Elementary

[otterdance]

I watched the pilot of the new US Sherlock Holmes show, Elementary, with very low expectations and was not disappointed. That is, I was very disappointed but not surprised by how weak it is. Like the RDJ movies, the makers prove once again that you can't just slap the names Holmes and Watson on a couple of actors and make a good Sherlock Holmes

Comments

[raeraesama]

House was based off Holmes, but at least he was a character that could stand on his own without the Sherlock name. >>

[an_sceal]

Personally, I'm pretty annoyed that they not only stripped the female Watson of being an actual doctor (I know that technically, she still is, but really- a sober buddy?), but that she's not a veteran. It's such a huge part of Watson's experience, and it really annoys me that they had a chance to portray a female combat veteran, but copped out of it.

Also, the show kind of sucked.

[asatomuraki]

That was pretty much how I felt, too. I like the leads and all (as actors), but their Holmes was basically indistinguishable from other "smart" characters. The heart of any modern Holes iteration has got to be Watson, simply because every modern detective has a pinch of Holmes in them anyway. *sigh* It was a missed opportunity, and Liu could have pulled it off, I think. :P

[an_sceal]

That's actually a great point. I think we tend not to notice how Holmesian the entire mystery genre can be, particularly the televised portion.

[jperceval]

Yep, same here. My back's been up for a couple of weeks now b/c Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock is wearing a hipster scarf in all the promos (and for a great deal last night). Deerstalker, greatcoat, pipe, they're all iconic Sherlock Holmes accessories, but the scarf? That, IMO, is a trademark of BBC's Sherlock.

Then I got further annoyed at the very opening, when CBS used #SHERLOCK for Twitter.

But yes. A Holmes who uses hookers and is an actual drug addict definitely feels more like House. This one's deductions felt a little too off-the-wall and weren't backed up by thorough explanations. This could have been any run-of-the-mill police procedural that CBS is so fond of -- so why did they have to specially make it Holmes?

About the only amusing tip of the hat to ACD was the bees on the roof.

Finally, Aidan Quinn looked like hell in that cap. What was wardrobe thinking?

[miya_morana]

Same as everyone here, I think it's not bad but it's not brilliant either, and Holmes needs to be brilliant. I love Lucy Liu, but I don't think she'll be enough to keep me interested in this. It's too blah and generic and pretending to be something it's not.

[collarnojutsu]

I had low expectations and wasn't all that excited for it anyway, but because I am engrossed in a re-read of the Tamir books this week (book 3 last night!), I let the DVR pick up Elementary for me so I could read more before bed. Judging by your comments (and the others here already), I will pre-maturely thank you all for helping me have more time this weekend to read. ;)

Ugh. This is one of those times I wish American TV could prove me wrong.