Asexuality the way it's presented now was not a concept I held when I first began reading Sherlock Holmes (well, I was probably eight or so), so for me as well, canon Holmes is simply not interested. To be honest, one reason I loved the character and the stories was because Sherlock had no interest in love or a romantic relationship. I thought he treated Watson badly for the most part, but like Watson, whom I also loved, I forgave Sherlock much.

It's funny that the current show's presentation of the characters and the chemistry of the actors and the various nods and winks in the writing and direction have fueled both the "Sherlock Holmes as asexual poster boy" and the "Holmes/Watson: subtext icons" fires among viewers and critics. This version is definitely a work of the post-author times.