Sherlock Holmes is one of the most recognized and popular literary characters in history, adored by fans that span generations. Created by Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes first appeared in Doyle's novel A Study in Scarlet in 1887. He would go on to appear in further novels and short stories before making the leap to other mediums, with the detective starring in countless movies, TV shows, stage plays, and even video games.
Many actors have taken on the task of portraying one of the world's best fictional detectives, with the character almost functioning as the thinking person's James Bond. Everyone has their favorite Holmes, whether it's Benedict Cumberbatch's eccentric intellectual or the more practical take by Robert Downey Jr., but most will agree that there have been more than a few fantastic portrayals of the character.
Jeremy Brett - 'Sherlock Holmes' (1984-1994)
Seen by many as the definitive version of the character, Jeremy Brett played the titular role in the Sherlock Holmes TV series that was a mainstay of British television during the 80s and 90s. Each of its 41 episodes is an adaptation of one of Doyle's stories, as Holmes and Watson solve cases during the Victorian Era.
Many children grew up watching Brett as Holmes on their televisions, and his portrayal offers a comfy sense of nostalgia. u/Im_stupid_but claims Brett "truly brought Holmes to life like no one else" and it is hard to argue as both Brett's performance and the show, in general, remain the best adaptation of Doyle's work.
Sherlock Holmes is available to stream on BritBox.
Vasily Livanov - 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson' (1979-1986)
Often credited as the greatest non-English speaking portrayal of Holmes, Vasily Livanov deserves a place among the best portrayals. Playing the character across 11 television films, Livanov exudes a masterful understanding of the character across several of the best adaptations of Doyle's original stories.
u/Bronsonkills echoes this sentiment by saying Livanov "plays Holmes with a warmth and mischievous nature, but still very true to Doyle." Arthur's daughter, Jean Conan Doyle was also a fan of Livanov's performance, going on record to say that her father would also approve of the actor's portrayal.
Jonny Lee Miller - 'Elementary' (2012-2019)
An American adaptation of the famously English character, Elementary sees British actor Jonny Lee Miller plays Holmes as he solves cases in modern-day New York City. A recovering drug addict, Holmes is partnered with former surgeon Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) so she can keep an eye on him, and the pair swiftly become a crime-solving duo.
Miller masterfully brings the character into the 21st century while still paying tribute to Holmes's history, with u/dotnoodle191984 saying they love the way he "explains how he solves cases but still has the quirky Sherlock ways." Despite fears his portrayal would clash with Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock, which was airing at the same time, Miller made the character his own and created one of the best interpretations of the detective.
Elementary is available to stream on Hulu.
Ian McKellen - 'Mr. Holmes' (2015)
Shifting the focus forward to follow Sherlock in the later years of his life, Mr. Holmes sees Ian McKellen portray the character as a 93-year-old. Suffering from dementia, Holmes attempts to remember the details of his last case, the only one he was unable to solve, and that eventually forced him into retirement.
Moving away from the riveting cases that usually fill Sherlock stories, Mr. Holmes instead focuses on the man himself. McKellen gives a perfect performance as the aged detective struggling to remember his glory days, with u/OccamChainsaw1 stating "he is the best adaptation of the character in this century."
Robert Downey Jr. - 'Sherlock Holmes' (2009)
While Sherlock purists deride the Robert Downey Jr. films for shying away from the source material for more of an action focus, both movies remain highly entertaining. Sherlock Holmes follows Holmes and Watson (Jude Law) as they pursue a serial killer they sent to death row, who has seemingly come back from the dead.
Downey Jr. still carries some of the character's trademark detective skills in his portrayal, alongside his newfound martial arts abilities. He does enough to distinguish the character from Tony Stark, with u/AnticitizenPrime saying Downey Jr. brings the "pulp action angle out of Sherlock, and it's massively fun."
Sherlock Holmes is available to stream on Netflix and HBO Max.
Benedict Cumberbatch - 'Sherlock' (2010-2017)
A breakout success that introduced a new generation to the famous character, Sherlock takes place in modern-day London. While Sherlock (Cumberbatch) retains his eccentric personality, he is also a little brusker, harboring contempt for humanity even though he spends his time solving cases to help those in need.
While there is an argument to be had that Sherlock's portrayal veers too far from the original characterization and instead becomes a different character entirely, most agree that Cumberbatch is terrific in one of his best roles. The series format allows the talented actor to really sink into the part, as u/PapercutFiles says "his character develops by each season so he's not boring to watch."
Sherlock is available to stream on Crackle.
Basil Rathbone - 'Sherlock Holmes' (1939-1946)
The highest-rated Holmes adaptation on Rotten Tomatoes, Sherlock Holmes began as an accurate adaptation of the source material before World War II caused the production to pivot to having Holmes fight Nazis instead. It sounds like a ridiculous idea, but Basil Rathbone carries the bizarre stories due to his assured and quality performance.
Like Jeremy Brett, Rathbone's Sherlock is a source of nostalgia for some people and is one of the few portrayals that stays totally accurate to the original stories. This commitment to the role does not go unnoticed by fans, as echoed by u/logangar when he said "whenever I read a Holmes story I always picture him in my head."
Nicholas Rowe - 'Young Sherlock Holmes' (1985)
Imagining a scenario where Holmes and Watson meet when they are teenagers, Young Sherlock Holmes finds the detectives crossing paths at boarding school. As London is plagued by a serial killer who seemingly makes his victims kill themselves, the young Sherlock and Watson are swiftly on the case.
Nicholas Rowe offers a more charming take on the character, as he combines his youthful energy with his exceptional detective skills. u/mickeyflinn says "Rowe was really great" and it is hard to argue as the actor gives audiences a glimpse into the character's younger years, free from the ensuing cases that would weary him.
Young Sherlock Holmes is available to stream on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video.
Peter Cushing - 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' (1959)
Known predominantly for his role as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars, Peter Cushing also lent his talents to Sherlock Holmes. Debuting as the character in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Cushing brought his love for Holmes to the project and re-read all of Doyle's novels while making notes in his script to ensure he paid proper tribute to the legendary detective.
This dedication proved to be worth it as Cushing was praised for his performance, with u/Singer211 saying "Peter Cushing was an amazing actor and his performance as Holmes was great." His turn as the character was so well-regarded that he was brought back to portray Holmes again in a 1968 television adaptation.
Henry Cavill - 'Enola Holmes' (2020)
While most people would not have pegged Henry Cavill as one to portray the world's most famous detective due to his action star persona, Cavill offers a refreshingly reserved take on the character. The older brother of Enola Holmes's titular protagonist, Cavill's Sherlock feels like a real person rather than a larger-than-life super genius.
Cavill's portrayal of a more human Holmes was a hit with fans, as u/shapookya says it is nice "to see a simple 'good detective' Sherlock." He reprises his role in the recently released Enola Holmes 2, and fans of both the films and his performance are hoping that Cavill will soon receive his own spin-off to truly explore the character.
Enola Holmes is available to stream on Netflix.