Netflix is putting a new spin on Sherlock Holmes with The Irregulars, and here's everything we know about the show's release date, cast, and story details. Created by Tom Bidwell, the upcoming original series is loosely based on the "Baker Street Irregulars," a group of street urchins who served as intelligence agents in the stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Though Holmes is present in the series, he won't be the shining star as he's so often presented.
Doyle first introduced Holmes in 1887 before the fictional figure found widespread notoriety a few years later. In the decades that followed, Holmes and his close friend, Dr. John H. Watson, appeared in dozens of stories as they solved crimes throughout London. Holmes and his home of 221B Baker Street became synonymous with investigative work, making the figure the best-known fictional detective in history. Based on his legacy in pop culture, Holmes continues to be a focus on continuous TV and film projects.
Aside from recent shows like Sherlock and Elementary, Holmes briefly appeared in the film Enola Holmes, a fellow Netflix project that followed the detective's sharp-witted little sister. Following Enola Holmes' success, the streamer is undoubtedly excited to have another spin on the Holmes family gearing up for a release. That said, here's everything we know about The Irregulars thus far.
The Irregulars Is Netflix's New Riff On Sherlock Holmes
Rather than put Holmes at the center of Netflix's new crime drama, the figure will be taking all of the credit for cases he didn't necessarily solve. In this interpretation of the legendary detective, Holmes is a villainous drug addict who remains in the shadows while a group of teens, known as "The Irregulars," do the real work. Dr. Watson still serves as Holmes' trusty companion just as he did in Doyle's groundbreaking work, but he's a sinister enabler in this version.
The Irregulars Cast & Characters
Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Killing Eve) plays the role of Sherlock Holmes while Royce Pierreson (The Witcher) handles his sidekick, Dr. Watson. As for the Irregulars, Thaddea Graham portrays Bea, the leader of the teenagers working to solve the British detective's crimes. Darci Shaw has a key role in The Irregulars as Bea's younger sister and a fellow member of the group. Jojo Macari, McKell David, and Harrison Osterfield round out the group as Billy, Spike, and Leopold. The remaining supporting cast members include Clarke Peters, Olivia Grant, and Aidan McArdle, who is playing Inspector Lestrade.
The Irregulars Story
Reimagining Holmes and Watson as the bad guys is a big enough twist, but The Irregulars puts another spin on the series by adding a supernatural element. The teenagers, who live on the streets of Victorian London, are manipulated by Dr. Watson to solve crimes which Holmes goes on to take credit for. In doing so, the Irregulars start to investigate cases that become increasingly supernatural. While Holmes and Watson have been known to take on some gruesome cases in past interpretations, The Irregulars will focus on the horror element by putting the fate of London in the hands of a group of crime-solving teens.
The Irregulars Release Date
Bidwell's riff of the Sherlock Holmes lore first went into development in late 2018 before casting went underway a year later. Filming commenced throughout the UK shortly after, but it was shut down in January 2020 following an on-set injury. Further filming was scheduled for March, but it was delayed until August, presumably due to the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns. After debuting a teaser for the eight-episode series in late February 2021, Netflix announced The Irregulars will debut on the streamer on March 26, 2021.