Irene Adler is a character that appears in just one story by Arthur Conan Doyle about Sherlock Holmes. But, interestingly, she was so colorful and intriguingly curious that her image is one of the most famous women in literature. She did not leave indifferent Sherlock Holmes himself, who preferred to call her "This Woman." The only woman who did not give in to him and even defeated him.
Canonical Adler
Irene Adler first appears in the story "Scandal in Bohemia." The king of this country (now known as the Czech Republic) turns to Sherlock for help. The work indicates that the genius of Holmes was subdued by the wisdom of the woman, and after his loss (which, incidentally, he accepted with dignity), the consulting detective never spoke contemptuously about the female minds, as he did before.
“The scandal in Bohemia” is a short story, and “Woman” after Sherlock mentioned it extremely rarely (almost never), and yet her image was remembered by readers and inspired many. In the work, Irene Adler acts as a famous opera diva, but in the modern adaptation of her profession has undergone some changes.
Watson (on behalf of whom the narration is conducted not only in "Scandal ...", but also in other stories and novels) wrote that Adler for Holmes was forever an ideal woman. The King of Bohemia claimed that he was sorry that Irene Adler was not "of his level." Sherlock Holmes agreed with him, implying a completely different and not very flattering to the ruler. It is an interesting fact that the detective even saved for himself a photograph of the diva, so strong she left a mark in his soul.
Femme fatale
"Sherlock", a series from the BBC, presents the viewer with a modern-style detective - smartphones and cars instead of telegrams and carts. Nevertheless, it contains a lot from the canon, and not just the names of the main characters and the investigation of crimes. But we are most interested, of course, of Miss Adler, who in this film adaptation is a real fatal woman.
Irene Adler in Sherlock is smart and beautiful, as femme fatale should be. And she is not an opera diva, but, as she calls herself, a dominant. Her profession is very controversial, but the fact that she is a master in her is unequivocal.
"The scandal in Belgravia"
The plot of "The Scandal in Belgravia" is similar to the original, with some changes made after the modification of the entire series. Nevertheless, it is quite canonical. Sherlock hires the government, he enters Adler’s house, pretending to be a priest beaten in a fight, she immediately calculates it. Plus for the audience - a spectacular appearance naked (Conan Doyle's everything is much more prosaic). It is worth paying tribute to Irene, she looks like au naturel, and in perfectly selected outfits (for example, Holmes coat) is simply gorgeous.
Relations with Holmes
Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes are an unusual couple. They can hardly even be called a couple in principle. Their intellectual enthusiasm for each other, a very controversial sexual background gives many reasons for reflection and discussion, but not for relationships. The number one fallacy is that Holmes allegedly loved Adler. This is not true. Based on the book, he forever remembered it. Based on the series, perhaps, too. But there was no love for the "dominant" or, if you like, for the opera diva.
The canonical Irene also did not have feelings for the detective. In "Sherlock" this topic is more disclosed, but leaves a lot of questions, most of the answers to which would be a terrible spoiler.
In general, Sherlock is a series very close to that written by Conan Doyle, and Irene in it is also very similar to the character he invented, only much more extravagant. However, the difference in times at which the action takes place should be taken into account. You can still argue what is considered more vulgar - the opera diva of the late nineteenth century or the dominant in the twenty-first.
"Elementary"
But in "Elementary" appears a completely different Irene Adler. The series represents two heroes at once in one: "This Woman" and Holmes' sworn enemy, Moriarty. Detective and Irene are connected by deep feelings, which can even be called love (they even officially met). But here, in the end, many pitfalls were discovered: including a stage version of the death of Irene, the moral victory of one opponent over another and other funny things.
Irene Adler in "Elementary" falls in love with Holmes not with beauty, but with his mind (but how could it be otherwise). This is very much true. But at the same time, she is his weak point, which does not fit very well with the image of an insensitive detective. However, it is difficult to argue that such a merger of characters is an interesting solution.