Recently, we wrote an article about 10 fun fantasy-themed series to watch on Netflix, but we left one new release off the list because we hadn’t watched it yet. Well, we wrapped that up last night, when we watched the last two episodes of the new Netflix series - The Irregulars.
Why Does it Seem Familiar?
Netflix is definitely focusing on developing some content in a few key genres, often mixing parts of more than one to create something new, yet familiar. This is the case with The Irregulars, which certainly owes a debt to Stranger Things and also throws in a dash of Bridgerton for good measure. It makes sense, as Netflix is taking successful shows and looking for ways to capture a similar audience with content that borrows from some of the major themes of those established predecessors.
With The Irregulars, we get a teen coming-of-age story mixed with Victorian-era Lonon as a backdrop. There is the obligatory (but not at all unenjoyable) burgeoning love story between two characters from very different walks of life, with a bit of a lover’s triangle thrown in for good measure.
A New Spin on Sherlock Holmes
Taking another swing at repurposing the familiar, The Irregulars uses the well-known characters of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson as a launching pad for something a bit different. The focus of the series is on a group of teenagers living on the streets of Victorian London who become embroiled in a variety of supernatural mysteries when they begin working for Dr. Watson on several investigations. They are a reimagining of the Baker Street Irregulars who often worked for Holmes and Watson in various novels and films over the years.
One difference here is that, at least initially, Watson and Holmes are just side-characters, with the Irregulars taking center stage. That changes a bit as the series unfolds and we learn a great deal more about Holmes, Watson, and the circumstances that brought the Irregulars into their lives. We also see a very different version of Holmes and Watson than fans of the duo may have come to expect. While nothing in their character arcs is actually totally out of left field, we haven’t seen it explored in quite this way before or the characters evolve along these lines in previous iterations.
Victorian Era Magic
The supernatural plays a key role in every episode and is largely the reason behind the entire series. It revolves around a set of supernatural mysteries and murders, with the Irregulars investigating their causes at Watson’s direction initially. Later they begin working on their own to fully uncover the cause of all the mysteries and will discover secrets from their own past (particularly two Irregulars - Beatrice and Jessie) and how everything is connected.
Who is in it?
The cast is largely filled with newer faces or at least actors who haven’t necessarily had starring roles in many films or series before. Sharp-eyed viewers will catch a fan favorite from Game of Thrones fame (Rory McCann), but many of the other actors may ring only the faintest of bells in your memory from smaller roles. That said, the actors all seem to be enjoying themselves and jump right into their roles. The stories and scripts are at least fairly well-written and give the actors something to work with.
What’s the Verdict?
It’s not likely going to go down as an award-winning or even incredibly memorable series, but it is a fun series to binge over a few days (with only 8 episodes). The story builds nicely and we get a few twists (although several of the major ones are telegraphed a bit) and the characters all have more than one note to play. It should find a good audience. So, the verdict is - give it a go!
Will There be a Season 2?
While nothing official has been announced by Netflix, there is unofficial word that filming on season 2 will begin this summer. This secretive renewal process is fairly common for Netflix, so it seems like a good bet that fans of The Irregulars will have more content to watch in the not too distant future.
