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The Irregulars
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Language, spooky visuals in teen Sherlock Holmes riff.
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The Irregulars
Community Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Hollywood Keeps Pushing the Boundaries
What's the Story?
Sherlock Holmes may be great at deductive reasoning, but when a series of mysterious crimes plagues 19th century London, he needs THE IRREGULARS to help him flush out evildoers and show them crime does not pay. Bea (Thaddea Graham), her younger sister Jessie (Darcy Shaw), Spike (McKell David), and Billy (Jojo Macari) were once hapless orphans in the workhouse, but by banding together and using both wits and might, they've been able to scrape together enough money to live in a filthy basement apartment. But when Jessie begins having strange and terrifying visions, and the shadowy Dr. James Watson (Royce Pierreson) approaches Bea seeking help with a case, the foursome learn that London's wave of villainy and Jessie's otherworldly powers are connected somehow -- and they have to figure out how, and fast, or they're all in mortal danger.
Is It Any Good?
An appealing cast, a light horror-mystery vibe, period visuals, and a fresh spin on a much-explored literary figure keeps this show entertaining despite its hoary case-of-the-week setup. Sherlock Holmes stories have certainly been the basis for endless adaptations, both cinematic and televised, and the rip-roaring success of the Cumberbatch-as-Sherlock series is the obvious inspiration for a teen spin on the old-timey London detective narrative. Setting the action amongst a group of savvy street kids who help Watson and Holmes out with their inquiries is a brilliant idea, and it allows the viewer to see a dirtier, seamier side of 19th century London life than is typical for period dramas.
The young cast is easy to root for, too, especially Thaddea Graham's Bea, who's essentially the older sister/mom figure of the foursome who make up the found family The Irregulars centers on. Steely-eyed and fearless, she makes an excellent heroine to root for, focused on keeping her makeshift family housed and fed and reluctantly involving herself in Holmes' cases for cash rather than as an exciting intellectual diversion, as is often the case with Holmes. The Irregulars' frequent flirtations with horror movie imagery and plotlines is also fun: a villain who can call down ravens to do his murderous bidding? A mystical dream world with a spirit guide who helps solve mysteries? It's weird and it works, like The Irregulars itself.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different genres The Irregulars fits into. Is it a mystery show? A teen soap opera? A supernatural drama? Does the mix of genres make this show more interesting, or less so?
Mysteries work well for episodic television, because it's easy to consider and solve a new case in each episode. What other examples can you name? Does this type of setup make a show predictable? Does it matter?
Families can talk about the appeal of supernatural stories like The Irregulars. Why do you think dark mystery series with a teen cast are popular right now? Do you enjoy stories that bring the impossible to life? Do they have any learning points, even though they're fantasy?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 26, 2021
- Cast: McKell David , Thaddea Graham , Jojo Macari
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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