Henry Cavill is back as Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes 2, where he continued a Sherlock Holmes running gag that was also seen in the BBC’s TV series starring Benedict Cumberbatch. As one of the most beloved characters in literature, Sherlock Holmes has been adapted to all types of media for decades, and in some cases, the artists have taken many creative liberties with the characters and their stories. Among them is Nancy Springer with her book series The Enola Holmes Mysteries, in which she gave the Great Detective a younger sister, who is as smart (or more) as him.
Enola made the jump to film in 2020 thanks to Netflix and is now back in a new adventure. Simply titled Enola Holmes 2, the movie sees Enola (Millie Bobby Brown) helping a matchstick girl find her sister, but the case turns out to be more complex than it seemed. To her surprise, Sherlock’s latest case is connected to hers, and so the Holmes siblings join forces to solve both their cases. Also returning in Enola Holmes 2 is inspector Lestrade (Adeel Akhtar), and thanks to him, Cavill’s Sherlock continued a running gag previously seen with Cumberbatch’s version of the Great Detective: not remembering Lestrade’s first name, much to the inspector’s annoyance.
Why Sherlock Never Remembers Lestrade’s First Name
Among the most popular modern adaptations of Sherlock Holmes and company is the BBC’s TV series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character and Martin Freeman as John Watson. Sherlock brought the Great Detective to the modern day, adapting some of his most famous cases to modern technology and more, and it made way for a running gag involving Lestrade (Rupert Graves). Throughout Sherlock, the detective couldn’t remember Lestrade’s first name, and he called him different names that started with “G”, such as Gavin, Graham, and Giles. Sherlock confirmed that Lestrade’s first name is Greg, and Sherlock did call him by his actual name at some point.
In Enola Holmes 2, Cavill’s Sherlock does the same with this world’s version of Lestrade. In the scene where Lestrade visits Sherlock at his flat at 221 Baker Street, he asks the detective if he can call him “Sherlock”, and the detective remains quiet. Lestrade tells him his name is Graydon and rambles about his father believing it to be a distinguished name – however, as much as Lestrade tried, it’s unlikely Sherlock will remember it. Sherlock Holmes not remembering Lestrade’s name in Sherlock and Enola Holmes is a reference to the books by Arthur Conan Doyle, in which Lestrade is referred to as “G. Lestrade”, and his name is never revealed.
Other References To Sherlock Holmes’ Books In Enola Holmes 2
Sherlock not remembering Lestrade’s name is not the only reference to Conan Doyle’s works in Enola Holmes 2. Enola finding a drunk Sherlock is a reference to his substance abuse (though in the books he’s a cocaine user), the legendary 221B flat in Baker Street made its first appearance in the sequel, and it introduced two key characters from Sherlock Holmes’ stories: Moriarty (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) and John Watson (Himesh Patel). Although the Enola Holmes movies focus on the youngest Holmes sibling, they will inevitably have references to the Sherlock Holmes books, and with Watson and Moriarty now part of this world, there will surely be more in potential sequels.
