Sherlock & Daughter

One of the endless iterations of Sherlock Holmes, this one comes with a young woman who may be his daughter. The story begins with Holmes mid-drama, trying to save persons at risk while feeling that greater risk may come from his efforts. Meanwhile, a young woman makes her way from New York City to London, hoping to meet Holmes, whom she regards as a personal hero.

The atmosphere of London, 1896, is convincing, so the viewer can relax into the story, which wastes no time developing. Holmes (David Thewlis) and the young woman, Amelia Rojas (Blu Hunt), begin the series as fully-developed characters. Their back stories and personality traits are quickly established. Holmes is self-important and surly, though considerations might be made due to his current situation. Amelia is bright, cordial, and eager to learn. When she makes her way to 221B Baker Street, her hopes are briefly dashed, but she finds a place in Holmes' situation.

Before long, the two are working together to solve a case, but not as equals. And the disparate duo competes with Scotland Yard and the Pinkertons.

The production is filled with graphics, which some viewers may like; others may find them distracting.

But the first two episodes are enjoyable, and there is potential for much more enjoyment if the script allows the main characters to grow into a relationship of depth and warmth, if only grudgingly.

I think most books, movies and some TV shows could be improved with maps. This one uses maps to illustrate old London and even a carriage chase. Well done.

I'm very forgiving with Sherlock stories. I was able to enjoy Sherlock and Elementary at the same time, but I can't stomach the Will Ferrell abomination. I suggest "Smarter Brother" and "Without a Clue" for a humorous Holmes. And I still miss Houdini and Doyle, but I digress.

This Holmes is older but still rude, egocentric and logical. I like that he does not accept the young American as his daughter ('You are not the first to make this claim") but finds her useful to investigate his case. Also we work with the same clues as Holmes. The main problem is extending the mystery across 8 episodes. The middle does bog down a bit. It would be better to have 2 four episode arcs. This is still an entertaining effort that I can recommend to a Holmes fan.

This series is taken from the Charles Veley books "Lucy James Mystery" series. Without credit of course. Anyone who has read all the books can't miss the almost total reproduction, with only trivial changes in names and plot changes. The plot line and circumstances that happen are all in the books, not in one book but from the series in total. There are two things missing in the show that the books excel at, the smartness in the writing, that's where the tv series missed the mark, it's also what makes the difference between a great show, and a just an ok show. Also missing in the show is that they really failed at showing the intellect of Sherlock Holmes, both in dialogue and in storyline, something the books excel at.

As a big Sherlock Holmes fan, I've always loved how smart he is and how he keeps his distance. To me, the original stories are great because he's all about logic, not feelings or family. So, when this new series introduces a daughter, it feels a bit off. It just doesn't seem like the Sherlock I know, the one who cares most about solving a good mystery.

It feels wrong because the original Holmes was so focused on his work, with no wife or kids. Adding a daughter brings in a lot of emotion, which I think changes what makes him unique. It might make him seem more like any other detective with family problems, instead of the special character he is. For me, the old stories are important, and big changes to the main character can be tough to accept.

But, I also see why the series creators did it. Giving Holmes a daughter adds something new. The idea of a "lonely genius" can feel old-fashioned now. A daughter pushes him to deal with feelings and relationships, which makes him seem more human. This can open up new kinds of stories, not just about solving crimes, but about family and what kind of parent Holmes would be. It helps keep the character fresh and interesting for today's audiences.

So, while my first thought is often "that's not the real Sherlock," I understand that a daughter can enliven and modernize him, making him more relatable and giving creators new ways to tell his story. It's a different take, but it does bring him to life for a new generation.

For me, Sherlock Holmes should notice all the small details, leave nothing to chance, and in the end you get an explanation of how how Holmes' conclusion was made.

Sherlock & Daughter did try to do all these things, but it felt like the writing used for the series was in iteration 2, when it needed to be iterated 10 times to be proper Sherlock Holmes.

It was entertaining, well paced and all that. Impressive how they can nail costumes and environment to the time period. A nick pick would be a lack of a realistic amount of bystanders / crowds, due to what I only can imagine to be budget costs.