but this series gave him some sort of "pseudo-history" that adds more depth to why he may eventually become the man we know later in life, even if it isn't canonical, but hey.
I also thought the show did an incredible job with this new take on James Moriarty. That was probably the biggest surprise for me, and I ended up really liking the direction and dynamic they had.
Overall, I thought the pacing was solid and the character moments landed well. There's so much potential for this show. Can't wait for the future seasons!!