New 'Young Sherlock' Series Premieres on Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime Video's new series 'Young Sherlock' premiered on Wednesday, offering a fresh take on Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective. Starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a young Sherlock Holmes and Dónal Finn as James Moriarty, the show reimagines their early years at Oxford University.

The series explores an unexpected friendship between Holmes and Moriarty before they become notorious enemies. Showrunner Matthew Parkhill explains that the story is about how this incredible friendship unravels over time. The duo's relationship forms the basis of the first season, with both actors bringing a unique chemistry to their roles.

Fiennes Tiffin describes his character as 'far from the finished product' seen in Doyle's works. Instead, he portrays Sherlock as a 19-year-old pickpocket who is brilliant but still finding his footing in the world. The series documents his growth and evolution into the detective we know.

Directed by Guy Ritchie and inspired by Andrew Lane’s 'Young Sherlock Holmes' book series, this version of Sherlock exists in a different universe from Ritchie's previous films starring Robert Downey Jr. While it shares some tonal similarities, Ritchie has evolved as a director since those movies were made.

The eight-episode series opens with a flashback to Sherlock’s childhood and the loss of his sister Beatrice. Her death sends ripples through his family, with his mother institutionalized and father absent. Mycroft Holmes (Max Irons), Sherlock's older brother, secures him a job as a servant at Oxford where he meets Moriarty.

The pair investigates a murder involving Princess Gulun Shou’an (Zine Tseng) that becomes far more complex than they initially anticipate. The series features action sequences and modern music soundtracks while maintaining the 1870s setting. Ritchie directed the first two episodes, infusing his signature style throughout.

Fiennes Tiffin had to draw from various iterations of Sherlock for inspiration but wanted to make the character his own. He visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum in London ahead of shooting and pulled from his longtime love of Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal while adding his unique touch.

The show features nods to classic elements of Sherlock lore, including iconic lines from Doyle's novels spoken first by Moriarty. Parkhill has mapped out potential future seasons up through 'A Study in Scarlet,' the first of Doyle’s novels, before passing the baton back to literature.