You probably remember the theme song. Or maybe you’ve scrubbed it from your brain entirely. It was loud, techno-heavy, and screamed "Saturday morning in 1999." Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century was one of those shows that shouldn't have worked. It shouldn't have even been greenlit. Think about it: a Victorian detective brought back to life via cellular rejuvenation to fight a clone of his dead nemesis in a flying car version of London. It sounds like a fever dream.
Yet, here we are. Decades later, and people are still digging through archives to find episodes of this DiC Entertainment and Scottish Television co-production. It wasn't just a gimmick. Honestly, the show was a masterclass in how to adapt Public Domain works for a demographic that cared more about laser guns than deerstalker hats. It was bold.
The premise was wild. New Scotland Yard Inspector Beth Lestrade—a descendant of the original, obviously—is hunting down a criminal mastermind who has somehow acquired the genius of Professor James Moriarty. To stop a clone, you need the original. So, they dig up Holmes’s preserved corpse from underneath 221B Baker Street. Science!
The Science of Bringing Back a Legend
Let’s talk about the cellular rejuvenation. In the show’s lore, Holmes wasn't just a skeleton; he was "preserved in a glass-walled honey-filled coffin." This is a deep-cut reference to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s actual writing, where Holmes retires to keep bees in Sussex. It’s a tiny detail, but it shows the writers weren't just slapping a name on a generic hero. They knew the source material.
The 22nd-century setting allowed for a unique dynamic. Holmes is a man out of time. He’s brilliant, sure, but he’s baffled by the "compu-progs" and the "hover-pods." This isn't just for fish-out-of-water comedy. It serves a narrative purpose. In a world where every crime is solved by high-tech sensors and DNA scanners, the "art of deduction" had become a lost relic. Holmes brings back the human element. He looks at the dirt on a shoe in a world that forgot shoes could even get dirty.
You've got a robot Watson, too. His name is officially "Compudroid," but he’s programmed with the journals of the original Dr. John Watson. This creates a heartbreakingly weird dynamic. Holmes is talking to a machine that has the soul of his best friend but none of the humanity. It’s some high-concept sci-fi hidden in a cartoon meant to sell toys.
Why Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century Nailed the Adaptation
Most people assume the show just made up random mysteries. Wrong. Almost every single one of the 26 episodes is a direct adaptation of a Conan Doyle story. "The Adventure of the Empty House" becomes a story about a high-tech sniper. "The Red-Headed League" is reimagined as a data heist involving genetically modified humans.
It’s clever. Really clever.
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Take the episode "The Derelict Ship," which is based on The Gloria Scott. Instead of a sailing vessel, it’s a derelict space freighter. The core mystery—the secret past of a respectable man—remains identical. By keeping the "bones" of the original stories, the show stayed more faithful to the spirit of Sherlock Holmes than many modern "prestige" dramas that just use the name for clout.
The animation was handled by several studios, including the prolific DiC. It had that distinct late-90s digital-meets-cel look. Bright colors. Aggressive shading. It was the era of Batman Beyond, and you can see the influence of "Neo-Noir" everywhere. New London is a vertical sprawl of neon and steel, a far cry from the fog-drenched cobblestones of 1895.
The Moriarty Problem
Every Sherlock needs a Moriarty. In this future, the villain is a clone created by a rogue scientist who used DNA from the original Moriarty's frozen cells. This Moriarty is younger, faster, and just as cruel. He represents the dark side of the 22nd century's obsession with progress.
The rivalry is the pulse of the series.
- Holmes represents the power of the human mind and traditional ethics.
- Moriarty represents the dangers of unchecked technology and ego.
- Beth Lestrade acts as the bridge, a modern officer learning that sometimes the old ways are the best.
It's actually kind of deep for a show that aired alongside Sonic Underground.
