Thursday, July 12, 2012

ELEMENTARY MY DEAR JOAN WATSON?


By Sean Smyth


This is pretty old news but I feel like it needs saying again. For my sake anyway... 

As some of you may know, Sherlock Holmes is coming over the pond and into your TV sets on CBS this fall and for this writer, well it bothers me a bit. You see, the biggest thing about this show is well, it's borrowing heavily from Sherlock over on BBC staring Big Benedict Cumburbatch and Hobbit star Martin Freeman. That particular show runs 90 minuet episodes that is able to show not only story but the procedural side to Holmes. 

This incarnation will most likely be a 1 hour drama, scratch that, with commercials your down to about 43 minuets, give or take a few. So, it will be more procedural than story. Which is just boring. It's like having a less charming Mentalist. I guess CBS needs to hit both ends of the spectrum. 

The basic plot is Sherlock is drummed out of England and into America only to become a addict of some sort, probably Heroine if they are following the books, and now he wants to consult again with the help of his drug councilor Joan Watson. Yep Joan, not John. Why the change of gender? Because America is edgy and annoying. 


For the most part the trailer is somewhat entertaining with only a few minor character flaws from both Watson and Holmes that kinda nag at you if you are a fan of the stories/BBC show. But the biggest thing that I feel turns me off this show, is not the fact that CBS stole my title for my buddy, comedy, thriller, web series that is loosely based on Sherlock Holmes, well mostly, but I feel like title, Elementary, is more for a comedy than a drama. Just the name in itself breathes juvenile and immaturity. It also refers to one of the great lines that was never said, "Elementary, my dear Watson." They couldn't come up with a better title. They had to steal mine? But i'm just rambling nothing now.

The show looks to have promise if your into procedurals and don't have much knowledge on Sherlock Holmes. It has some good bits in the trailer that really shows that most of the character is there, especially the scene in the theatre where he mentions that the performer is off key. That got a bit of a chuckle. Other than that, it is just another rehash of a BBC original and we all know it won't be the last since Hollywood is running on empty in terms of originality. 

If your interested in the show, or the prospects, I'll give it a go, check out the trailer and let me know what you think. Will you check it out this fall?

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