RATING SOME OF THE MORE POPULAR SHERLOCK HOLMES CHARACTERS!
Today (or rather Thursday) is a very big day. At least we think it is. It’s also only big in the world of fiction and the characters we love to celebrate. One of these includes Sherlock Holmes. A detective who, perhaps is a bit too fond of his own mind, Sherlock Holmes is likable (somehow) in spite of his personality quirks. Given this auspicious day, we’re rating the Sherlock Holmes characters (aka the people who have played them) or some of them.
LIST | MEMORABLE MOTHERS FROM TV + VOTE IN THE POLL!
RATING SOME OF THE MORE POPULAR SHERLOCK HOLMES CHARACTERS! Talking some of our favorite #SherlockHolmes actors and characters. #SherlockHolmesDay Share on XAccording to the Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia, who is the author of the 60+ stories with Holmes, the character is described as “Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective,” a character created by Doyle between the years 1887 and 1927. He appeared in “62 cases […] and is an amateur detective with powerful observation and deduction abilities.” But according to this same write up, Doyle, despite Holmes being his most famous, he thought that this character “was obscuring the rest of his works,” which lead to the detective dying in 1893. Still, as we know Doyle did “resurrect” him in 34 more stories! These came between 1901 and 1927.
We’ll now take a closer look at some of the people who have stepped into the role of this iconic consulting detective. Let’s do this.
RATING the SHERLOCK HOLMES CHARACTERS
Note; I’m not rating or ranking these actors on the novel character. I’ve never read a novel so instead I’m simply rating them based on how well I enjoyed the character and/or actor in the role.
JEREMY BRETT
At this writing, I haven’t met Brett as Holmes, but he is widely considered to be a favorite. I don’t know if I’d like him in the role or not, but he featured as Sherlock in multiple titles, three of which were limited series. Fun fact, but Brett also played the charming Freddy in My Fair Lady.
Find, at publication, the mysteries with Brett under Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) on BritBox; or search places like Amazon for DVD sets of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
HENRY CAVILL from ENOLA HOLMES, film
This is the second role in as many years that Henry Cavill was heavily criticized for playing. In these Netflix flicks, Cavill plays Holmes, the big brother to sister Enola, a girl who Sherlock doesn’t really know being so much older than her. Still, in time, he comes to admire her and takes guardianship, recognizing that she’s quite smart. He is also set to reprise his role in an upcoming Enola Holmes 3 title. I’ve seen comments that the actor is all wrong for this role, and he may well be. However, as someone not looking at the character as an extension of the novel, I do like him. I think Enola’s presence challenges him emotionally, and for this character, that’s good. Plus, it’s just nice to see for his sake, too.
Rating: B
Stream, at publication, exclusively on Netflix.
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH from SHERLOCK
BBC took on adapting a modern version of the canon, casting the-then lesser known Benedict Cumberbatch (yes I’d argue it was this role that truly catapulted Cumberbatch into big fame, which led on to Marvel films. This show is what memes were made for and it has a brilliant script. There is some hate for the final season, but all in all, the series is universally loved and features an aloof but changed (through the years) Holmes. Rumors stir every few years of a revival, but there are also stories that the main stars fell out and of course, everyone has a busy schedule with other projects suggesting the likelihood of more episodes is slim. Good news is, if you’re like me, you revisit what there is of this series… often.
Rating: A
Stream, at publication, on AMC+, BritBox or Hulu; or digitally rent / purchase on places like Prime Video
I’m not a psychopath, I’m a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research.
– Sherlock, BBC
PETER CUSHING and DOUGLAS WILMER from a TV SERIES in the 60
Playing Holmes in the 60s, the role of Holmes was shared by Cushing and Wilmer in a “TV series” (or that’s how its tagged) with 29 episodes. I haven’t heard of Wilmer, but do recognize the Cushing name; the British actor played the iconic detective for 16 episodes in 1968. He’s also a version of Holmes that I haven’t met. (Yes, there are more of them than I realized!)
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. from SHERLOCK HOLMES, film
Like other actors who take on this role, RDJ is criticized in how he plays this character. It’s as a brawler in addition to being, well, bright. This opens new impressions of Sherlock and doors to what Sherlock does or is capable of. From what I understand, he’s brilliant enough to use strategic fighting… it’s more a question of whether or not he would. There are two films with RDJ, both of which helm from Guy Ritchie. Either way, the films are ridiculously entertaining so at a minimum there is that.
