The Irregulars

Netflix | Release Date: March 26, 2021

4.5	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 32 Ratings

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User Reviews

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MetabaronicApr 8, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Irregulars has less to do with Sherlock Holmes and more to do with creating a Victorian Buffy show crossed over with poor Young Adult fiction. It genuinely left me wondering why the series creator would produce a show set in a world he clearly dislikes. Every canonical supporting character is subverted to the point of being unrecognisable.
Holmes is a useless drug-addles delinquent with PTSD, Watson is a brutal and controlling **** Mrs Hudson is more akin to Bill Sykes as a property baron, Lestrade is a gun-toting racist zealot, and Mycroft Holmes is a feckless idiot who displays no evidence of intellect whatsoever.

The young leads do work well together, with some real chemistry, but they highlight the failure of blind casting in the context of this series. Blind casting can be a good thing, but when used in a historical context with no backstory acknowledgement, and in a way that completely undermines the social context of the period—the classism, the poverty, the lifestyles and the sheer unbelievability of both situations and character motivations.

There are too many episodes where our ‘heroes’ would simply walk away and not get involved. And the suspension of disbelief is palpable—for example, a bunch of teenage workhouse-educated orphans happily discuss the existence of clones, using a term that didn’t even exist until later in the 20th Century.

Fantasy this show may be, but it is lazy, stereotypical and a poor and dangerously inaccurate representation of the period in which it is set. Exactly the kind of show that creates a poor understanding of history, and helps reduce the intelligence of the viewer.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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froglegsApr 7, 2021

Decent production values and premise, but atrociously bad writing. Would not recommend.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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gandalfsucksApr 7, 2021

Acting: 10/10, Story: 0/10

Horrific writing, terrific acting. Every single actor here should find greatness, all the writers and creators ought to be fired and blacklisted from the industry immediately. I don't care that this isn't aboutActing: 10/10, Story: 0/10

Horrific writing, terrific acting. Every single actor here should find greatness, all the writers and creators ought to be fired and blacklisted from the industry immediately.

I don't care that this isn't about Sherlock Holmes, I don't care about the supernatural either, especially given Authur Conan Doyle's fascination with the occult. The writer knows nothing of how to write a horror story, nor thriller nor mystery. This is a coming of age story for young adults, everyone keeps reminding of that point, and the story is infinitely poorer for it. While each episode is compelling enough, the overall story never truly builds towards a climax, and when it inevitably arrives, it ends in a massive cop-out. So much potential and promise, simply lost. I truly hope they can salvage the world out of this dumpster fire.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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Kdk2626Apr 8, 2021

A masterclass in overacting and terrible scripting. Most of the actors spend their time shouting at each other. A good premise, badly exercised.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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LunaticInkApr 23, 2021

This has nothing to do with Sherlock Holmes other than the use of his name. It’s closer to Scooby Doo in tone, poorly paced and badly acted.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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Chris1974maJan 18, 2022

For a show that spends so much time beating into its viewers how pretentious Sherlock Holmes is, you would think that the writers would have tried harder not to be pretentious themselves. This show is more personal rant than entertainment.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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JankoMar 27, 2021

My knowledge of Sherlock and Watson is not just limited to Downey Jr and Law's movies, so when I saw the trailer for this I was intrigued and willing to give it a shot.

It has all of the elements I find entertaining in a show: mystery,My knowledge of Sherlock and Watson is not just limited to Downey Jr and Law's movies, so when I saw the trailer for this I was intrigued and willing to give it a shot.

It has all of the elements I find entertaining in a show: mystery, period, suspense. The sets are well done, I'm not sure if they're historically accurate, but they are aesthetically pleasing. The story is interesting.

That, unfortunately, is where the positive stops. The acting is pretty bad. Ranging between stilted and overdone, and that is with the same actor. I don't mind the diversity, this is a fiction story, but it does seem a bit forced. Especially when the acting is so terrible.

If you're looking for a historical, and accurate, show to watch, I'd pass on this one. I'd honestly pass anyway. It's boring and uninspired. There are definitely better ways to waste time.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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elguntorMar 26, 2021

This is completely off the chart from Sherlock Holmes. It's almost unwatchable. There's barely any connection to Holmes. There's no Holmesian method. It's a farce playing on Sherlock Holme's good storytelling. You cannot even go 20 minutesThis is completely off the chart from Sherlock Holmes. It's almost unwatchable. There's barely any connection to Holmes. There's no Holmesian method. It's a farce playing on Sherlock Holme's good storytelling. You cannot even go 20 minutes into the first episode until there's some supernatural event. It's abysmal.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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DomFouApr 11, 2021

Could only tolerate 5 minutes of this show, music is absolute bloody rubbish!

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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