Ready for Sherlock Holmes with a twist? A gender-swapped streaming reboot is coming
A modern-day romcom riff on Sherlock Holmes is headed to Roku — fronted by a star you might not have pegged for sleuthing.
There comes a point, you’d think, when there simply isn’t anywhere left for Sherlock Holmes to go. Over a century of stories, spin-offs, a detective in a deerstalker’s shown up as a film noir antihero, a cranky doctor, a grumpy pensioner, and, rather impressively, an animated cyborg in the bleeding future. But no, another twist’s on the way — and this time, Sherlock’s legacy is trading in pipe smoke for a bit of swoon and scandal.
“I am a true diehard fan of romantic comedies, and 'Scarlett Holmes' has that special something that made me fall in love with the genre in the first place and I love that it brings mystery into the rom-com world in a way that feels really fresh and fun. It’s charming, sexy, funny, and has a lot of heart. Scarlett is smart, curious, a little complicated, and like so many of us, looking for love. I feel completely thrilled to step into her shoes.”
That’s Lucy Hale – yes, Aria from Pretty Little Liars – who’s set to both star in and executive produce Scarlett Holmes, a limited series tailor-made for the Roku Channel, with a premiere set for 2027. So, what’s the hook? Rather than yet another serial killer causing mayhem in Victorian London, this modern-day Holmes descendant solves the kinds of mysteries most of us genuinely do face: the awkward, baffling, occasionally toe-curling ones to do with dating, love, and relationships. Romantic comedy, but with a bit of a case file, if you see what I mean.
“Lucy Hale has the wit, warmth and comedic instincts that make her the perfect creative partner to bring ‘Scarlett Holmes’ to life. This smart, sophisticated series celebrates two genres our streamers love—romance and mystery—through a fresh, playful take on one of the most recognizable legacies in storytelling.”
That particular piece of praise comes from Brian Tannenbaum, who heads up Roku Originals. So expect the platform to give this a proper push.
Rom-Com With a Twist
The show’s rather up-front about its influences: each episode will pinch the structure of a classic rom-com, apparently, but the formula’s been given the full Holmes treatment so you’re watching a hero deducing why Tinder dates keep ghosting her instead of tracking down jewel thieves. The supporting cast is still coming together, but there are two key roles they’re out to cast:
- Jack Watson – Scarlett’s right-hand man, essentially a modernised take on the faithful Dr. John Watson.
- Ollie Moriarty – Here’s where they’re being clever: instead of a moustache-twirling supervillain, Ollie is a charismatic podcast producer with the classic rom-com double role of antagonist and love interest. Naturally, he’s quietly set on exposing Scarlett, which is absolutely what you want in a potential partner.
'Scarlett Holmes' is the kind of smart, feel-good storytelling audiences crave. Partnering with Roku on such a charming project has been an exciting journey, and we can’t wait for viewers to fall in love with Scarlett and her world."
That’s from Steve Jaggi of Jaggi Entertainment, who are producing the thing alongside Hale. Writers Paris Herbert-Taylor and Katie Wilbert are penning scripts, and production will be overseen on Roku’s side by Morgan Pichinson and Sabrina Lyall.
Meanwhile, Lucy Hale’s CV keeps stretching: after seven seasons on Pretty Little Liars, she’s appeared in a few horror flicks (Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island), led several shows that didn’t quite stick around (Katy Keene, Life Sentence, Ragdoll), and popped up in romantic dramas like The Hating Game and Which Brings Me To You. So, what with the Holmes legacy and this rom-com pivot, it’s probably her quirkiest gig yet.
Scarlett Holmes is set to land exclusively on the Roku Channel in 2027, with executive producer credits going to Hale, Sophie Tilson, Steve Jaggi, and both series writers.