What can I say, I liked it. I understand why hardcore Sherlock Holmes fans may have a problem with this show, but here's the thing: it was never supposed to be an adaptation, so don't treat it like one. The way I see it, it's a show where two main characters are happened to be called Holmes and Watson. And it's cool.
I really enjoyed the pilot, I think Jonny Lee Miller is awesome as Holmes, just like I think he was awesome in everything else he did before. Even if this show sucked, I would still watch it, just for him. I also don't understand why so many people have a problem with Lucy Liu. She's fine by me.
I wasn't sure about the idea of Watson being a woman, but after watching this I think it was the right move. Sometimes for a chemistry to work in the long run, you need a man and a woman. I couldn't imagine having two guys here and no female power week after week for a whole year.
cat
September 29th, 2012 3:27 AM
@ Peter Postman - I would like to point out that fact that "The Great Mouse Detective" was also a parody poking fun of the original.
Mary Lou Grassel
September 28th, 2012 8:46 PM
I might have liked the show if I could understand what they were saying. Horrible sound and I don't lip read. His accent ruined it and she wasn't loud enough half the time so I missed half of the show or more. Maybe will try the next, maybe not.
Diane
September 28th, 2012 5:45 PM
Being a Sherlock Holmes fan for many years I thought I would give this show a chance. BTW, I personally think Basil Rathbone was the best Sherlock Holmes ever. That being said, I agree with some of the posts that Lucy Liu was a bit stiff, but remember she thought she was just helping an addict adjust, she had no idea what he did and how he does it. I hope that once she has a better understanding of what he's about, she will be fine. Fingers crossed
I will watch more episodes in the coming weeks.
gatvfan Rank: Guest Star
September 28th, 2012 5:17 PM
Enjoyed pilot. Will continue watching to how the show develops. I agree that the chemistry between Jonny and Lucy seem stiff. Maybe she will get warmer as the season goes on.
Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I was surprised to find I did like this Sherlock.
Suncatcher
September 28th, 2012 3:04 PM
Well, I gave the pilot a chance. I came away kind of, meh. After thinking about it a bit, for me, the problem seems to be Lucy Liu. She just came across as kind of wooden - not much chemistry between her and Jonny Lee Miller - yet. I did think Miller was quite good. I really liked Aiden Quinn in this cast also. Overall, to me the pilot was just OK. I'll give it a chance and catch the next couple of episodes. No show should be graded on just one episode. It has the good fortune of having mega hit, Person of Interest, as its lead in - but it's also up against another hot show, Scandal, in that 10PM slot. And that in itself could be very "elementary."
TriciaS
September 28th, 2012 12:37 PM
Miller - good in his take on Holmes; Liu - while contrast w/Holmes is necessary, she seemed utterly flat and frankly, not terribly interesting. Will watch a few episodes, but not terribly impressed.
Jim Garner Rank: Staff Member
September 28th, 2012 12:33 PM
@Miss Millie Guns -- I have corrected Jonny's spelling... thanks for the catch!
boco
September 28th, 2012 12:28 PM
@Patamar2
I am a fan of the genre and of procedurals but I don't find anything Sherlock Holmey about Elementary rather the names of the lead characters, half-baked back stories, and some odd quirks and frankly every other show based on this model is like that but the others are better executed.
The combination of smart, damaged, quirky, puzzle solving has been done so many times and they haven't done the source any justice with this adaptation. Forget BBC's Sherlock, if I compare the pilot to TNT's Perception it still falls short. There are better, more interesting shows based on the model and I'd watch for a few episodes to see if Elementary becomes as good or better than them but thats it.
Patamar2
September 28th, 2012 12:02 PM
I adore the late Jeremy Brett as Sherlock! No one did it better. But, let's move into this century & this year and Elementary was fun and interesting. The fact that there will be close friendship & not romance between Sherlock & Watson will be fun to watch unfold.
Those stuck with the original, wonderful as it is, will miss the fun of this series whilst they watch the re-runs of House-never-changing.
Give this show a chance, it should be a great ride! As long as this Sherlock has some emotions to show us & Watson.