The Voice Behind the Magnifying Glass
Jason Gray-Stanford voiced Sherlock. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he played Lieutenant Randy Disher on Monk. He gave Holmes a sophisticated, slightly arrogant, but ultimately warm tone. It wasn't the cold, calculating Holmes of Benedict Cumberbatch or the manic energy of Robert Downey Jr. It was an intellectual Victorian trying to maintain his dignity while riding a hoverboard.
The show also featured John Payne as the voice of the Watson-droid and Akiko Morison as Beth Lestrade. The chemistry worked. You believed this weird trio actually cared about each other.
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Why It Disappeared (And Why It's Back)
The show didn't last long. Two seasons. 26 episodes. It was caught in the transition between the 90s and the early 2000s when the landscape of kids' TV was shifting toward anime and "edgier" content. It became a bit of a cult classic, whispered about on forums.
But then, the internet happened.
Nostalgia is a powerful drug. With the explosion of Sherlock Holmes adaptations in the 2010s, fans started looking for the "weird" stuff. They found this. They found the episode where Holmes fights a giant robotic hound. They found the episode where the "Six Napoleons" are actually six busts containing a computer chip.
There's a genuine charm in seeing the 19th century collide with the 22nd. It reminds us that Holmes is a universal character. He doesn't need the fog. He doesn't need the pipe (in the show, he used a "rejuvenation device" that looked suspiciously like a pipe but was never called one). He just needs a mystery.
Critical Analysis: A Hit or a Miss?
Critically, the show is a mixed bag. The animation is occasionally clunky. The dialogue can be "kinda" cheesy. But the writing? The writing is sharp. The way they translated 19th-century social anxieties into 22nd-century sci-fi tropes is impressive.
For instance, Doyle often wrote about the fear of the "other" or the degradation of the British Empire. The cartoon replaces this with the fear of AI and genetic engineering. It's the same anxiety, just wearing a different suit. That’s why it resonates. It’s not just a kids' show; it’s a legitimate exploration of the Holmes mythos.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Fan
If you want to experience Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century today, you don't need a time machine.
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1. Check the official channels. The series is often available on streaming platforms like Tubi or YouTube via official retro-animation channels. It’s free, usually, and the quality is decent for a show from 1999.
2. Compare the episodes to the stories. Grab a copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Watch an episode, then read the story it's based on. You’ll be surprised at how many lines of dialogue are ripped straight from the page. It's a great way to introduce younger readers to the classics.
3. Look for the merchandise. Believe it or not, there were action figures. They are rare now, but they represent a weird era of toy design where "Cyber-Holmes" was a legitimate marketing strategy.
4. Explore the soundtrack. The theme song is a bop. Truly. It’s composed by Glenn Scott Lacey and it encapsulates everything about the "X-Treme" 90s aesthetic.
The Verdict on the Future of the Past
Is it the best Sherlock Holmes adaptation? No. Grenada or the BBC version probably takes that crown. But is it the most creative? Absolutely.
Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century took a massive risk. It bet that the core of Holmes—his logic, his observations, his friendship with Watson—was strong enough to survive a trip to a neon-soaked future. And it won. It proved that you can change the setting, the clothes, and even the biological makeup of the characters, but as long as the "game is afoot," people will watch.
It's a testament to Conan Doyle's genius. His characters are indestructible. They can be rejuvenated, cloned, or turned into robots, and we still recognize them. We still want to see them solve the impossible.
Basically, the show is a fun, weird, and surprisingly smart piece of television history. If you've never seen it, give it a shot. You might find yourself humming that techno theme song for the next week. Honestly, it’s a small price to pay for a glimpse into a future where the world's greatest detective never really died.
Next Steps to Deepen Your Holmes Knowledge:
- Read "The Final Problem" to understand the weight of the Holmes and Moriarty relationship before watching their futuristic showdown.
- Search for the DiC Entertainment production notes online to see the original concept art for New London; the world-building was surprisingly extensive.
- Check the Sherlock Holmes Society of London archives for their contemporary reviews of the show—they were surprisingly kind to it back in the day.