Elementary on CBS

[+ oldNbusted]

I love the original Sherlock Holmes stories (except for the racism. And the sexism. And the classism ), but I'm open to enjoying new adaptations, so I've been watching this series since it started.

 

I like it quite a bit, mostly because of Jonny Lee Miller. I do wish they would do mysteries that didn't rely on dead bodies. There were a few original stories that involved missing love letters and industrial plans.

 

And Jon Michael Hill needs more shirtless scenes....

 

[+ quoththeraven]

I'm a fan too. I skipped out on the 1st season at the time because it seemed like a ripoff of BBC Sherlock and because I didn't have faith that they'd keep Holmes and Watson platonic (I'm cool with a male/male Holmes/Watson pairing, but not a male/female one), but Sherlock imploded after the second season. I now think Elementary is truer to the spirit of the original.

 

I don't mind the dead bodies. In American TV/pop culture, they're considered necessary to raise the stakes, also to justify the police bringing Holmes in and that squad being involved anyway. Besides, I've watched serial killer shows like Criminal Minds, The Following and Hannibal. Elementary is a walk in the park by comparison. YMMV.

[+ Avalon]

This show is one that I took a pass on because they changed Dr Watson's gender and race. For diversity they could have invented / added another character but not change one so well known.

[+ sync]

I watch for awhile, but this new Holmes character is just too much of a pain in the ass.

[+ poolboy48220]

I skipped it for the same reasons @quoththeraven did, I thought it was a ripoff of BBC's Sherlock, which I absolutely love. But I agree that the first couple of seasons were better, I'm not sure if I'd put it as "imploded" :-) I've previously mentioned that I don't mind gender/race swapping at all, in fact I'm a big fan of it, but I'm not a big Lucy Liu fan. She and Bill Murray feuded on the first Charlie's Angels. If I recall correctly, it's similar to Cybill Shepherd & Bruce Willis on "Moonlighting", where she was resentful of sharing top billing with "a guy who was a bartender last week".

[+ purplekow]

I am so so on the show. I do enjoy Lucy Liu but I find Johnny Lee Miller a bit tiresome. He is so depressed all the time that it takes a bit of the joy out of the show for me. Moriarity has been practically erased from the show, I think they killed her off but not sure why. Similarly Holmes' dad and brother have disappeared. They added secondary characters but they just seem like disposable plot point makers.

[+ Funguy]

They added secondary characters but they just seem like disposable plot point makers.

 

Isn't that the definition of "deus ex machina"? Sort of writing ones' self into a corner.

[+ oldNbusted]

I didn't have faith that they'd keep Holmes and Watson platonic (I'm cool with a male/male Holmes/Watson pairing, but not a male/female one)

 

I forgot I had this same concern. Fortunately they have stayed away so far, but it's probably inevitable. Like the X-Files.

[+ purplekow]

I forgot I had this same concern. Fortunately they have stayed away so far, but it's probably inevitable. Like the X-Files.

There is nothing sexual or flirtatious about their relationship. There is no will they or won't they. They are colleagues and in reality, I think they are colleagues but not really friends. They care for each other and perhaps are the most important person in the other's life, but they do not appear to be friends. They live together platonically and rarely to they have any dialog that is anything other than job related.

[+ quoththeraven]

There is nothing sexual or flirtatious about their relationship. There is no will they or won't they. They are colleagues and in reality, I think they are colleagues but not really friends. They care for each other and perhaps are the most important person in the other's life, but they do not appear to be friends. They live together platonically and rarely to they have any dialog that is anything other than job related.

Wow, I think they are friends, and quite close friends - Joan says things to Sherlock no one else does, and often motivates him to change - but it's totally platonic.

 

The show doesn't dramatize most of their non-work related interactions, but why should it? We do see them discuss food, the state of the house and their romantic relationships, and Clyde.

 

If they were just work colleagues and not friends there would be no reason for Joan to move back in.

[+ quoththeraven]

I skipped it for the same reasons @quoththeraven did, I thought it was a ripoff of BBC's Sherlock, which I absolutely love. But I agree that the first couple of seasons were better, I'm not sure if I'd put it as "imploded" I've previously mentioned that I don't mind gender/race swapping at all, in fact I'm a big fan of it, but I'm not a big Lucy Liu fan. She and Bill Murray feuded on the first Charlie's Angels. If I recall correctly, it's similar to Cybill Shepherd & Bruce Willis on "Moonlighting", where she was resentful of sharing top billing with "a guy who was a bartender last week".

I wasn't sure Lucy Liu could do Watson justice, because the emotional range of her previous roles was pretty limited, but I was wrong. It wasn't her acting that was the problem but the limits of the roles themselves. I'm a fan.

 

Once Sherlock started mocking part of its fanbase with the 1st episode of the third series/season, I was pretty much done. I watched S3 and the Victorian special but nothing since.

[+ oldNbusted]

They live together platonically and rarely to they have any dialog that is anything other than job related.

 

I'd say this is more a by-product of Sherlock self-medicating with work and Joan's willingness to allow that to define their interactions most of the time. Which makes it all the more interesting when she chooses to push back.

[+ oldNbusted]

I didn't realize this was the final season. It's probably just as well.

[LoveNDino]

I came for the thrilling cases in the early seasons. I stayed for the beautiful depictions of friendships among the four main characters.

[+ oldNbusted]

Well, it's over now, and interesting that they did seem to allow Sherlock to soften up a bit at the end. I think it goes out on a good note.

[+ purplekow]

I missed the final episode I will need to go back tomorrow and look at it. Of course, Netflix has Sherlock, which I found truer to the stories and more entertaining in generally. Besides, Watson on Sherlock is a hottie guy and for right now that is more of a turn on for me than Watson as a hot woman as is the case with Lucy Liu.

[+ sync]

I'm stuck in the past. For me the only Sherlock Holmes is/was Basil Rathbone. He had that unbeatable combo of stage presence and engaging voice.