The original setting of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories is that of London in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This is vastly different from the modern world, with the TV show Sherlock reimagining the iconic characters and cases to be set in the present technology-driven time. It successfully adapts the original stories in a way that keeps the essence of the plots while modernizing them to appeal to viewers who enjoy the drama and mystery genre.

While it has excellent production quality, the series does suffer from a number of poor episodes, especially in the later seasons. Some characters are poorly built up while others make surprising choices that do not match their previously-portrayed nature. Female characters feel especially badly written and Sherlock himself ranges anywhere from a logical machine devoid of emotion to a dramatic action hero depending on what the circumstances require him to be to best serve the plot and grip the audience.

Despite these shortcomings, Sherlock is nevertheless an excellent modern take on the adventures of the first consulting detective of his kind.