MARK BEVANS
September 28th, 2012 11:51 AM
i'm not a big lucy lui fan normally but i think she has found a role i can like. The show is well done and not over your head writing. It will deffinatly be a every week watch
Jenna
September 28th, 2012 11:33 AM
I love SHERLOCK BBC, and adore the duo of Freeman and Cumberbatch. But I also love Jonny Lee Miller's acting, as he does have a lot of talent. So, I tuned in. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It had some very clever moments, and I love the way they have Jonny Lee Miller always moving in some entertaining fashion. Though, I have to say that I will never forgive them for a Female Watson. I have no grip with the actor, but I would have greatly enjoyed if Watson were male.
I still prefer SHERLOCK, but I really think I could get into this. Though, everytime Miller's character does something bad, I just raise my eybrow and go "Well that's not very gentlemenlike Mr. Knightly"
boco
September 28th, 2012 10:29 AM
I urge fans of the genre and fans of Holmes to watch BBC's Sherlock and the 1984 series Adventures of Sherlock Holmes starring Jeremy Brett. I'd watch another episode of Elementary but I'd rather be watching reruns of House or new episodes of the The Mentalist.
boco
September 28th, 2012 10:22 AM
All in all, we've seen damaged and brilliant individuals on TV many a times, CBC's Elementary just gets lost in that pool.
boco
September 28th, 2012 10:18 AM
I would've liked the pilot a lot better if the characters were not called Sherlock and Watson. Part of the reason BBC's Sherlock works besides the find writing and the brilliant acting is that it is actually an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes set in the modern world, the series always references and pays homage to the original stories and the character development follows a similar graph. Elementary is not any different from Monk, Mentalist, Perception, Lie to Me and other shows based on the Holmes model so why even call it Holmes? The best American adaptation/re-imagination has already been done in form of House. Sherlock is so much more than a brilliant individual, the series Elementary fails to catch the essence of Holmes and even falls short when you compare it to other series like Monk, House, Mentalist etc.
Kate
September 28th, 2012 9:32 AM
It was good for a pilot, although the acting of the rest of the cast is really gonna show how wooden Liu is.Never felt she was a good actress.
Did anyone catch the premier of Last resort over on ABC. If not try to catch it, Best Premier of the season hands down.
SMS
September 28th, 2012 9:11 AM
I savored every moment ...twice. I can honestly say that this is the first new series that I was instantly in love with from beginning to end. I agree with you whole heartedly and beg that the writers don't go for sexual tension and remain focused on the the characters. Also, Aiden Quinn is a bonus, I have loved his work forever, he was the bright star in that Mairia Bello dismal show last year.
CarolynNelson
September 28th, 2012 8:47 AM
Underwhelmed. Disappointed. Police procedural dramas and nearly anything in the crime genre are my favorite TV fare, but I could not get interested in this one. I watched it all the way through and felt disinterested all the time.
AngelGirl4212
September 28th, 2012 8:46 AM
I watched it. I didn't have high hopes for it, but I wanted it to prove me wrong. It didn't. The beginning looked like CSI, but I could forgive that. But Miller was not Sherlock Holmes. There was no drama, no dazzle, no flair. Try imagining him saying "the game's afoot" - I can't. Honestly, I don't understand why this Sherlock Holmes is a consulting detective - it's not the thrill, the game, the ego. Read the ACD stories narrated by Holmes instead of Watson. This Holmes is too meek. Too vulnerable. Too insincere. And the friendship with Watson seemed too forced. I thought she was insane for sticking around especially after their attempts to emotionally wound one another. I did like a competent Watson, but Watson is our Every Man and this Watson was trying to be too much like Holmes - making deductions, finding clues. It's too early for that.
Pilots are usually bad. They're all still trying to find their voices. I'll be tuning in for another go, but I don't have high
peter postman
September 28th, 2012 8:45 AM
This was just as blandly predictable as I er... predicted. Pasting the names Holmes and Watson on two completely unrelated characters does not an adaption make. I think the cartoon one with the mice was probably closer. At least it was (intentionally) funny! I'm sure it will be popular with the Castle/Bones/Mentalist/Monk audiences but Sherlock Holmes it is not.
