Make of it what you will. . .

Arthur Conan Doyle was the victim of a police conspiracy

Here.

What do you want to be called?

Sherlockian/Holmesian Brad has done his part, in a recent post, of rekindling the debates of "Are you a Sherlockian or a Holmesian" and "what should fans be called."
The source of this discussional rebirth can be found here.
The argument put forth in the blog he referred to actually has nothing to do with what any of us should be called, but rather which show, Elementary or Sherlock, the author preferred and his reasons for his choice.

Although I agreed with many of his points, I did contest his use of Sherlockians as the name used to describe fans of Sherlock.
If he had put forth the name before it was already being used I think it would have stuck.
But it has already been taken.

But what do you prefer to be called? Our do you prefer not having to put a name on your 'hobby' at all.
I usually refer to my self as a Sherlockian when talking to people who may know what that means or at least likely to be able to figure it out.
When talking to folks who may require an explanation if I use Sherlockian, I usually just say I am a big 'follower' of Sherlock Holmes, what ever that means and I guess in many ways that to would require an explanation of its own.
I have probably even used the term 'fan' at times in more casual settings. (Please forgive me.)

So, what do you think of yourself as? And does it change depending on who you talk to depending on whether or not an explanation would be required.

Would you rather be called a 'fan' than be called 'Irregular'?

Which makes you bristle and which makes you hold your head high.

Elementary S3E17 - 'T-Bone and the Iceman' - almost got across Thor Bridge

I think the thing that is bothering me the most about Elementary at the moment is that the plots are not keeping up to the back story of the characters. (Like another reviewer said, we don't watch Elementary for the plots.)

What I mean is; The plots or stories are becoming to repetitive in plot and criminal type, while it is doing a great job making back stories for Holmes and Watson.
(James comments made me rethink some of that back story stuff.)

Holmes is asked to help investigate the death of a young women found after a hit and run, and I guess another hit. Her body appears to be mummified. Which in it self seems to be the start of a good story.
Holmes deduces that her body appeared the way it did from exposure to a refrigerant.
The case then becomes who stole the refrigerant and why did they kill her.

It turns out the plot involved a cancer victim taking revenge against an estranged cousin who would not help him in his time of need.

My question about the plot is this; The cancer victim already got away with killing his cousin, why did he feel he needed to get rid of the body after it had already been accepted into the freezer program.
Now I was a little distracted near the end of this episode, so I may have missed that point and will try to watch the end again tonight to catch it.

James comments in my last episode post made me really think about how this show is attempting to fill in back story for both Holmes and Watson. While I don't always like the approach it takes, it is making a good case for itself.

We know Watson was, for what ever reason, estranged from any living relatives in his family.
Elementary explored that somewhat in this episode.

In this episode Holmes also commented on keeping at a  distance his kin, and Canonically we never see a close relationship between Holmes and what ever remaining family he has.

It will also be interesting to see Watson's dealings with her mother over the next season.

Another thing Elementary makes us do is to examine societies acceptance of Holmes' behavior as he is perceived by others in his own time. Would the image we all create of Holmes in our minds be out of place in Victorian times, or thought of as socially strange. Millers Holmes is often portrayed like that.

Looking at it through slightly more open eyes, I give this episode;

Comments by Lucy Liu on what may be coming for her Watson.

"Elementary

While Liu's own door is opening as an artist, the life of her character Joan Watson is currently unraveling. Still reeling from the death of her boyfriend Andrew (Homeland's Raza Jaffrey), Watson will encounter family drama on Thursday's episode of the CBS procedural. 

Having moved back into the brownstone with her partner in crimesolving Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller), Watson is about to embark on an "unhealthy" stretch: "What makes Joan special is that she's not Sherlock. That she starts to become more and more like him is not going to be a good balance for both of them." 

Liu says, "Watson finding her balance again is going to be a journey for her until the finale – and probably in the next season, too." 

That said, even though Liu admits her character "has to pull herself together a little bit ... the not pulling herself together is going to be interesting, too." "

Source

An interesting site on Holmes (and others) on medicine and drugs and other stuff.

Here

Elementary - S3E16 - "For all you know." - and not much to say.

I almost didn't review this episode. From a Canonical or Sherlockian point of view there isn't much to review. Oh, sure we can really dig and 'play the game' (no capital letters this episode) and come up with some good discussion points, but for me this is one of the least Canonical of all the episodes.

