Elementary

Elementary Produced by CBS Television Studios

Review by Katie Rose

                There have been seemingly an endless amount of Sherlock Holmes remakes ever since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the novels back in the 1800’s. In the last few years there seems to have been a resurgence of Sherlock fever. However there is one, I believe, that is the best. That is the TV show Elementary. I can practically hear the outcry of offended voices saying “ BBC’s Sherlock is a hundred times better than that American crap!” (I have literally heard this), but I believe that Elementary not only does a better job of representing women, but of bringing a level of diversity to television that is extremely rare. I don’t want to spend my review comparing Elementary to BBC’s Sherlock, but that show is the reason so many people refuse to give Elementary a chance, so I feel like I have to at some points.

                The premise of the show revolves around Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) living in modern day New York City. Unlike every other adaptation of Sherlock that ignores his addiction, in this show it is the main focus. In fact that is why Sherlock and Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) are brought together in the first place. Joan is a sober companion, a person who lives with recovering addicts to help them stay sober. It is during her stay with Sherlock that she is brought into his world as a consulting detective for the NYPD, and their partnership begins.

                The stories are engaging, fun, and not nearly as far fetched as other portrayals. The story line is captivating and keeps you on the edge of the seat. Sherlock is far more emotionally complex which leads to his and Watson’s relationship having many different layers. Sherlock is emotionally detached from the rest of humanity, but he has what BBC’s Sherlock lacks: empathy. He cares about the victims of the crimes he solves, and he seeks to protect people instead of merely seeing their problems as a distraction for his busy mind. His own struggle with sobriety brings him so much more down to earth and makes him human. Joan’s and his relationship begins as one of mistrust and dismissal, but ends in a partnership that is unique, complex, and deliciously interesting. They need each other, love and respect each other, but it is in no way romantic. The writer of the show, Robert Doherty, said that one of the main reasons he wanted to make Watson a woman was to show that men and women could be close without it being romantic.

                There are so many fantastic things about this show, first of which is the inclusion of women where there usually are none when it comes to the tales of Sherlock Holmes. Apart from Watson being portrayed as a woman, there is also one other significant character that has received a gender swap. I cannot say much more than that, but it was truly the highlight of season one seeing this come to life. This show also has a woman in it that most people like to pretend don’t exist. In this adaptation, Mrs. Hudson is a transgender woman. There is not a big deal made about this fact, and Sherlock treats her just as any other person. The women in this show are powerful, intelligent, and diverse. This is also true of the characters who only appear in one episode each. The suspects and the victims never are the same and all are as dynamic as their male counterparts.

                Outside of the gender inclusion in Elementary there is something I mentioned earlier that is brilliantly done: Sherlock’s addiction. Something that really bothered me about the recent season of Sherlock was how flippantly and disrespectfully Sherlock’s addiction was handled. It was inaccurate and sloppy, and it left many people who have suffered from addiction in the past or have known people who are addicted with a bad taste in their mouth.  Elementary not only does not ignore or downplay Sherlock’s addiction, it is a front and center fact that drives the plot. Speaking to several people I know who have dealt with this types of situations in real life, they have told me they have never seen a more realistic portrayal of what it is like for a recovering addict/ dealing with someone who is an addict. Sherlock’s journey with his addiction is perhaps not how it always happens, after all he is Sherlock Holmes, but it is nothing something he can just decide to end and it does not affect him anymore, despite what he insists at the beginning of season one.

                Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu have fantastic chemistry and play off each other incredibly well. There are very few acting pairs that I have enjoyed watching on screen as much as I enjoy them. Apart from Holmes and Watson there are also some invented characters that bring the show to life. Aiden Quinn plays Captain Gregson, the main liaison between Sherlock and the NYPD. Gregson everything you would want out of an NYPD cop, and nothing you would not want. He is tough and fair, and most important he does not put up with Sherlock’s crap the way Lestrade does in other adaptations. He can do his job without Sherlock, he just prefers to have him around to get it done faster. There is also Detective Marcus Bell, played by Jon Michael Hill. Bell starts out as a side character who is a somewhat partner to Holmes and Watson when they help with cases. In season two, however, he has gotten several of his own plot lines that have delved into his character and shown what an upstanding man he truly is. In his season 2 arc, his relationship with Sherlock pushes Sherlock to face the consequences of his actions. I personally love Bell. He brings a dry humor to the show and heart that really gives it something other shows lack. Lastly, I think Alfredo Llamosa, played by Ato Essandoh deserves an honorable mention. He is Sherlock’s sponsor, and although he is not on the show very often, whenever he is on screen he steals the spotlight, and his character is an extremely important one not only to Sherlock, but for viewers to see represented on screen.

                Phew! Okay I said a lot. As you may tell, I really love this show. It has its flaws here and there, but overall it is really amazing. I chose to post this review now because THE NEW SEASON STARTED THIS WEEK!

So final recommendation? Please please please give this a shot! Even if you are a die-hard Sherlock fan, do not dismiss this show. Not only is it important for the representations and diversity it has, it is a dam good show! Trust me, I did not want to watch it at first either out of a misplaced loyalty to Sherlock, but in the end I am so glad I did! And if you have never seen Sherlock and don’t know why I keep mentioning it….well I would tell you to watch both because Sherlock is pretty awesome too! Happy Halloween everyone!