Guy Ritchie’s Prime Video Detective Series Outshines His Movies

Guy Ritchie’s new detective series has taken over Prime Video, and it’s so much better than the movies it’s based on, which are also by him. There’s a variety of iconic characters among the best detective shows of all time, many of them either inspired by or adaptations of Sherlock Holmes.

The Great Detective has been adapted to all types of media for decades, and on the big screen, Guy Ritchie brought some of the best adaptations in Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. A third Sherlock Holmes movie by Ritchie has been said to be in development for years, but so far, there are no signs of it happening soon.

However, Ritchie hasn’t fully left the world of Sherlock Holmes. Ritchie developed the 2026 mystery show Young Sherlock, inspired by Andrew Lane’s book series of the same name. Young Sherlock has topped the charts over at Prime Video, and it’s even better than Ritchie’s Holmes movies.

After Years Of Wanting Sherlock Holmes 3, Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock Series Scratches The Itch

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows ended on a cliffhanger after Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Moriarty’s (Jared Harris) confrontation and fall into the Reichenbach Falls. Some time later, Watson (Jude Law) receives a package that could have only come from Holmes, and when he leaves the room, Holmes is revealed to have been hidden in plain sight in Watson’s studio.

Plans for a third Sherlock Holmes movie were announced in 2011, and since then, the project has gone through many challenges and delays. In 2013, Law shared that their biggest challenge was getting everyone back together due to their busy schedules, but they were hopeful that the movie would move forward soon.

In 2018, Sherlock Holmes 3 was given a 2020 release date, which was later pushed to 2021 and then delayed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, Dexter Fletcher was announced as the director of Sherlock Holmes 3, and in 2023, the project was said to still be a priority for the production company Team Downey.

While the future of Sherlock Holmes 3 remains unclear, Prime Video’s Young Sherlock is the closest there is to it. Young Sherlock takes the audience back in time to meet a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), who, fresh out of prison for pickpocketing, is given a job at Oxford as a scout. There, he meets James Moriarty (Dónal Finn), a brilliant student with whom he quickly bonds.

After Sherlock is framed for the murder of an Oxford professor, he and Moriarty set out to clear his name and solve the crime. What they aren’t ready for is their investigation leading to a major, deadly conspiracy and the unveiling of some very dark secrets from the Holmes family.

Young Sherlock has all the elements that made Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies so great, most notably its exciting action scenes, made better by an amateur Sherlock who’s learning to fight from none other than Moriarty. Although the show and Ritchie’s movies aren’t connected, Young Sherlock could easily be a prequel to the movies.

Young Sherlock Is A Better Adaptation Of The Books Than RDJ’s Movies

Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies are great, as is Robert Downey Jr.’s performance, but it isn’t the most loyal adaptation to the books. Ritchie’s movies are more action-oriented than the books and more focused on making Holmes a sort of “action hero” or “superhero” rather than focusing on his personal development.

Although Holmes’ incredible deduction skills are obviously present in the movies, they are overshadowed by all the action and Holmes’ fighting skills, which, while mentioned in the books, aren’t the focus of the stories, nor are they shown often. Now, while Young Sherlock isn’t a canon prequel, it’s still a better adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books.

Young Sherlock has a good dose of action, but it isn’t the main focus of the show. Instead, Young Sherlock shows a brilliant but amateur Holmes who is still a “work in progress”, even learning from his future archenemy. This young Holmes is a natural genius, but he lacks in areas like combat and needs the input of fellow genius Moriarty.

Through this, Young Sherlock takes a deeper look into the personal development of the detective, which is a lot more fitting with the books. Young Sherlock also goes into the personal struggles of Holmes, as he carries a lot of trauma, guilt, and unresolved grief over the death of his younger sister, Beatrice.

Young Sherlock ends up adding to the story of Sherlock Holmes, both in the movies and the books, as his backstory and younger years aren’t explored in the books. However, the show does a perfect job of expanding this part of the Great Detective’s story without messing with the character’s most distinctive traits, even if it makes some changes to the canon (like the addition of a sister).

Guy Ritchie’s Future With Sherlock Holmes Lies On The Small Screen

As mentioned above, the future of Sherlock Holmes 3 remains uncertain, even if it’s said to be a priority for its producers. The truth is that there hasn’t been any substantial development in Sherlock Holmes 3, so it’s very hard to predict if it could be close to finally happening or if it’s closer to being officially canceled.

As exciting as it would be to have a third Sherlock Holmes movie from the world built by Guy Ritchie, the truth is that a long time has passed since the second movie (15 years, to be exact), and picking up right where it left off would be strange at this point. However, Young Sherlock has shown a new opportunity for the Great Detective.

Young Sherlock is a new chance to tell new stories about Holmes, Moriarty, and other characters that still connect to the most important parts of the detective’s canon, such as his imminent enmity with Moriarty. Young Sherlock is a more personal look at the character, which feels fresh after so many adaptations that focus more on his skills rather than on his personal development.

At the time of writing, Young Sherlock hasn’t been renewed for a second season, but the show’s future is bright. Young Sherlock season 1’s ending paves the way for a second season, while setting up Moriarty’s upcoming villainous turn, so it only needs to be greenlit. The success of Young Sherlock is a great sign for its future, so it’s now only a matter of waiting for it to be renewed.