Summary
- Cumberbatch's Sherlock is more accurate to the original books' canon, with his physical description aligning with Doyle's description of the character.
- The chemistry between Cumberbatch and Freeman in BBC Sherlock is exceptional, highlighting the importance of Watson to Sherlock's character.
- Cumberbatch's Sherlock is more complex due to the longer format of the TV series, allowing for a deeper exploration of the nuances of his character.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr each gave irable performances in their respective Sherlock Holmes screen adaptations, but Cumberbatch's Sherlock was better in certain regards. There have been many movies and TV series centering on the famous detective and his doctor sidekick, but Cumberbatch and Downey Jr have taken the cake when it comes to recent favorites. Since the Sherlock Holmes movies and the BBC Sherlock were being made and released around the same time, they are often compared. Though they each stand up independently, they can't be considered consistent equals.
The first of Downey Jr's Sherlock Holmes movies was released in 2009, and the BBC Sherlock premiered shortly after in 2010. In all, these are two drastically different adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books—with the former bringing the character a more charismatic quality while the latter introduced a modern twist. Still, they were both embraced as quick cult classics, and both Downey Jr and Cumberbatch made Sherlock Holmes' character desirable and irable as well as fascinating. It's hard to say which is the better version, but when stacked up, there are specific areas where Cumberbatch comes out on top.
9 Robert Downey Jr's Sherlock Is More Of An Action Hero
A significant difference between Downey Jr and Cumberbatch's Sherlocks is their physical capabilities. In the Sherlock Holmes movies, Downey Jr is often seen in physical fights with various enemies, ultimately making him more of an action star. This was an interesting twist for the character, especially with the play-by-play moments explaining how Sherlock used his deductive reasoning to beat his opponents. However, though Sherlock Holmes was described as an expert boxer and swordsman in the books, he rarely used these skills on villains, so Cumberbatch's version is more accurate to canon in this regard.
8 Benedict Cumberbatch's Modern Sherlock Works Better Today
There have been so many screen adaptations of Sherlock Holmes that it's difficult for a new one to stand out. The BBC Sherlock managed this by shifting the Victorian setting of Doyle's books to a modern one. This meant that each famous mystery that the literary hero faced could be changed to include modern technology and pop culture. Overall, this made Cumberbatch's Sherlock seem even more real and relatable. It was an old character seen in a whole new light.
7 Benedict Cumberbatch Better Fits Holmes’ Book Description
The BBC Sherlock is extremely dramatized compared to the original books' canon. Mary Watson was never secretly a spy, the Holmes brothers never had a problematic sister, and John Watson's character arc was never quite so devastating. Still, when it comes down to Sherlock's physical description, Cumberbatch best fits the bill. While Downey Jr is a little shorter than average, Doyle described Sherlock as tall with long limbs and slender fingers. This is essentially a perfect description of Cumberbatch.
6 Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Was Overly Romantic
Irene Adler is traditionally seen as a romantic interest for Sherlock, but this was never the case in the original Sherlock Holmes books. Instead, "the woman" was only ever the single adversary that managed to escape Sherlock, therefore earning his respect. Though both Downey Jr and Cumberbatch's Sherlocks shared something of a romantic connection with their respective Irenes, RDJ's was the only one to share overt feelings. Like the canon version of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock included a character that was nearly entirely oblivious to physical attraction and romance (though he certainly had a little more interest in Irene Adler).
5 Cumberbatch's Chemistry With Martin Freeman’s Watson Was Stronger
There was a lot about the BBC Sherlock that made it a success, but the defining factor for the series was the chemistry between Cumberbatch's Sherlock and Martin Freeman's John Watson. In adaptation after adaptation, this crime-solving duo has been at the center. However, something about the connection between these two actors struck a unique chord. Like never before, their performances made it clear how important Watson was to Sherlock—and vice versa. Where Jude Law's Watson seemed only to tolerate RDJ's Sherlock, Freeman's clearly couldn't live without Cumberbatch's.
4 Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Was More Complex
Sherlock Holme's quirks make him a fun character to dive into, and the BBC Sherlock managed this perfectly. This is thanks, in part, to the longer format of a TV series. Where Downey Jr's character only had two films to dive into the nuances of Sherlock's mind, Cumberbatch had 13 episodes at 90 minutes each. This means that, like the Sherlock Holmes books, there was a lot more time to build a complex—and therefore stronger—character.
3 Downey Jr's Sherlock Relies Too Much On RDJ's Charm
Despite Sherlock Holmes' antisocial behavior, there is something likable about his character. This is also true in the books, though the detective was often oblivious and uninterested in the opinions of others. Cumberbatch's Sherlock was much the same. Handsome and desirable, he charmed those around him entirely against his own will. Downey Jr's character is a different story. The actor is known to be charming, and it seems to be something he can't switch off. His character in Sherlock Holmes has been criticized for being a Victorian version of Tony Stark from Iron Man rather than an authentic Sherlock.
2 Cumberbatch’s Social Ineptitude Was More Believable
Since Downey Jr is so effortlessly charismatic in all his roles, the moments in Sherlock Holmes in which he was supposed to be socially inept were difficult to believe. Of course, the character was still ired, just as in the books, but the scenes in which he was supposed to offend those around him didn't feel as organic. This wasn't the case for the BBC Sherlock. It could be because there were several more hours of content in the TV series, but Cumberbatch's Sherlock was so clearly abrasive and socially clueless from beginning to end.
1 Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Had Stronger Motivations
Professor Moriarty is known as Sherlock Holme's primary rival, and in nearly every adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, the character drives the detective to the edge by always staying one step ahead of the game. In the Sherlock Holmes movies, Downey Jr becomes determined to take down Moriarty because of Irene Adler's death—something that never happened in the BBC Sherlock or Doyle's books. While this was a strong motivator, the rivalry between Cumberbatch's character and Andrew Scott felt far more organic. It was clear that Sherlock wanted to protect those he cared about from the villain, making for a palpable tension in Cumberbatch's Sherlock.