Rating: B
Stream, at publication, on Cinemax or Max; or digitally rent or purchase on places like Prime Video
MATT FREWER from THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES plus THREE MORE FILMS
Frewer’s turn as Holmes happens in a group of four films produced from 2000 through 20002. The four titles are adaptations of Doyle’s more famous stories and feature an average of a 6 (of 10) user rating. Trivia says these were, in part, produced by Hallmark. The four films in this collection were The Hound of Baskervilles; The Sign of Four; The Royal Scandal; The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire, and all four feature Frewer.
Stream, at publication, some of the titles on The Roku Channel, Pluto TV or Tubi
IAN MCKELLEN from MR. HOLMES
An aging and diminishing Mr. Holmes is played by the wonderful McKellen in this drama about Holmes looking back on his life as he recounts some of his cases to his housekeeper’s son.
Rating: A
Stream, at publication, on MGM+; or digitally purchase or rent on places like Prime Video
JONNY LEE MILLER from ELEMENTARY
Like the BBC production, CBS produced a version of the iconic detective in a modern show that gets more emotional with Holmes. This time because he’s a recovering addict, and then in later seasons, exploring what it looks like to be losing the only thing you are good at: using your mind. The show is surprisingly quite good.
Rating: B
Stream, at publication, on Hulu or Prime Video; or digitally purchase on places like Prime Video
BASIL RATHBONE
Another actor I’ve not seen wear the iconic hat of the Holmes character. Beginning in 1939 (through the mid 40s in film), he took on the mantle of the iconic character and played him in twelve more titles and according to trivia, in radio broadcasts, too. Also, according to trivia, Rathbone is credited with having created the “definitive” version of Holmes, and his only real rival for the role is Jeremy Brett.
Stream, at publication, some of these titles with Rathbone by searching places like Pluto TV or Tubi
NICHOLAS ROWE from YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES, film
This version has Holmes and Watson meeting during their boarding school years. The mystery follows Holmes as he solves a mysterious plot that suggests a group of businessmen are targeted by an “Egyptian cult.”
B-
Stream, at publication, with Pluto TV; or digitally purchase on places like Prime Video
DAVID THEWLIS from SHERLOCK AND DAUGHTER
I really don’t think I can be fair to Thewlis considering I only saw one or two episodes of this CW show, but he IS an award winning actor, so he definitely deserves a shout-out despite not seeing him in this role much. He isn’t a personal favorite Holmes, but I think he probably plays the role well. I also find it interesting anytime Holmes is challenge by a new relationship (so in Sherlock, it’s Molly; in Enola Holmes, it’s a sister; and this it’s a maybe daughter).
Rating: B-
Stream, at publication, on CWTV.com
MORE ACTORS playing SHERLOCK
- MICHAEL CAINE in Without a Clue, a story where Holmes isn’t the genius, Watson is!
- JAMES D’ARCY in Sherlock: A Case of Evil
- RUPERT EVERETT in Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking
- WILL FERRELL in Holmes and Watson, a silly almost slapstick comedy
- CHARLTON HESTON in The Crucifer of Blood where, fun fact, Susanna Harker (from Pride and Prejudice) co-stars
- CHRISTOPHER LEE in four different titles where he played Holmes, beginning in the 60s and ending in the early 90s
- ROGER MOORE in Sherlock Holmes in New York, a mystery where Moriarty vs Holmes replays
- JOHN NEVILLE in A Study in Terror
- CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER in Murder by Decree, a mystery that ties Jack the Ripper into the story
- IAN RICHARDSON in two famous stories where he plays Holmes in adaptations from the 80s
- RICHARD ROXBURGH in The Hound of Baskervilles
- ROBERT STEPHENS in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
- EDWARD WOODWARD in Hands of a Murderer
…and others I’m missing or purposefully neglecting because they are in foreign language films, which is a genre I cannot get into. This also isn’t inclusive of the upcoming actors said to be playing Holmes in future versions. Basically, what we can take from this is the following: this iconic character is set to still be so for a while now!
Photos: Alamy
How many of these actors have you met playing Sherlock Holmes? Which ones in this rating Sherlock Holmes characters list do you like best? How many did we neglect? Let’s talk about all of the Sherlock-y things below!
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