Miss Millie Guns
September 28th, 2012 7:35 AM
With all due respect, he spells his name J-o-n-n-y. There are a couple different spellings in the review and just wanted to clarify this. :)
Keni
September 28th, 2012 3:41 AM
The tiny niggling little things that shouldn't, but can, ruin the enjoyment of a show for me: Bottom of the ninth, Mets get a home run, now down by one run, suddenly out of nowhere there are Met runners on first and second base before the fly out to center. No reaction by the game announcers, no reaction by Watson, to them getting on base, not to mention not enough time passing for it to happen. And the runner on second would have gone to third on a fly out to the wall, but doesn't, and since he doesn't you don't move him to third with an intentional walk with only one out. Annoying (aside from it being preposterous to believe ANYONE could predict the way it would play out)
Jim Garner Rank: Staff Member
September 28th, 2012 2:57 AM
@joanna -- go back and watch the scene at the opera where he finally admits that he didn't know that the girl would tell Watson the truth.. then move to the point where Watson tells him that she knows his falling off the wagon in London was about a girl, watch his expressions... very subtle hints of vulnerability worked in there by Miller...
joanna
September 28th, 2012 2:45 AM
I was under whelmed by the pilot but I will probably watch one more episode. I don't enjoy cop procedurals in general but I decided to give this show a shot. I just didn't see very much chemistry between Lucy Liu and Johnny Lee Miller. Johnny Lee Miller comes off as amazing and not vulnerable at all. He comes off as flawless. I that is why I didn't find him intriguing.
I did see BBC's Sherlock but I never expected CBS's Elmentary to match BBC's Sherlock. I just hoped to be intrigued. Well, I will give Elementary one more episode.
Dreamrose
September 28th, 2012 2:23 AM
One thing I find somewhat depressing about Elementary is the reason Watson left the medical profession. No longer is Watson a hero, wounded in battle and forced out of the service due to injury; now Watson is a screw-up who let someone die on the operating table. Quite the contrast, and not a happy one. No doubt we'll hear more about that 'incident' later on, like Sherlock's 'incident' in London.
I might also point out that Irene Adler being American does not preclude her from being the woman who messed Sherlock up in London. Americans can hop on trans-Atlantic flights, after all.
My biggest question is whether we're going to be introduced to Mycroft at any point.
Rank: Guest Star
September 29th, 2012 8:17 AM
What can I say, I liked it. I understand why hardcore Sherlock Holmes fans may have a problem with this show, but here's the thing: it was never supposed to be an adaptation, so don't treat it like one. The way I see it, it's a show where two main characters are happened to be called Holmes and Watson. And it's cool.
I really enjoyed the pilot, I think Jonny Lee Miller is awesome as Holmes, just like I think he was awesome in everything else he did before. Even if this show sucked, I would still watch it, just for him. I also don't understand why so many people have a problem with Lucy Liu. She's fine by me.
I wasn't sure about the idea of Watson being a woman, but after watching this I think it was the right move. Sometimes for a chemistry to work in the long run, you need a man and a woman. I couldn't imagine having two guys here and no female power week after week for a whole year.
September 29th, 2012 3:27 AM
@ Peter Postman - I would like to point out that fact that "The Great Mouse Detective" was also a parody poking fun of the original.
September 28th, 2012 8:46 PM
I might have liked the show if I could understand what they were saying. Horrible sound and I don't lip read. His accent ruined it and she wasn't loud enough half the time so I missed half of the show or more. Maybe will try the next, maybe not.
September 28th, 2012 5:45 PM
Being a Sherlock Holmes fan for many years I thought I would give this show a chance. BTW, I personally think Basil Rathbone was the best Sherlock Holmes ever. That being said, I agree with some of the posts that Lucy Liu was a bit stiff, but remember she thought she was just helping an addict adjust, she had no idea what he did and how he does it. I hope that once she has a better understanding of what he's about, she will be fine. Fingers crossed
I will watch more episodes in the coming weeks.
Rank: Guest Star
September 28th, 2012 5:17 PM
Enjoyed pilot. Will continue watching to how the show develops. I agree that the chemistry between Jonny and Lucy seem stiff. Maybe she will get warmer as the season goes on.
Being a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I was surprised to find I did like this Sherlock.
