10 detective films and series similar to Sherlock Holmes

Film “Sherlock Holmes“2009 is remarkable for many: the cast (Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law), a decent budget ($ 90 million), well, Guy Ritchie in the director’s chair is also an important factor.

But the most amazing thing is that although the main characters are taken from the books of Arthur Conan Doyle, the plot itself is completely original. Not everyone believed that something would come of it, but the collections of over $500 million proved that everything worked out.

Sherlock Holmes is such a large-scale personality that it is impossible to tell within the framework of one film, therefore, for all fans of this hero, we have collected 10 films and TV shows similar to Sherlock Holmes with Downey Jr.

10 Poirot (1989)

The series based on the works of the Queen of the Detective began filming in 1989, and the initiator was Agatha Christie’s daughter, Rosalind Hicks.

British actor David Suchet was invited to play the role of Hercule Poirot, to whom this series brought worldwide fame.

Interesting, that the debut season received 4 BAFTA nominations, winning 3. The most interesting – one award the series received for the best graphics, which are not there.

9. Blacklist (2013)

At the center of the plot of the seriesBlacklist» is Raymond Reddington (James Spider): one of the most wanted criminals. He is incredibly smart and cunning, which is why the FBI has been unsuccessfully trying to catch him for many years.

No one expected that he himself would voluntarily come to them and not only surrender, but offer his help in capturing other bandits. True, he has one condition: he agrees to work only in tandem with Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone).

Elizabeth is new to the FBI and inferior in experience and skills to many colleagues, but Reddington considers her special.

Why he treats her this way and how much this criminal genius can contribute to the work of agents – all this the viewer will learn in the course of the story.

At the moment, 6 seasons (133 episodes) have been released, but in the spring of 2019 it became known that the channel extended the show for the seventh, so the adventures of this extraordinary couple are not over yet.

8. Elementary (2012)

American TV SeriesElementary” came out after the British “Sherlock”, which turned out to be incredibly successful. At first, everyone thought that CBS decided to brazenly “hype” on the efforts of HBO, but in fact, everything is completely different.

First, CBS turned to their British colleagues with a proposal to allow them to film a remake of Sherlock, but HBO categorically refused. Not wanting to give up so easily, the Americans went the other way and simply removed their version, different from the British one.

Standard episodes of ~45 minutes and the flow of narration, as in typical procedurals, make “Elementary” a completely independent product.

As for the plot, it is also completely original (meaning adaptation to modern realities, everyone has the same basis).

Sherlock Holmes here (Jonny Lee Miller) is a former drug addict just recently out of the clinic. Out of boredom and in order to occupy himself with something, he begins to help an old acquaintance in the police, where, although they admire him, they do not like him.

Dr. Watson (Lucy Liu) is a female drug handler and former surgeon. Helping the detective not to sit down again on the needle, she at the same time begins to help him in the investigation of cases, more and more involved. A must see for all Conan Doyle fans.

7. Lie to me (2009)

The protagonist of the seriesTrick me” (another version of the name “Lie theory”) is neither Holmes nor Poirot. Dr. Cal Lightman, played by Tim Roth, is a new character, but with his charisma and ability to get to the bottom of the truth, he may well compete with anyone.

His weapon is not deduction and not a brilliant mind given by nature, but science, the study of which he spent decades.

It is able to determine if a person is lying by the movement of their eyelids, eyebrows, smirk, and other signs that cannot be fully controlled.

Together with his team, he helps the police, the FBI and even the CIA, splitting the most obscene liars and catching criminals.

6. League of outstanding gentlemen (2003)

«League of distinguished gentlemen” – it’s kind of «The Avengers» or “Justice League” “at the minimum”.

The main characters here are entirely superheroes, but of an older type. Alan Quatermain (Sean Connery) from King Solomon’s Mines, Captain Nemo from 20 Leagues Under the Sea, as well as Tom Sawyer, Dorian Gray and others.

This whole company, with the help of logic, strength, cunning and superpowers, will resist the mysterious Phantom, who wants to start a new World War.

5. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)

TV series “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”, in which the role of a brilliant detective was played by Jeremy Brett, is considered by many to be perhaps the most reliable adaptation of the stories of Conan Doyle.

All the characters are shown as authentically as possible and the scriptwriters practically did not allow liberties in the narrative.

The series lasted 10 years, during which 4 seasons (41 episodes) were filmed. Filming was stopped due to the tragedy: Jeremy Brett died at the age of 62. However, he was going to refuse the role anyway, as he believed that he was not suitable for the role of Sherlock, and besides, he had health problems.

4. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Deathmatch (1980)

«Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Deathmatch”is part of a large-scale Soviet television movie, consisting of three parts (we will talk about the other two later). In The Last Stand, Sherlock, played by the legendary Vasily Livanov, confronts an English crime syndicate led by Moriarty.

3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Tiger Hunt (1980)

The plot of the movie “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Tiger Hunt” begins with the fact that Watson decides to finish the case of Holmes, whom he considers dead (no spoiler here).

To do this, he disguises himself and goes on reconnaissance, but everything does not go according to plan: he is recognized several times, he has to remove his makeup, and in the end he still becomes the main suspect in the murder.

The case, as they say, smells like kerosene for the doctor, but suddenly (he and Mrs. Hudson even fainted) Sherlock comes home alive and healthy. With him, of course, to prove the innocence of Watson will not be difficult.

2. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Blackmail King (1980)

The final part of the TV movie (although it is the first in the chronology) called “Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: Blackmail Kingis based on the short story “The End of Charles Augustus Milverton”.

Here Sherlock and Watson are trying to cope with Charles Milverton – a cunning and vile blackmailer who, having taken possession of the love correspondence of influential women, extorted a lot of money from them.

The detective’s brother, Mycroft, gives him a letter asking him to help one of these ladies, and Holmes, taking the doctor with him, gets down to business.

1. Sherlock (2010-2017)

It’s impossible to say unequivocally that the HBO series is the best adaptation of the works of Conan Doyle, but “Sherlockis by far the most famous television adaptation.

Benedict Cumberbatch may not be the best Sherlock Holmes, but certainly the most memorable. Morgan Freeman may not be the perfect Dr. Watson, but clearly not the worst. Similarly, in other aspects: if not perfect, then close to it.