Benedict Cumberbatch's ‘Sherlock’ Is Bringing His Detective Skills to Hulu

By Shane Romanchick

Published Mar 21, 2024

The popular BBC adaptation starred Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

Image via BBC

The Big Picture

Sherlock will be coming to Hulu on March 26 with all 13 episodes, including "The Abominable Bride," a unique twist on a classic.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's chemistry as Sherlock and Watson stole the show, with Andrew Scott's Moriarty adding an intriguing element.
While some later seasons may have faltered, Sherlock's legacy as a pop culture phenomenon in the 2010s remains strong, keeping the character alive.

There has been an endless number of Sherlock Holmes adaptations over the last century. However, when it comes to versions of the iconic detective in the last 20 years, no series is as well known as the BBC’s Sherlock. The modern take saw Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role alongside Martin Freeman’s Dr. Watson. Now, over a decade since the show’s debut, Sherlock is coming to Hulu next week.

All 13 episodes spread across four seasons will be open for investigation on Hulu starting March 26. This includes the special The Abominable Bride, which took Sherlock back to his Victorian-era roots. In the early days of Netflix, Sherlock was one of the premiere third party shows that helped sell the platform, so it’ll be interesting to see how big a third life the series will have on the Disney-owned service.

'Sherlock' Was a Rollercoaster Ride

While the modern setting helped distinguish Sherlock from other adaptations, there are so many aspects of the series that remain unique to its DNA. The way it visually depicted Sherlock’s prodigy-like intelligence, for instance, was its signature stamp. The detective relaying the information back to the audience like Velma Dinkley on some short drug trip has been parodied countless times over the years. The casting throughout the show's run was also spot on. This was right before Cumberbatch and Freeman entered the prime of their careers. Long before their time at Marvel, Sherlock propelled them to superstar status thanks to their quirky chemistry and joyful sense of sophistication. They embodied everything fans loved about the Holmes and Watson relationship while making it completely their own. However, heroes are only as good as their arch rival and Andrew Scott’s Dr. James Moriarty remains the show’s most intriguing element. His storyline had its fair share of controversial decisions made, but Scott was nothing short of creepy and scary.

‘Sherlock’s Legacy

It can be argued that the final two seasons of the series didn’t live up to Sherlock’s explosive starting cases. The heightened style of everything may have overstayed its welcome, but that hasn’t affected its lasting legacy. Sherlock was a pop culture sensation in the 2010s, full of countless memorable twists and turns. That’s a part of what has made it one of the BBC’s most beloved series in the network’s history. Franchises like the endearing Enola Holmes on Netflix are keeping Arthur Conan Doyle’s work lovingly alive in this decade. Yet the risky ventures of Sherlock are still how we think of the character in the modern context. While we wait to relive Sherlock on Hulu, you can view the trailer for The Abominable Bride below.