my dear watson.

[introductory]

So Lucy Liu was cast as Joan Watson in Elementary, CBS's adaptation of Sherlock (which, as you remember, is also an adaptation of the Arthur Conan Doyle books from the nineteenth century), and fandom is, shall we say, displeased. These are my two cents: maybe not the brightest pennies in the box but it's my metaphor and I'll mangle it if I want

Comments

[lillyankh]

I think this is a totally valid argument and I completely agree that it's good to get more diversity in casting. I'm just worried because they've taken away the army aspect AND made her lose her medical license (Whether that's a false accusation and she BAMFs her way back is something to be seen later). Because, why couldn't she have been in the army? Why can't she be a practicing doctor? It just kind of screams WOMEN CAN'T BE AS AWESOME AS THE ORIGINAL JOHN WATSON SORRY GUYS to me ):

[introductory]

I feel that removing Sherlock Holmes from London kind of invalidates the whole Holmes bit, so I'm basically just thinking of this one as CSI: New York 2.0 instead of a Holmes adaptation. I don't know if Joan Watson is going to be written as a strong female character or a "strong female character" or just written terribly altogether; even if she does have those qualities missing from her background, it doesn't mean she doesn't have the potential to still be awesome in a different way. And I think that's the key here: different. Even if she turns out to be a slightly anemic character, I'd rather have that than Sherlock 2.0.

[lillyankh]

Oh I totally agree that it's better to have variety than a whole bunch of cookie cutters. It's just upsetting if that variety looks like it might be a bit flat. However, the show hasn't been made yet and I will reserve judgement until someone I know has seen it and told me about it (as I can't watch it myself). It's still great that there's the potential for an awesome Asian-American character there. Just as long as she isn't butchered by the writing.

[introductory]

I agree, and I also think that poorly-written or stereotypical portrayals of Asian-Americans (or any other minority group) often do more harm than good. But I do also think that, given the choice between a flat group of homogeneous characters and a flat group of diverse characters (and I'm not even touching on other minority identifiers such as sexual orientation or able-bodiedness or neurotypicality), ceteris paribus, I would probably choose the flat & diverse group. Am I wrong? Maybe. I don't know. I don't necessarily think flatness is overwhelmingly harmful in the way that a racist/stereotypical portrayal would be-if Elementary's Joan Watson was an incense-burning Chinese ninja acupuncturist, I'd certainly have problems with that*.

* Which is not to say that I want a whitewashed Joan Watson with no mention at all of her Asian or Asian-American culture. Again, not an ethnic studies major, so I can't provide any real useful commentary on the sliding scale of acknowledgement of one's culture vs. assimilation into Western society

[rubynye]

I completely and utterly agree. (Except with the statement that casting a previously-male character as female is necessarily n instance of homophobia, but that's a side issue.)

(Though personally I think it would be even awesomer to have Ms. Liu play Holmes.)

May I link to your entry?

[introductory]

The genderswap/homophobia argument isn't mine, but I've seen it around LJ enough on several places (chiefly the SBBC's semi-anon meme) and it seems to be the chief objection. I don't believe people are arguing against the casting of a woman of color as Watson, but just that a woman was cast as Watson.

You may, if you'd like! :) It's not academically up to snuff, but it's also five in the morning here and I ought to go to bed. I wasn't sure about whether to post this publicly or not, but maybe a few people will find it interesting?

[rubynye]

*nod* I know it's not yours, but being me, I had to say someething. Like I said, it's a side issue to this.

I think your essay is awesome, and I'm pretty sure I still would if I'd had 8 instead of 4 hours' sleep. :)

Also, to answer your question -- I can only think of Nurse Ogawa from Star Trek TNG. And she was a recurring side character, not even in every episode.

[introductory]

Oh, wow, I forgot about Nurse Ogawa! And I suppose there was Demora Sulu in Generations as well. Trek has been relatively good about ethnic diversity/purported ethnic diversity (Chakotay had Native American ancestry! mind-blowing!), although as mumblemutter pointed out in a comment before, there's a good bit of cultural erasure in Trek when it comes to human diversity. But that's a whole new issue and a whole new essay, if I have the time and patience to attempt it.

I'm glad you worked through this whole essay; it doesn't make sense to me any more, but that's because I've been looking at it for several hours and really, really ought to sleep. :)

[humanyouth]

It's difficult for me to say because I have very mixed emotions but basically

1) I'm mad as hell at the heterofying of my Jam
2) That being said - plenty of shows are Sherlock-Holmes-esque while still being vague enough about it not to upset the gay apple cart - take House, or Psych for instance
and finally
3) Anything Lucy Liu is FUCKING GOLDEN...I just hope she's a Jude Law-esque Watson
4) I stand by my conviction that if this reincarnation of Holmes & Watson kiss each other, I'm going to have brain-explody.

[introductory]

I kind of feel like House has been driving the gay apple cart (WHAT A PHRASE).

I wonder how many people are actually going to be thinking of JLM and Lucy Liu as Holmes and Watson despite having the same names. Everyone seems so determined to write off Elementary as a "shitty spinoff" that's completely divorced from the original, so I don't really understand why people are so upset about the genderswap/raceswap if they don't even see Elementary as a Holmes adaptation any more. People are getting very riled up over a show they don't even plan to watch. It's strange. I feel like I am going to enjoy (or not, as the case may be) Elementary as a Holmes-inspired show, not as a Holmes show. (Or as I said to lillyankh above, CSI: New York 2.0.)

I'm personally hoping for Mary Morstan to show up-in female form!-and get with Joan Watson.

Okay, it's six in the morning, I need to sleep.

[sussexdowns]

I'm personally hoping for Mary Morstan to show up-in female form!-and get with Joan Watson.

FUCKING THIS. Although, you know...I am getting skeevy flashes of 'exotic' woman/'exotic' sexuality. Ugh. THIS IS WHY I like Two White Guys media. I ain't got no horses in that race. Their stereotypes and (un)intentional inevitable fail doesn't cut so deep.

Basically, I'm not sure how I feel about this casting. Or this show. I'm reserving judgment and hoping to like it, but steeling myself for disappointment because, well. Honestly though, I'd give it a shot for Lucy Liu being awesome. As she does.

This comment is really rushed, btw.

[tigerbright]

I'm personally hoping for Mary Morstan to show up-in female form!-and get with Joan Watson.

That would be utterly awesome.

[gardnerhill]

I'm with you - and I'm Caucasian as the day is long.

I whooped when they announced Liu's casting in one of my favorite character roles (When they announced the American SH, I muttered "Please, please let them cast against race and gender, just a little").

What I know is that as a fervent Sherlockian I've loved all the Watsons (even have a fond spot for silly old Nigel Bruce), and this decision has confirmed my resolution to give the show a try (I wouldn't have if they'd defaulted to Two White Guys).

[thistlerose]

I'm not Asian, but I know what you mean about looking for reflections of yourself (and possibly your friends) in popular media and not finding them.

I don't watch BBC's "Sherlock" (just never caught my interest) and I wasn't going to watch "Elementary" ... until I heard they'd cast Lucy Liu. Now I'll give it a try.

(Would have been nice if they'd cast Sherlock as a woman too, but ... ah, well.)