September 28th, 2012 3:04 PM
Well, I gave the pilot a chance. I came away kind of, meh. After thinking about it a bit, for me, the problem seems to be Lucy Liu. She just came across as kind of wooden - not much chemistry between her and Jonny Lee Miller - yet. I did think Miller was quite good. I really liked Aiden Quinn in this cast also. Overall, to me the pilot was just OK. I'll give it a chance and catch the next couple of episodes. No show should be graded on just one episode. It has the good fortune of having mega hit, Person of Interest, as its lead in - but it's also up against another hot show, Scandal, in that 10PM slot. And that in itself could be very "elementary."
September 28th, 2012 12:37 PM
Miller - good in his take on Holmes; Liu - while contrast w/Holmes is necessary, she seemed utterly flat and frankly, not terribly interesting. Will watch a few episodes, but not terribly impressed.
Rank: Staff Member
September 28th, 2012 12:33 PM
@Miss Millie Guns -- I have corrected Jonny's spelling... thanks for the catch!
September 28th, 2012 12:28 PM
@Patamar2
I am a fan of the genre and of procedurals but I don't find anything Sherlock Holmey about Elementary rather the names of the lead characters, half-baked back stories, and some odd quirks and frankly every other show based on this model is like that but the others are better executed.
The combination of smart, damaged, quirky, puzzle solving has been done so many times and they haven't done the source any justice with this adaptation. Forget BBC's Sherlock, if I compare the pilot to TNT's Perception it still falls short. There are better, more interesting shows based on the model and I'd watch for a few episodes to see if Elementary becomes as good or better than them but thats it.
September 28th, 2012 12:02 PM
I adore the late Jeremy Brett as Sherlock! No one did it better. But, let's move into this century & this year and Elementary was fun and interesting. The fact that there will be close friendship & not romance between Sherlock & Watson will be fun to watch unfold.
Those stuck with the original, wonderful as it is, will miss the fun of this series whilst they watch the re-runs of House-never-changing.
Give this show a chance, it should be a great ride! As long as this Sherlock has some emotions to show us & Watson.
September 28th, 2012 11:51 AM
i'm not a big lucy lui fan normally but i think she has found a role i can like. The show is well done and not over your head writing. It will deffinatly be a every week watch
September 28th, 2012 11:33 AM
I love SHERLOCK BBC, and adore the duo of Freeman and Cumberbatch. But I also love Jonny Lee Miller's acting, as he does have a lot of talent. So, I tuned in. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It had some very clever moments, and I love the way they have Jonny Lee Miller always moving in some entertaining fashion. Though, I have to say that I will never forgive them for a Female Watson. I have no grip with the actor, but I would have greatly enjoyed if Watson were male.
I still prefer SHERLOCK, but I really think I could get into this. Though, everytime Miller's character does something bad, I just raise my eybrow and go "Well that's not very gentlemenlike Mr. Knightly"
September 28th, 2012 10:29 AM
I urge fans of the genre and fans of Holmes to watch BBC's Sherlock and the 1984 series Adventures of Sherlock Holmes starring Jeremy Brett. I'd watch another episode of Elementary but I'd rather be watching reruns of House or new episodes of the The Mentalist.
September 28th, 2012 10:22 AM
All in all, we've seen damaged and brilliant individuals on TV many a times, CBC's Elementary just gets lost in that pool.
September 28th, 2012 10:18 AM
I would've liked the pilot a lot better if the characters were not called Sherlock and Watson. Part of the reason BBC's Sherlock works besides the find writing and the brilliant acting is that it is actually an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes set in the modern world, the series always references and pays homage to the original stories and the character development follows a similar graph. Elementary is not any different from Monk, Mentalist, Perception, Lie to Me and other shows based on the Holmes model so why even call it Holmes? The best American adaptation/re-imagination has already been done in form of House. Sherlock is so much more than a brilliant individual, the series Elementary fails to catch the essence of Holmes and even falls short when you compare it to other series like Monk, House, Mentalist etc.
September 28th, 2012 9:32 AM
It was good for a pilot, although the acting of the rest of the cast is really gonna show how wooden Liu is.Never felt she was a good actress.
