It’s been nine painfully long years since one of the BBC’s greatest detective dramas, Sherlock, disappeared from our screens and now, he’s making a comeback – only he’s looking a little different. Thanks to HBO Max, we’re being gifted with what is, in our opinion, the best series since Sherlock in the form of Sherlock & Daughter. The drama introduces us to an older - and slightly less wise – detective who also has the small matter of a potential daughter he didn’t know about to deal with.

The upcoming series, which is arriving on our screens imminently, will transport us to 1896 - a period in time when Sherlock Holmes (now played by David Thewlis) is in serious trouble. He’s caught up in a conspiracy and, instead of cracking the case, he ends up getting his friends kidnapped and making the whole situation worse. And it seems there’s only one person who can help him – Amelia (Blu Hunt), whose mother has been murdered and who believes Sherlock is her long, lost father. But is he really?

With the series coming to our screens this Thursday (5th November), here’s everything you need to know about Sherlock & Daughter before you tune in, including the plot, cast and release date.

What is Sherlock & Daughter about?

two individuals in period clothing with a backdrop of dark blue roses.
HBO

The eight-part series, which first aired in the US last year, takes us back to 1896 and introduces us to an older Sherlock Holmes (played by David Thewlis) who’s less confident and, well, a little out of his comfort zone. The legendary detective finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy involving the Red Thread criminal syndicate who subsequently kidnap his closest friends.

Meanwhile, we meet young American, Amelia (Blu Hunt), whose mother has been murdered in mysterious circumstances and is now on a mission to track down her father. And she believes he may well be the detective himself. And so, she journeys to England to meet him and discovers that if Sherlock is going to solve the case in front of him, he’s going to need her help.

woman in period costume beside a horse, looking pensive.
HBO

As they work together to crack the case, Sherlock finds himself torn between his intellect and his emotion. The question is, is Amelia really his Sherlock’s daughter and if she is, will she lead to his redemption?

What to read next

Speaking to Variety about creating a new iteration of Arthur Conan Doyle’s character, creator and writer Brendan Foley explained that this Sherlock is a “classic Sherlock,” but with a twist. “He’s a lion in winter. He’s older, grumpier, and then we’re able to play with the other side,” he said.

person in a historical costume with a patterned vest and cravat.
HBO

“Amelia lands in like a spunky meteorite, right into poor old Holmes’ tidy little world. He’s a big experimenter, so is it possible that just once in his life he might have thought: ‘What’s all this human emotion stuff about? I’d better try it.’ And what if that went as badly as possible on that one occasion? Everyone has emotions. It may be hidden, but it’s there. We dig it out.”

Who’s in the cast of Sherlock & Daughter?

person with long hair and beard holds a folded newspaper in front of a stone wall.
HBO

The main cast of Sherlock & Daughter includes:

  • David Thewlis (The Artful Dodger) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Blu Hunt (Another Life) as Amelia Rojas
  • Ardal O’Hanlon (Return to Paradise) as Mr. Halligan
  • Fiona Glascott (Julia) as Lady Violet Somerset
  • Aidan McArdle (The Holiday) as Chief Inspector Whitlock
  • Kojo Kamara (The Beast Must Die)as Clarence Halfpenny
  • Joe Klocek (All Good Things) as Daniel “Dan” Moriarty
  • Dougray Scott (The Crow Girl) as Professor James Moriarty
  • Owen Roe (Sensation)as Lord Salisbury
  • Seán Duggan (Blood) as Dr. John Watson

Is there a trailer for Sherlock & Daughter?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for Sherlock & Daughter below.

How can I watch Sherlock & Daughter?

Sherlock & Daughter will be available to watch on HBO Max from Thursday 5th November

What other detective dramas can I watch now?

recipes for love and murder_season 2, episode 3 photo credit: coco van oppens/acorntv
Coco Van Oppens/AcornTV

If you fancy meeting an excellent amateur sleuth, we’d recommend Recipes for Love and Murder. Tannie Maria spends her time writig recipes and giving advice in her local newspaper column - and when a reader writes in telling her about the murder of her husband, she doesn’t just offer some words of wisdom, she sets out to solve it. You can watch Recipes for Love and Murder on U. For something grittier, we’d suggest In the Dark. The BBC drama introduces us to whip-smart yet troubled detective, Helen Weeks (MyAnna Buring), who also happens to be dealing with a surprise pregnancy – and it is, in our humble opinion, the BBC’s best series since Shetland. In the Dark is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.