Netflix's 'Sherlock But Cooler' Detective Series Is Officially Returning This Month

Published Oct 3, 2026, 7:01 AM EDT

Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts.

Netflix's detective series that's "Sherlock but cooler" is officially coming back later this month, with new episodes arriving after three years. Netflix thrives with mystery TV shows, with a number of series in the genre becoming some of the most popular in recent years. This includes mystery series adapted from Harlan Coben's books, to a number of other core originals, such as Dept. Q or A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. The amount of content on the platform means there's something for everyone invested in the genre.

There are also a number of detective projects that echo Sherlock Holmes. While one of these, the Enola Holmes movie series, is rather direct in its inspiration from the character (Henry Cavill portrays him in multiple installments), there are other shows that are more Sherlock in spirit. It's something that's permeated the platform across its history, with a number of shows that embody similar ideas. This continues into the present day quite steadily, including for new miniseries, like the Spanish-language show The Final Problem.

But, in terms of ongoing shows with multiple seasons, there's one series that surpasses the great detective with an infectious cool factor. That show is Lupin, a French mystery thriller loosely inspired by the fictional character Arsène Lupin. The show stars Omar Sy as Assane Diop, son of a Senegalese immigrant whose father is framed for an expensive theft, leaving his son an orphan. Now, 25 years later, Assane has become a master thief inspired by Lupin, setting out on a quest for revenge against the Pellegrini family, who were involved in his father's arrest.

Why Netflix's Lupin Is Sherlock's Cooler Cousin

Just like TV shows like Sherlock, Lupin has an intelligent protagonist whose experience in subterfuge makes his observation skills formidable. While Sherlock Holmes focuses his energy on solving murder mysteries and seeking out ways to stop criminals, Assane is using his criminal activities the avenge his father's arrest. The Pellegrini family's involvement is also crucial to the story, making for some intense interactions as Assane slowly begins to enact his plans. It's an important facet of the series that, overall, makes him feel cooler than the classic detective.

In addition, the characters in Lupin that surround Assane are just as compelling as he is. This includes his estranged wife, Claire Laurent, his best friend, Benjamin Férel, and a detective, Youssef Guédira, who tracts Assane by using his knowledge of Lupin as a character to analyze his real-world movements. This mixture between a modern-day French setting coupled with clear inspiration from classic mystery literature makes the series all the more compelling. It also makes it fun to guess how the character Lupin will be referenced in a given episode.

Lupin Is Still Getting Better 4 Seasons In

The show is only improving, too, with every season of Lupin introducing new ideas and elements to its long-term story that allow for a shift in focus without compromising its central character. Season 2 focuses on the kidnapping of Assane's son, Raoul, during his fight against the Pelligrini's, while season 3 focuses on the theft of a priceless artifact. Season 4 is set to explore Assane going up against a copycat thief while attempting to escape prison, a complexity worthy of its eight-episode order.

Lupin season 4 arrives on October 23, 2026, with all eight episodes dropping on Netflix at the same time. The show's many multifaceted mysteries make it a sleeker version of Sherlock, in the process highlighting a thief with a heart of gold at the center. It similarity to the beloved mystery show and character is what makes Lupin such a good watch, and why its return in such a few short weeks warrants plenty of praise.

• 

  Omar Sy

  Assane Diop

• 

  Ludivine Sagnier

  Claire

Lupin follows Assane Diop, a gentleman thief that seeks to settle a twenty-five-year vendetta against the people who accused his father of stealing a necklace once belonging to Marie Antoinette. Along the way, Assane's quest will drag the two people he loves most, his son and ex-wife, into an ever-increasing conflict. Assane will be forced to decide what he will risk for revenge. Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief and master of disguise from the books by author Maurice Leblanc inspires the inspirations behind his heists and theft.