Did anyone catch the premier of Last resort over on ABC. If not try to catch it, Best Premier of the season hands down.
September 28th, 2012 9:11 AM
I savored every moment ...twice. I can honestly say that this is the first new series that I was instantly in love with from beginning to end. I agree with you whole heartedly and beg that the writers don't go for sexual tension and remain focused on the the characters. Also, Aiden Quinn is a bonus, I have loved his work forever, he was the bright star in that Mairia Bello dismal show last year.
September 28th, 2012 8:47 AM
Underwhelmed. Disappointed. Police procedural dramas and nearly anything in the crime genre are my favorite TV fare, but I could not get interested in this one. I watched it all the way through and felt disinterested all the time.
September 28th, 2012 8:46 AM
I watched it. I didn't have high hopes for it, but I wanted it to prove me wrong. It didn't. The beginning looked like CSI, but I could forgive that. But Miller was not Sherlock Holmes. There was no drama, no dazzle, no flair. Try imagining him saying "the game's afoot" - I can't. Honestly, I don't understand why this Sherlock Holmes is a consulting detective - it's not the thrill, the game, the ego. Read the ACD stories narrated by Holmes instead of Watson. This Holmes is too meek. Too vulnerable. Too insincere. And the friendship with Watson seemed too forced. I thought she was insane for sticking around especially after their attempts to emotionally wound one another. I did like a competent Watson, but Watson is our Every Man and this Watson was trying to be too much like Holmes - making deductions, finding clues. It's too early for that.
Pilots are usually bad. They're all still trying to find their voices. I'll be tuning in for another go, but I don't have high
September 28th, 2012 8:45 AM
This was just as blandly predictable as I er... predicted. Pasting the names Holmes and Watson on two completely unrelated characters does not an adaption make. I think the cartoon one with the mice was probably closer. At least it was (intentionally) funny! I'm sure it will be popular with the Castle/Bones/Mentalist/Monk audiences but Sherlock Holmes it is not.
September 28th, 2012 7:35 AM
With all due respect, he spells his name J-o-n-n-y. There are a couple different spellings in the review and just wanted to clarify this. :)
September 28th, 2012 3:41 AM
The tiny niggling little things that shouldn't, but can, ruin the enjoyment of a show for me: Bottom of the ninth, Mets get a home run, now down by one run, suddenly out of nowhere there are Met runners on first and second base before the fly out to center. No reaction by the game announcers, no reaction by Watson, to them getting on base, not to mention not enough time passing for it to happen. And the runner on second would have gone to third on a fly out to the wall, but doesn't, and since he doesn't you don't move him to third with an intentional walk with only one out. Annoying (aside from it being preposterous to believe ANYONE could predict the way it would play out)
Rank: Staff Member
September 28th, 2012 2:57 AM
@joanna -- go back and watch the scene at the opera where he finally admits that he didn't know that the girl would tell Watson the truth.. then move to the point where Watson tells him that she knows his falling off the wagon in London was about a girl, watch his expressions... very subtle hints of vulnerability worked in there by Miller...
September 28th, 2012 2:45 AM
I was under whelmed by the pilot but I will probably watch one more episode. I don't enjoy cop procedurals in general but I decided to give this show a shot. I just didn't see very much chemistry between Lucy Liu and Johnny Lee Miller. Johnny Lee Miller comes off as amazing and not vulnerable at all. He comes off as flawless. I that is why I didn't find him intriguing.
I did see BBC's Sherlock but I never expected CBS's Elmentary to match BBC's Sherlock. I just hoped to be intrigued. Well, I will give Elementary one more episode.
September 28th, 2012 2:23 AM
One thing I find somewhat depressing about Elementary is the reason Watson left the medical profession. No longer is Watson a hero, wounded in battle and forced out of the service due to injury; now Watson is a screw-up who let someone die on the operating table. Quite the contrast, and not a happy one. No doubt we'll hear more about that 'incident' later on, like Sherlock's 'incident' in London.
I might also point out that Irene Adler being American does not preclude her from being the woman who messed Sherlock up in London. Americans can hop on trans-Atlantic flights, after all.
My biggest question is whether we're going to be introduced to Mycroft at any point.