Have you ever looked at the sheer number of Sherlock Holmes television adaptations? The number is truly staggering, but when you consider the enduring popularity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s canon, it’s not exactly surprising. The Holmes stories have been in the public domain as of January 1, 2023, but television studios have been churning them out for decades before that.

So, what makes Sherlock Holmes so TV-friendly, given that he and his adventures were conceived before TV was even invented? It’s simple enough: Doyle’s stories follow a formula that works for television—short mysteries in single acts, able to be condensed down into a screenplay that lasts an hour or so. Sherlock Holmes was a case-of-the-week procedural before case-of-the-week procedurals had been invented.

There’s also an enduring appeal to mystery stories that the Sherlock Holmes tales harnessed, creating storylines and narrative webs that invite obsession and fascination. It’s also true that Sherlock Holmes the character, like his friend Dr. Watson, his housekeeper Mrs. Hudson, and his reluctant employer Inspector Lestrade are easy to like no matter what version of the stories you’re reading or watching.

In that vein, we’ve decided to rank the ten best Sherlock Holmes TV shows, from lesser-known sci-fi cartoons and Soviet dramas to the modern-day adaptations set in England, America, and even Japan. What makes Sherlock Holmes so popular? It’s, well, elementary.

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