With one character being a master of deduction and the other being the Sorcerer Supreme, Benedict Cumberbatch is quite proficient in playing "high-functioning" men. Despite his sophisticated last name, Cumberbatch became a household name after his stint as Sherlock Holmes on BBC's Sherlock. Now, with a spot in the pantheon of Marvel heroes, his fame is only increasing.
However, as the actor himself itted in an episode of The Treatment podcast, Cumberbatch's characters do seem to have some common similarities on both the personal and professional front. What commonalities exist between Doctor Strange and Sherlock Holmes?
A Loyal Sidekick
While Sherlock is ed by Watson while solving cases, Doctor Strange has Wong by his side while fighting evil forces. Both Watson and Wong are constantly helpful companions and often urge their respective friends to play it safe. However, as both Sherlock and Strange have their own impulsive flaws, they end up doing exactly what Watson and Wong told them not to.
And it is still a perfect relationship, as their opposite personalities complement each other. For instance, Sherlock faking his death is a step that Watson would never take no matter how desperate the situation would be. Similarly, in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Wong advises Strange to not change the time fabric just for Peter Parker's wishes. But what does Strange do? His actions open up the multiverse instead.
Not The Most Social Of People
Sherlock's extremely introverted nature is one of his dominant personality traits. Barring Watson, he doesn't even seem to harbor any constant affection for anyone. Other work partners like Lestrade and Anderson are just friends so that he could exert his superiority on them and mock their detective skills.
Strange, similarly, can be found mostly lurking alone in his New York loft, practicing his magic and rarely stepping out for a normal life. Unlike the late great Iron Man or newer MCU Avengers like Spider-Man and Shang-Chi, Strange doesn't have much time to spare for merrymaking with friends.
Best At Their Profession
Regardless of his social awkwardness and ego issues, it cannot be denied that Sherlock is the best at what he does. He doesn't even charge much for his high-profile cases, as he solves them out of sheer interest. The fact that even police and Interpol officials have to rely on his powers of deduction bears testimony to his brilliance as a detective.
Strange is also a quick learner and a consistent hard worker in his trade, be it medical surgery or dimension-altering sorcery. Before he donned the red cape and the blue cloak, Strange was indeed one of the world's leading surgeons. He devoted himself so much to work that his own relationship with Christine suffered in the process. However, even after giving up medicine for magic, he quickly picked up new spells. Eventually, Doctor Strange's strongest powers rightfully earned him the title of the "Sorcerer Supreme".
Talking Fast
Despite their limited social skills, both Sherlock and Strange have a lot to talk about in times of need, as they always have a backup plan. To break down a case or just its clues, Sherlock loves entering his "mind palace" and drawing multiple hypothetical conclusions with their own scenarios. The result is a fast-paced monologue that he delivers without any pauses, walking hurriedly all across his room.
While Strange might not be as uptight as Sherlock, he too has his moments of rapidly-paced explanations. Most of what he says would come off as sophisticated jargon because obviously, people like Peter Parker have no knowledge of the mystical arts. And this is why his monologues come off as hard to understand for laypersons.
Strained Romantic Relationships
It would only seem like a "fan-fiction fantasy" to ship Sherlock or Strange with any romantic partners, as their chaotic lifestyles don't really give them much time to explore love. This doesn't mean that both men haven't loved anyone before though.
In the case of Sherlock, fans are in conflict as to whether Irene Adler or John Watson was his ideal partner. However, both relationships brim with chaos and uncertainty. Strange, on the other hand, was in a long relationship with fellow surgeon Christine Palmer. But even before the car accident that turned him into a sorcerer, Strange's relationship was quite strained, with Christine constantly pointing out how he was very self-centered and how he prioritized his work above everything else.
Logical Outlook
Regardless of how big the problem is and no matter how bizarre their social behavior might be, both the detective and the Avenger tend to keep a rational and logical outlook of the situation.
Sherlock can get worked up at times, but he never gets overwhelmed enough to the point that he loses his deduction skills, even if the enemy is someone equally intelligent like Moriarty or someone deeply personal like his sister Eurus. Strange has also not broken down even when his chances of winning seem bleak. The biggest example of this can be his combat with Thanos in Infinity War. In Thanos' memorable encounter with the Avenger, the Sorcerer Supreme continued fighting on with illusions and time travel. When all hope seemed to be lost, it was Strange who looked into "fourteen million, six hundred and five" possibilities to find the one outcome that would ensure victory.
Traveling Across Dimensions
A recurring theme in every episode of Sherlock on BBC is the titular detective conjuring up his own mental headspace in which he reimagines the crime scene or even pictures future possibilities. This "inter-dimensional" travel is possible in the literal sense with Doctor Strange's powers, as he can easily create mirror realities, pocket dimensions, and the like.
Much like how Sherlock mentally manipulates the crime scene in the confines of his "mind palace", Strange has enough tricks up his sleeve to create portals out of thin air. These portals then lead to surreal worlds where Strange more than often holds control.
Egoistic Personalities
If there's one major flaw in both the characters' personalities, it is their ego. Proud of their skills and superiority over others, both can be quite cocky at times.
For Sherlock, his overconfidence and impulsiveness clashed with the rationality of Watson and Mycroft, leading to some losses, such as the death of Watson's wife Mary. As for Doctor Strange, he failed to pay heed to Wong's advice of not opening up the multiverse. And yet the egoistic wizard trusted his instinct and ended up biting off more than he could chew.
