Oddly enough, while France has Inspector Maigret and the U.S. has two-fisted P.I.s like Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade, Holmes, an eminently English personality, belongs to the world. This isn’t just hyperbole; it was made legally binding when a U.S. district judge ruled earlier this year that Holmes and Watson belong in the public domain. Adaptations now have the green light, and it will be interesting to see what 2014 brings to the world of Sherlockania.

If the past is any indication, then expect the silver and small screens to be even more littered with pipes and deerstalkers than they already are. Many actors will try their hand at playing the manic and often erratic detective, but few will find that right mixture of authenticity and unique touch.