A new reality competition show inspired by Sherlock Holmes is in the works, bringing classic detective skills into the modern TV spotlight.
Dubbed as Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock: The Detective Academy, the series is a partnership of Remarkable Entertainment and The Arthur Conan Doyle Estate. The contestants will be trying to solve fictional crimes using the dating methods of logic, observation, and deduction, which have become synonymous with the character of Sherlock Holmes.
From the show’s essence, immersive storytelling with real-time problem-solving is to be pitched to UK and international broadcasters. Contestants will navigate mysteries that demand mental agility and teamwork to find the most credible modern-day sleuth worthy of the title.
This format seeks to harness the longstanding appeal of Sherlock Holmes, who has been a figure at the centre of crime fiction for well over a century. The great detectives have been represented in film and television, but for the first time, their footprints find their way into unscripted entertainment.
This show also exemplifies a growing reality-TV trend of designing contests around intellectual properties already familiar to the public. With the breakout success of Squid Game: The Challenge and upcoming reality shows based on Monopoly and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, studios are increasingly leveraging familiar worlds to capture the attention of a newer audience.
Given the show’s abundant storytelling capacity and widely acknowledged origin, it aims to thrill and excite its audience, offering an occasional chance to see ordinary people impersonate the giant sharks on a Sherlock Holmes level.
