Elementary

I didn't want to watch this because I adore the BBC Sherlock. However, after denying myself for weeks and weeks I decided to download the first 8 episodes and get to work watching them before I made a full opinion.

I was surprised at how easy it was to fall in love with Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock and Lucy Liu's female Watson. Both actors brought their A-Game and succeeded in bringing viewers in, despite the un-original procedural aspect to the show.

The crimes of the week are lackluster and pedestrian at the very beginning, a typical trait of typical procedural dramas on broadcast networks. However, thankfully this did not continue for all the 12 episodes that have been aired. Somewhere along the 6th episode is when I assume the writers got the full season pick-up and felt the support of CBS after being given the coveted Super Bowl episode slot.

Now the crimes are interesting and layered. The best thing is that the characterization of Sherlock and Watson is the best thing I've seen on a drama in years. Lucy and Jonny have a platonic chemistry which brings angst, sarcasm and wit to the show that is very enjoyable.

The character scenes are the best in every episode, and you can't deny the acting skill involved to breath fresh air into an over used double act such as Holmes and Watson. Miller and Liu make you forget about the other interpretations and fall in love all over again with the crime solving duo.

I suggest everyone watches before passing judgement, and be open minded. You can like all Sherlock Holmes adaptions, there is no rule against liking another.

Elementary is going to be a fantastic series, and I hope it lasts a long time on CBS. It's refreshing and adds vitality to a very old network. Great show!

While Elementary isn't the best police procedural I've ever seen, it's on my top 10 and that's saying something because there are a million police shows to choose from. On top of that there are a million different shows/movies involving Sherlock Holmes so a police procedural with Sherlock Holmes as the main character would really have to stick out for people to tune in and Elementary absolutely does. Jonny Lee Miller is absolutely brilliant as Sherlock and Lucy Lui is great as a female Watson. Jonny Lee Miller is right there with Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr. As the best Sherlock Holmes ever put on screen. The series works so well because of the chemistry between Miller and Lui. It's been off the air since 2019 but I still miss it.

Like many people, I love BBC's Sherlock and overlooked Elementary for many reasons. I recently decided to give it a chance and was pleasantly surprised to say the least. First off, don't make the same mistake I did and dismiss it for some of the rather odd sounding changes, it's intended to be a different spin on the classic and does so very well.

Jonny Lee Miller plays a great Sherlock. He's more human and flawed, where the original Sherlock was almost cartoonishly strong at times, but he still has the same confident eccentric brilliance that makes Sherlock Holmes so interesting. He's a recovering addict aided by Sober Companion Watson, a modern politically correct spin on classic Holmes drug use that feels tacked on and out of place at times, but helps drive the character development of both Holmes and Watson.

The new Watson angle was a big factor in what made me pass on the show at first. In addition to the Sober Companion job, it sounded very generic Hollywoody to find an excuse to shoehorn in a pretty female co-star, but Lucy Liu is very good in her role. She doesn't play a shallow sexy distraction from the story, rather just a different sex portraying the same inquisitive, intelligent, adventurous companion that Watson should be. And (as far as I am in the series - fingers crossed) there's no pointless romantic subplots between her and Sherlock, just a straight played female Watson. Hats off to Lucy Liu for making a tough character change that I was prepared to dislike so likable and real.

The best part of the show however is the writing. Writing good mysteries is a fine line to walk. You can either give too little information and blindside the viewer, leaving them feeling shut out and just along for the ride, or too much information delivered too overtly and ruin the fun of following step in step with the details. The truth has to be there somewhere for you to see but not too soon. Elementary manages to walk that line very well. There have been times when something was too obvious or too unpredictable, but much more often the truth is cleverly masked until just the right time - a little before it's revealed, if you're sharp.

I went into this series with low expectations but very quickly fell in love with it. Whether you like the different spin on Arthur Conan Doyle's characters or not, Elementary does mystery right, and it's worth a watch based on that alone.

Elementary was such a great show that it's actually underrated as far as cop shows go. This series follows Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) as he leaves London for New York after being in rehab. His father makes him live with a sober companion, Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Lui). Watson is a former surgeon who quit after losing one of her patients. She now helps addicts stay sober and takes on Sherlock. The two of them then begin consulting with the NYPD solving their most difficult cases. This show was loved by both critics and audiences alike. It has a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 8.0 here. It did well enough to go for 7 fantastic seasons. Just a fair warning, you'll be hooked once you start this series so give yourself enough time to binge through it.

Okay, so this is not an American version of the Doyle classics. But it satisfies my first requirement of a good show--I like the characters. Holmes is a man struggling with his inept social skills while simultaneously reveling in them. Watson is a woman whose job has become a hobby and more. As they adapt, this could lead to more interesting interactions. The police characters are skeptical and protective of their turf, yet open to help. They grudgingly admire Holmes' results.

Holmes is also a man who has no love of conventions. It is interesting to watch him navigate his way through a society that tries to force everyone to comply with its standards. In this process, Watson acts as liaison and interpreter. As she gains more information about Holmes, she becomes more useful to him and, perhaps, more of an annoyance to him. He wants to remain an enigma so that he can keep his secrets and demons to himself. She tells him it is good to talk of one's feelings, but he will do so only if forced. One can only hope that the writers eventually create a background for Watson that is equally engaging, though she is somewhat damaged from her experience with a malpractice case. This is only the first season, so there is time for more layers to be added.

Regarding Holmes' crime solving techniques, they are best when he interacts with suspects or witnesses. He has an eye for the truths they reveal when they are trying to hide them. Can he see his own truths as well? Wlll he find the time to deal with his own issues when the world offers so many interesting diversions for his curiosity?