The Irregulars

Its coming of age by coming to terms with whatever outside forces, natural or unnatural, that would seek to exploit, subject or destroy it. And it handles that very well. The show is full of feeling — its subject, stated explicitly and often, is family and friends and the people who have your back: your Scooby Gang, your Bowery Boys, your indivisible team.

The further the season goes on, the more it sheds its procedural strengths and leans toward a more overarching story that gobbles up some of the potential to get to know its main characters better. ... Still, the pieces put in place over the course of these eight episodes provide a sturdy foundation for more exploring.

The Irregulars serves as a conduit, especially for fans of Sherlock Holmes in all his many forms, into some goosebump-inducing, jump-scare-filled mysteries—intriguing to be sure, but not for the faint of heart.

There’s nothing special about the acting, directing or writing, which foregrounds monster-of-the-week plots. That’s not a complaint, though. The reason to watch The Irregulars is because it’s fun. And it’s most fun when it leans into dark pastiche: opium dens, taxidermists, occultists staging murder scenes to resemble tarot cards.

There have been so many variations on Sherlock Holmes that the idea of another -- especially built around teenagers -- didn't provoke much enthusiasm going in. But The Irregulars proves unexpectedly fun, in what amounts to a Victorian version of "The X-Files," revising the most familiar characters while introducing a major dose of the supernatural to Baker Street.