Amazon Prime Video's mystery series Young Sherlock, developed by Guy Ritchie and filmed partly in South Wales, has been hailed as "an absolute gem" with "zero boring episodes". The entire first season is now available to stream, with a second already in production.
Critical Acclaim and Viewer Praise
TV expert Anubhuti Navin, who runs the Instagram account The Watchlist Club, described the series as a "must watch" and said it has "zero boring episodes". The programme launched on Amazon Prime Video in March and quickly became a firm favourite among viewers.
The show holds an 84 per cent critics' score on reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, alongside an 83 per cent audience rating.
Plot and Cast
Young Sherlock follows the story of a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes, before he became the world-renowned master detective. Joining forces with companion James Moriarty, who later becomes his most formidable adversary, Holmes finds himself caught up in a murder investigation at Oxford University.
The series draws from a collection of novels about Holmes' early years penned by Andy Lane, while also taking inspiration from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories. It stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the eponymous detective and Dónal Finn as Moriarty, with Zine Tseng as Xiao Wei, Joseph Fiennes as Holmes' father Silas, and Colin Firth as Sir Bucephalus Hodge.
Production and Filming Locations
The series was developed by Guy Ritchie, creator of Netflix sensation The Gentlemen and director of cult gangster classics Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. He also directed two Sherlock Holmes films in 2009 and 2011 featuring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law, and helmed the opening two episodes of Young Sherlock.
Scenes were filmed at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff, as well as in Monmouth, Bridgend, and at Margam Park near Port Talbot, as well as in Bristol and Spain.
Future Seasons and Viewer Reactions
The first season consists of eight episodes, and a second season was commissioned in April, with filming spotted in Bristol and Italy. Game of Thrones stars Aidan Gillen and Indira Varma are joining the cast, alongside The Crown's Olivia Williams and Outlander's Sophie Skelton. The new series is anticipated to arrive in 2027.
One viewer commented: "This was way more fun than I expected. A little over-the-top at times, but I liked the energy and the mystery kept me interested."
Another reviewer noted: "With a talented cast, skilled direction, and intelligent writing, Young Sherlock is as compelling as it is intriguing. Every episode deepens your curiosity, not just about the mysteries, but about the journey of seeing how a young Sherlock Holmes evolves into the legendary detective."
Another viewer remarked: "Great chemistry between the lead actors with the pace, excitement and wit you'd can expect from Guy Ritchie. If you love Ritchie's stuff you'll love this."
However, others were less impressed. One stated: "Not a terrible show, pretty straightforward mystery. However most of the episodes are shot so dark, and poorly, you can barely see what is happening on screen. It would probably be three stars if it were shot better."
