As one of the most famous and beloved literary characters of all time, Sherlock Holmes has been adapted to all types of media for decades, and many actors have played the character, but one from a recent adaptation holds the record for playing Sherlock Holmes the most times. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes made his first appearance in A Study in Scarlet in 1887 and quickly became very popular. Sherlock Holmes ended up starring in four novels and 56 short stories and serving as inspiration for many over the years.

Elementary, created by Robert Doherty and starring Jonny Lee Miller – and thanks to it, Miller broke a big Sherlock Holmes record.

Jonny Lee Miller Is The Actor Who Has Portrayed Sherlock Holmes The Most Times

Jonny Lee Miller Played Sherlock Holmes For Seven Seasons

Elementary is set in the modern day, so it made some important changes to Sherlock Holmes and company, as well as to his cases and his story, in general. Jonny Lee Miller’s Sherlock Holmes used to work as a consultant for Scotland Yard but moved to New York City after his fall from grace and going to rehab due to his substance-use disorder. Now in Manhattan, Holmes goes back to work as a police consultant, now for the New York City Police Department, but as part of his rehabilitation, he’s forced to live with a sober companion.

This companion is Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), a formerly successful surgeon who gave up her medical career after accidentally losing a patient during surgery. Holmes and Watson form a special bond, and once her contract is over, he offers her a position as his apprentice. Elementary was very well-received, though it faced many comparisons to the BBC’s Sherlock, and it ran for seven seasons, ending in 2019. Thanks to this, Miller played Holmes for 154 episodes, but by the end of season 2, he had already broken the record for most times playing Sherlock Holmes on TV and/or film.

Jeremy Brett Previously Held The Record For The Most Times Portraying Sherlock Holmes On TV

Jeremy Brett Played Sherlock Holmes In The 1980s

Before Jonny Lee Miller broke the record for most times playing Sherlock Holmes, the record in film was Eille Norwood's, who played the detective in 47 silent films between 1921. On TV, the record was Jeremy Brett’s, who played Sherlock Holmes in 41 episodes of an adaptation by the TV company Granada Television between 1984 and 1994. According to The Man Who Became Sherlock Holmes – The Tortured Mind of Jeremy Brett, by Terry Manners, Brett said that Holmes was the hardest part he had ever played, even more than Hamlet or Macbeth.

Jeremy Brett had previously played Dr. Watson in a Los Angeles stage production of The Crucifer of Blood.

As challenging as it was, Brett’s acting skills and deep understanding of the character led to the success of his portrayal. Brett’s performance as Sherlock Holmes has been praised for decades, and has been named by fans and experts as the definitive portrayal of the Great Detective. Thanks to the show’s setting in the late Victorian era, Brett was able to play a Sherlock Holmes a lot more loyal to Conan Doyle’s stories, without falling into the common trap of playing a rude or even aggressive Sherlock Holmes.

Miller and Brett’s versions of the detective are similar, as Elementary never shied away from the inner struggles of the detective.

Brett’s Sherlock Holmes was more human and grounded than most adaptations, where his deduction skills and vast knowledge paint him as some superhuman character. In that sense, Miller and Brett’s versions of the detective are similar, as Elementary never shied away from the inner struggles of the detective, how he faced them, and how he was perceived by others, which were key to grounding him.

Jonny Lee Miller’s Sherlock Holmes Record Is Thanks To Elementary’s Quality

Elementary Is One Of The Best Sherlock Holmes Adaptations

Jonny Lee Miller’s record was possible thanks to Elementary’s consistently good quality. Unlike its competitor – the BBC’s Sherlock –, Elementary didn’t go through a quality decline during its run, while Sherlock peaked in its second season and couldn’t recover. Elementary greatly benefited from its format as a procedural drama, which helped it maintain its quality, build its stories, and develop its characters. Thanks to all this, along with the performances of its cast, Elementary lived on for seven seasons, and gave its audience a proper ending.

It’s to be seen if Miller’s record will be broken at some point, but his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in Elementary will forever be one of the best.

As mentioned above, Miller broke the record for most times playing Sherlock Holmes at the end of season 2, but Elementary’s success helped him secure his spot. It’s to be seen if Miller’s record will be broken at some point, but his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in Elementary will forever be one of the best, especially among the adaptations that brought the character to the modern world.

Source: The Man Who Became Sherlock Holmes – The Tortured Mind of Jeremy Brett.