On Sat, Sep 29, 2012 at 10:15 AM, Tom Wolper <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Sat, Sep 29, 2012 at 12:55 AM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> > wrote: > > If I didn't know of the BBC's "Sherlock" series, this would feel like > > a stronger execution of a concept to me. But one of the things the BBC > > series does well is express the delight Watson experiences watching > > Holmes work. Lucy Liu's Watson does not have that delight. That > > disappoints me. I never realized how essential that emotional reaction > > is to the Holmes character until the pilot of "Elementary." > > Does it look like it's going to settle into being just another > procedural series or is it more character driven? > I think Kevin exactly nailed it. It is character driven in a sense, but I think is going to very much get forced into the CBS school of proceduralism; It looks very much like this is going to be CSI: Baker Street (well, it is set in NYC, but you get the idea). The Holmes character is played as an eccentric - more so than Sherlock - so I guess it might be more accurate to liken it to Law and Order: Criminal Intent, which also had a damaged, eccentric lead male supported by a vaguely maternal female partner (with a dash of unrealized sexual tension). I have never seen the Mentalist, but has the flavor I imagine that would have, with the hero giving hurried, cryptic explanations for his special powers. If we are lucky this show will be similar to Numb3rs, which I thought successfully combined the procedural format with an exploration of interesting ideas, characters and relationships. If we are not lucky this show will quickly be indistinguishable from any of a half a dozen crime shows that have been on CBS over the last few years. I like Lucy Liu (who managed to come off so tough and matronly on Southland last year, but here gives off repressed vibes of the inner, but more matured, sex kitten she once was), but Kevin is right that she so far has not hit the defining notes in her relationship to Holmes (though near the end she did seem to be approaching it, so we shall see). What ultimately made House such an effective play on Holmes was the obvious love story between House and Wilson. If Elementary wants to be anything more than superficially in the Holmes tradition, it will have to figure out a way to get these two characters to earn that kind of devotion to each other - which is something the BBC did so nicely and almost effortlessly. I did appreciate the shout-out to the Segregation of the Queen.** -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en
