Entertainment
The Irregulars season 1 review: Supernatural Sherlock series is the first genuinely gripping young adult drama in years
The world of Sherlock Holmes is given a supernatural spin in new Netflix series The Irregulars – and it’s the most fun I’ve had watching a young adult series in ages.
Set in Victorian London, The Irregulars follows a group of street kids lead by no-nonsense Bea (Thaddea Graham), whose sister Jessie (Darci Shaw) is suffering from horrific nightmares that no one can explain.
Joined by Billy (Jojo Macari) and Spike (McKell David), the foursome try and get by as best they can, rather than return to the abusive workhouse they were forced to grow up in as orphans.
But when Bea is approached by a strange man in a graveyard by the name of Dr John Watson (Royce Pierreson), their lives are changed forever – as they’re dragged into the world of supernatural crime-solving.
Somehow, amid this madness, a young prince named Leo (Harrison Osterfield) finds a zest for life, breaking out of the palace and landing among the misfits after a chance run in with Bea.
The Irregulars is part crime drama and part supernatural mystery, balanced incredibly well for the amount of plates the writers are trying to spin.
As each episode comes with its own case, the group are soon discovering things about themselves and the world around them, which builds to a hell of a conclusion that could have dire consequences for the world.
But among the investigations is the mysterious presence of Sherlock (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) who makes a markedly late appearance in the series for a character so legendary.
Let’s be clear – this is not the well-suited, curly haired Sherlock we met Benedict Cumberbatch as, or even the deer-stalking pipe smoker from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic novels.
The Irregulars brings a fresh take on the character, with a heroin addiction that never quite took hold in previous versions of the detective’s story, fully consuming Sherlock this time around.
It breathes fresh life into a well-worn character, giving the writers a new angle to play out – not least of which with the long-suffering Watson, who has been forced to watch his friend decay as he’s too loyal to cut him loose.
Throughout this series, the CGI and action sequences are outstanding and believable – which is more that can be said for some of Netflix’s other teen-focused shows of late (looking at you, The Winx Saga).
But the bonds between the characters, and the easy way the series makes us genuinely care for these supernatural crime fighters, is what really hooked us in.
Sure, the pacing at times could have done with a little tightening, but overall we couldn’t look away, binging through the series in two days and actually yelling at the screen at certain moments. It’s a welcome change from the same churned out tales aimed at a young adult audience a thousand times before.
The Irregulars really feels like Netflix is on to something special, and we’re excited to see where they plan to head next, if they agree to a second season.
Key Moments:
- Keep an eye out in the supporting cast for some mind-blowing familiar faces: Game Of Thrones’ The Hound, Trevor from Eastenders and the snobby shipman from Titanic are among the appearances.
- Yes, that is Donovan from The Inbetweeners and we need to move this conversation on from every role Henry Lloyd-Hughes is in.
- Team Leo or Billy is the new Team Edward or Jacob. Get your t-shirts at the ready.
The Irregulars Verdict:
The Irregulars is both genuinely gripping and gets the supernatural/drama balance right – keeping you on your toes through each mystery as well as the overarching plot.
Long time Sherlock fans won’t be disappointed with this fresh incarnation either, as Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Royce Pierrson’s dark take on the mythology never loses its footing.
The entire young cast are the true stars of the series though, with Thaddea Graham’s leadership as Bea giving viewers a new badass leading woman to aspire to be.
It’s the kind of series that makes you eager to see season two immediately. We sense a new smash hit on Netflix’s hands.
The Irregulars launches March 26 on Netflix.
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