Review: Embracing The Abnormal In THE IRREGULARS
Disclosure: The Irregulars might be one of the most difficult things for me to review in awhile. There are many things that I really, really enjoyed about the show and many things I really did not like. I am actually impressed with the amount of things that I do and don’t like about it and will do my best to give a reasonable and accurate review.
First and foremost, The Irregulars is a good show. With great acting performances, good production and strong pacing, the show won’t bore anyone. However, this show’s take on two of the most iconic and beloved characters in literary history will be extremely polarizing and make or break viewers’ enjoyment of the show. This will remain a spoiler free review, but I will be alluding to some of the characters whereabouts and changes.
The biggest thing to note about the series is that it doesn’t focus on Holmes and Watson, it focuses on a group of teenagers who end up working for and with the duo. These teenagers will be either very relatable and enjoyable to some or annoying and overly dramatic to others. Each of the characters have their own very specific and obvious strengths and weaknesses, almost giving them a cartoon caricature. Each of them grow a significant amount from the beginning of the show to the end which is refreshing to see characters actually learn from their mistakes, genuinely trying to make their lives better by seeing their own problems and helping others. While one character in particular is definitely left out more than the others unfortunately, the rest of them get a lot of good screen time and character development.
Now, let’s talk about Sherlock and John. If you were planning to watch the show and expecting a lot of crime solving involving these two, you need to change your expectations a lot. Both of these characters are out of their prime and have gone through a lot of issues that have affected their abilities, status and they’re personalities in general are slightly different than usual. While there are definite connections from this series and the original books, I highly recommend having an open mind and being willing to embrace new concepts for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I personally disliked both of them initially, but that disdain for them served as a catalyst for change in the world and I grew a deeper realism and appreciation during later episodes.
No matter what the characters were, I was impressed with the acting from just about everybody. All of the actors and actresses put 110% into their roles. Going along with this, the rest of the production value was great and the budget was clearly put to good use. London is just as grimy and gloomy as you could imagine. I was a little put off by some of the costume choices that seemed either too colorful, too heavily patterned or looked too modern, but the overall illusion of London during the turn of the century was spot on.
The last major aspect is the plot. This is going to be unfortunately very vague to keep it spoiler free. When I watch/read/play something involving Sherlock Holmes and Watson, I have certain expectations of the world and how stories would play out. However, The Irregulars veered off into territory that I wouldn’t expect from Sherlock Holmes stories. And as good as the show is, there was always something itching at the back of my mind saying that this would never happen in the Sherlock Holmes universe. I understand that fiction is fiction and can be altered and changed for any number of reasons or for no reason at all, but it personally bothered me to see such drastic changes in London.
As I stated above, this is a good show with a lot of great production value and interesting characters. And honestly, the main cast of characters were so strong and the story was so interesting on its own that having Holmes and Watson in the story at all might end up being a greater hindrance than a help to the shows relatability and watchability. While The Irregulars are originally from Sherlock Holmes books written by Doyle, the adaptation and alterations can be very off-putting by some viewers. If you are able to go into the show with a very open mind, I think it’s definitely worth watching, but be ready to enjoy the show for what it is.
