Rotten Tomatoes doesn't rank Benedict Cumberbatch as the best modern-day Sherlock Holmes 

The fictional character, Sherlock Holmes, first appeared in Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet back in 1887. Since then, he has had countless literary and nonliterary adaptations. In the 21st century, two television adaptations defined Holmes for younger audiences: the BBC’s Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and CBS’s Elementary led by Jonny Lee Miller.

While Cumberbatch’s portrayal was praised globally and garnered him a fanbase, reviews for Elementary were far more favorable, suggesting Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal of Sherlock in the modernized adaptation surpassed expectations.

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Elementary’s surprising triumph on Rotten Tomatoes

From Rotten Tomatoes, the benchmark for aggregated critical scores, it seems like critics prefer Elementary over Sherlock. Elementary enjoys a stunning 95% critics' score, which demonstrates its storytelling power throughout its seven seasons. In contrast, once a prestige drama, Sherlock holds a mere 78% critic's score as its later seasons plummet its previously gleaming reputation.

This shift in perception undermines the prevailing view that Cumberbatch's Sherlock is the quintessential modern Holmes. Consistency, character development, and refinement, as opposed to sharp cinematic style, are what critics have preferred over flamboyant interpretation.

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Two shows, two distinct visions

Sherlock, which was made by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, transformed Conan Doyle’s works into modern-day London mysteries featuring high-speed enigmas. With its sprawling, cinematic-duration episodes and intricate storylines, the series captivated viewers, particularly during its acclaimed first two seasons.

Unfortunately, it seems that with ambition came a detrimental consequence. Complicated arcs and hurried pacing in character growth to resolve lingering conflicts in seasons three and four fell short of the earlier explosion of creativity showcased in preceding episodes.

Elementary, on the other hand, adopted a more simplistic take. Robert Doherty created the series as a no-nonsense, procedural crime drama set in New York City. Jonny Lee Miller took the role of the former addict-turned-police consultant Sherlock Holmes, while Lucy Liu played Dr. Joan Watson, a fiercely pivotal figure with a gender-bent twist.

The lack of overt direct adaptations meant that other whodunits could be constructed, allowing for deeper narratives examining recovery, trust, and redemption to be incorporated within the show’s framework.

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Why critics prefer Miller’s Holmes

The strength of Elementary lies in its structure. With 154 episodes, it was able to function as a slow burn procedural drama. This let the characters evolve, relationships form, and storytelling deepen. Critics lauded the show for maintaining quality over several seasons- something nearly unheard of for long-running TV series.

Miller’s take on Holmes humanized him, making him much more emotionally accessible – not just to the fans of “whodunit”- style novels, but readers everywhere. The trauma and redemption arcs added by Miller to the character made this portrayal of Holmes so much more relatable and innovative.

Cumberbatch’s portrayal towards the end of the series had an intellectually captivating and visually stunning Holmes that many people loved. He was always much colder emotionally, though, and ended up losing some viewers. The stylized narration, combined with fantastical plot twists, drove away some viewers by the series finale.

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Audience vs. critics: A matter of taste

Fans of Sherlock and Elementary have their defenders, and for good reason, even if the scores portray a different picture. Sherlock zealots appreciate its audacious narrative, film-like direction, and Cumberbatch’s captivating portrayal, while Elementary caters to those who prefer emotional richness, character development, and diversionary frameworks.

In the end, “best” is a matter of personal preference: a modern interpretation of Sherlock Holmes is either sought as a spectacle showing genius logic or blended with warmth and vulnerability to reveal a journey of growth.

However, as it stands, Jonny Lee Miller appears to be reigning supreme as listed on ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ — and other critics that seem to be in agreement — as bestowing the modern Sherlock title.