Was Holmes Really That Big a Jerk?

January 31, 2023

 

When I first saw the TV show “Sherlock”, I was surprised at how hateful the main character could be. (Don’t get me wrong, I loved the first couple of seasons, but I didn’t care for the portrayal of Holmes.) 

 

From reading the stories, I remembered Holmes as being condescending to Dr. Watson, but he was polite to most people—he’s even been described as speaking genially to people—and gallant to women. The guy in "Sherlock" is snarky to everybody. 

 

There have been other versions, too, where they’ve made him condescending AND terribly rude. I thought that maybe I just hadn’t looked beyond the surface enough, but I’ve been re-reading Sherlock Holmes stories and I just don’t seem him being the all-around jerk that he’s portrayed as in modern shows. 

 

I’ve never seen a Basil Rathbone film, so I don’t know how Holmes was portrayed in that era; but I think it’s unfortunate that so many modern incarnations of the man are total jerks.