The acting by all parties was up the the higher standards of most of the episodes. And the plot and crime were not without interest.
But without a doubt, the episode could have put any other names to the characters and in would not have made much difference.

Holmes is accused of murdering a young women several years before we meet him, when his drug habit was almost totally to the point of consuming him. He has no memory of the time and believes himself capable of perhaps having done it. Watson is convinced otherwise.
Now this story line could have been interesting if it had been handle in a more Sherlockian kind of way. But instead the plot fell along the lines of the oft repeated scenario of a crocked politician. We have seen that plot devise way to many times already.

I have never liked the consistent reference to the drug habits of Mr. Holmes that sometimes pops up way to often in this series, especially to how addictive Holmes was. To much of his personality in Elementary is determined by that, and it has become tiresome, at least for me.

So on that note, I can only give this episode, for it's lack of really much to do with Sherlock Holmes, even more so than usual;

We just have to quit cutting this show Sherlockian slack.

He even made Yahoo.

Ian McKellen Suits Up As Sherlock in the New Drama ‘Mr. Holmes’

Between Robert Downey Jr.’s action-hero detective and Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern-day sleuth, there’s no shortage of Sherlock Holmes stories out there. Still, how can you say no to Ian McKellen in a top hat and beekeepers’ outfit?

Behold the first trailer for Mr. Holmes, the new drama from Dreamgirls director Bill Condon that features McKellen as the 93-year-old legendary detective working on one last mystery. Holmes, in this adaptation of the 2005 novel A Simple Trick of the Mind, is an unwilling celebrity, thanks to the exaggerated stories of his exploits authored by his partner Dr. John Watson. He’s also a reluctant retiree thanks to a case he bungled 30 years prior. The screw-up still sticks in his craw however, and since he does his best to keep his failing memory intact, he returns to that last, haunting case. 

Laura Linney co-stars in the film as Holmes’ cook and housekeeper, while Milo Parker plays her young son and Holmes’ protégé.

The film got good reviews after its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, with Variety calling McKellen “predictably superb” and Condon’s direction “elegant.” No release date has been set.

source

Elementary S3E15 - 'When your number's up" - But who's counting. . . . a review.

We know who the bad guy is right away. Holmes and Watson don't.
But, we don't know the motive.

Holmes and Watson investigate a series of murders involving victim compensation.

Murderess Dana Powell (played by the very talented Alicia Witt) thinks she deserves more than what she is going to get from the death of her husband on an airline flight crash.
She sets out killing other relatives of the victims to increase her amount of compensation making her case for what each one is worth.
Holmes and Watson and the NYPD first think it is a plot to discredit first the compensation attorney then the airline.
The plot was interesting in it's various twists and made for a good story. Alicia Witt played a convincing bad guy in a very sociopath way.
Although the plot did not offer much in the way of Sherlockianisms, Miller's Holmes was well played in a very subtle and controlled way that always seems to benefit the show.
Canonically all I came up with was the use of (but no mention of) the 'irregulars'.

Much of the story still focused on Watson's getting over the death of Andrew and here decision to return to Baker St.

Canonically a couple of discussions can be found in that story line.
In the Canon, not much is made of Watson's return to Baker St. after the loss of Mary. Matter of fact it is barely covered at all. How did Watson deal with his grief and loss? Was Holmes there at all for him? Was his loss of his wife really the reason he returned to Baker St.?

Another discussion point may be; What did Watson bring or have in Baker St.
In this episode of Elementary we find Holmes insisting on Watson keeping some of her belongings and still maintaining her own space once she returns to Bakers St. Canonically we know Watson had very little when he first met Holmes, but over the years we learn very little about what was his in Baker St. A couple of photos and maybe a writing desk. Once there anything else?
Did he maintain the severe habits learned in the military and kept very little? Or were there things never mentioned.

What I also picked up from this episode pertains to Doyle as much as it does Watson.
Canonically Watson never gives up his practice. In 'Elementary' Watson does.
Historically, although not completely, Doyle gave up most of his medical habits and at times played the detective. Is Joan Watson more like Doyle or more like Watson?

I enjoyed this episode, mostly again for the restrained performance by Miller. The plot was good with a strong supporting cast.

Because it made me think, I can fairly give it;

Does the saga continue????

Second book of 'lost' Sherlock story found, signed by 'Arthur Conan Doyle'.

You decide

Back from a short hiatus. . .

and will catch up on postings here shortly.