Sure we can go back to it's defense with the argument that, 'Well, after all, Sherlock Holmes was basically an early police procedural." And sure we can still find one or two little Sherlockianisms that have been used to many times already.
But that's not why we read, or watch, Sherlock Holmes stories is it?
For whatever faults we may find in 'Elementary's' contemporary, 'Sherlock', it has at least found away to capture some of the traits that has made Sherlock Holmes so popular. And if not familiar traits, at least a quirkiness that makes the character stand out from those characters in the show with him.
Unfortunately, at least for me, Miller's Holmes has dysfunctions that detract and irritate, more than accentuate a great mind of a great detective.
Sure it is fun to watch these two characters change and grow, but they could do that within this show as other than Sherlock and Watson and no one would know the difference.
It is interesting to speculate that when people talk about the show 'House' and an older show called 'QED' that people often say, "That is Sherlock Holmes that House is based on." You have to wonder if Miller and Liu's characters had different names would people be saying that?
The back stories the two characters are developing seem to be developing more just to make a story work, than to make a character deeper.
Most of what Holmes does in this years episodes is what is now done in most crime shows. And sure we can argue that Sherlock Holmes lead the way in that kind of forensic work, but to make 'Elementary' a show about Sherlock Holmes, that stands up to modern times, it needs to come up with an image that sets itself apart other the addictions and fetishes.
I like how Miller's Holmes is, at least in some ways, maturing. But the show is failing to make a connection to Sherlock Holmes except on a most basic level.
Liu's Watson's father's issues may have been a nod to Doyle's father's problems.
It seems like the show is being picked up again for maybe a couple of years, so lets keep our fingers crossed.
I can only, sadly, from a Sherlockian perspective give this episode
I hope others enjoyed it, from a Sherlock Holmes point of view, more than I did.
Thanks John for the honest review.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments completely. Sherlock for all of its deviations from the Canon, benefits from an excellent cast and good production values. I personally love Cumberbatch's version of Sherlock as well as the nods to the Canon.
I am not a fan of the so-called character development Miller's version is undergoing. Sherlock is an iconic literary character created by one of the best writers ever. In my humble opinion, he has been written exceptionally well to begin with, without the need for any humanization or character development.
B2B.
B2B.
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DeleteThank you. It doesn't seem like they want to leave well enough alone and just have a good story.
DeleteThese mid-season shows are very disappointing from a Sherlockian standpoint. This episode--I have to agree with Brad here, and did in a comment he hasn't posted--was boring. I wish there was some way we could have a heart-to-heart with the showrunners.
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DeleteTo much of the same over and over.
ReplyDeleteI have been feeling pretty 'meh' over "Elementary's" second series. While I had some high hopes with the series opener a couple months ago, this season has not really elevated in quality since then, and at times is really forgettable. Now, "Corpse de Ballet" was I thought above average as far as this season goes, I think saved by a fairly decent murder mystery (and a rather gruesome one at that). Yet, I think "Elementary" is getting into a rut with character development, and I agree a lot with what you said earlier - nothing new is being brought up. And while "Sherlock's" third series was all about character development, it did it with a certain suitably, and you felt like building up the characters was important. "Elementary" doesn't do that, and instead the character development is relegated to subplots which seem shoe-horned into the episode and have all the suitably of being run over by a steam-roller.
ReplyDeleteOkay, rant over. As always, a nice review John and I hope that upcoming episodes improve.
I agree that the murder mystery was okay, but if we look closely the culprit usually has a pretty weak excuses for commenting the crime. Although a weak excuses is okay every once in awhile, sometimes the motive has to be big.
DeleteAnd again, as a Sherlockian exercise, it was pretty weak.
Thanks for your comments and stopping by.
I watched this episode yesterday (I'm in the UK) and I felt that Millers wasn't in character at all, almost like he was nursing a bad flu, it really distracted me from the whole episode and it felt weird. I hope that in the next episode, he'll be able to snap back into the usual quirky and overbearing Sherlock character which I've come to love to hate ! :D
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