Thoughts on Elementary

[starrylizard]

I'm definitely starting to like Elementary. Where BBC Sherlock is a self-declared sociopath. This Sherlock is much more emotional. His pain almost seems to come from trying to control himself and keep his emotions in check. Plus he really does come across as a recovering addict. Joan started out seeming very passive, but she's becoming more interesting now. Plus the interaction is becoming more mutually beneficial. I'm interested to see where it goes and happy that it isn't trying to be a carbon copy of Sherlock as I feared at first. :D

Comments

[gorengal.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, I'm so happy to see a non-American who likes Elementary (or at least doesn't hate it with a passion). Even amongst Americans it's difficult to find another fan. I think only 1 of my f-listers likes it. I dunno, I feel like there's room for all of the interpretations. :)

I agree, in Elementary Sherlock seems like an extremely unhappy man lacking social skills...Asperger's, maybe. I know BBC Sherlock told Moriarty that he was the same as Moriarty, but I just can't accept that BBC Sherlock is a sociopath. He would not have empathy for others if he were a true sociopath, and Sherlock definitely has empathy when he bothers thinking of other people.

Anyway, I was amused to discover that Johnny Lee Miller and the Cumberbatch starred in Frankenstein together, alternating the roles of the monster and Victor. How perfect!

[ageless-aislynn.livejournal.com]

Even amongst Americans it's difficult to find another fan. I think only 1 of my f-listers likes it. I dunno, I feel like there's room for all of the interpretations. :)

Is it me? Am I the one? *bounces* ;) Of course, I may not have posted enough about it recently to have made it clear how much I've been enjoying it, though. :( It was one of the shows that I wrote up a biggish post about a few weeks ago and never finished it enough to post it, oops. *blush* :(

And I'm with you, I love seeing new interpretations of the same role, especially when they're bringing new/different things to the table! *politely scoots RDJ and BC over to make room for JLM's Sherlock in my fangirl heart* ;)

*slips away like a ninja into the night* O_O ;) ♥!

[gorengal.livejournal.com]

Yep, it's you! *grabs your hands and bounces with you* :D I really like how Aidan Quinn's Capt. Gregson likes and respects Sherlock. Such a different dynamic than the BBC show or even the RDJ movies.

Yay for fangirls! ♥♥

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Yes exactly. I was gonna write "emotionally autistic" earlier, but thought it was going too far, but somewhere on the aspergers scale perhaps, certainly he has trouble dealing with his emotions. I loved the scene where he's talking to Lestrade in the latest episode to explain himself. He is so close to tears!

I love all of the various Holmes pastiches. My worst fear for this one was that it'd be an American reboot of the recent BBC version (which at first it appeared it might be, despite the female Watson) and as it progresses I now don't feel it is. It's a lovely new interpretation that's beginning to pick up some real steam.

When news first hit about this series coming out the Sherlock fans immediately hated it. They claimed JLM wanted a part of BC's fame etc. etc. But Sherlock is only one of many interpretations of Sherlock Holmes over the years. A very good one, granted. And probably one more reason to reboot it again, but I think as a general Holmes fan this show is turning out to be yet another interesting interpretation.

(Incidentally, I saw Frankenstein live when I was in London. I bought a theatre membership just to get access to the tickets because they were that popular that the general public never got ticket sales. It was aces!! Totally worth it! :D)

[charis-kalos.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen anything of it, and I'm not sure I will. For me Sherlock Holmes stories are all about Watson and about the relationship between the two men, and a John Watson-less Sherlock doesn't appeal at all. I'll stick with Sherlock for an updated version.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I do miss the "boys" and at first I worried having a female Watson was a thinly veiled attempt to make the show "not-Sherlock. (i.e. It's identical, but we set it in America and made it more "het" so it'd appeal to the Christian majority - no offence intended!) But now I'm rather liking it. Five episodes in, it's finally got it's own style, JLM is making his version of Sherlock really different (almost overwhelmed by emotions rather than without them) and Joan Watson is beginning to be a character rather than just a woman.

Then again, I like Sherlock Holmes pastiches of all sorts and shapes these days. They're just fascinating. It's rather like Doctor Who for me, every Doctor is awesome in his own way (even if some are my faves) and for me, every Sherlock is intriguing in their own way. :D

[ageless-aislynn.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with everything you said, particularly in how that I'm glad it's doing its own thing and not trying to just do a thinly veiled copy of BBC!Sherlock, which I was also worried about.

Some good indicators of how much I'm liking a show are whether I want to vid it (which I do, uh, again -- since I did a vid out of the trailers already ;) ), whether I look forward to the new ep every week (and I have been, a little more every week) and whether I find myself wanting the DVD set already, just so I can watch all of the eps over again whenever I want (yep ;) ).

I'm really enjoying Jonny Lee Miller's interpretation, in particular because he does come across as a bit more empathetic/sympathetic and emotional. And I'm definitely loving how his and Joan's relationship is developing. *thumbs up*

I'm really happy that you're enjoying it, too! :D ♥!

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it does seem to be getting a lot of hate. Hate from Sherlock fans who are convinced it's a copy; hate from women who think Joan is being treated like an inferior and a slave because she's a woman; hate from non-Americans just because it's an American version of a British tradition...

It did take me a few episodes to get in to it, but I really enjoyed the most recent episodes. I think it's finally hitting its stride. Feels like Joan and Sherlock are working as a team and helping each other as they go. :)

[the-muppet.livejournal.com]

I'm really enjoying Elementary so far =)

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Yay, there you go. A Brit and an Aussie like it gorengal! :)

(Edit: Html fail. :P)

[callme-k.livejournal.com]

I've heard of the hoo-ha going on, but am not involved in either fandom to be overly exposed to it. For what it's worth, I'm really liking Elementary. :)

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it. :)

[irismay42.livejournal.com]

I've only seen the first episode so far, but it's not awful. Despite JLM's odd trying-to-sound-posh accent.

My friend described it as, "Sherlock for stupid people." Which I thought was quite funny!

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Hee! Watch a few more before passing judgement. I got into it around ep 4 or 5. :D

[irismay42.livejournal.com]

I actually watched the second one last night and really enjoyed it! (Especially now JLM seems to have dropped the silly accent a bit!)

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Hee, I suspect the accent annoys actual Brits more than it does the rest of us. :D

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

I enjoy Elementary more than I do Sherlock. It retains a lot of the quirkiness of the original material without turning him into a complete anti-social nutcase.

Although I fo prefer Martin Freeman to Lucy Lui.

I'm definitely hoping this makes it past the first season...

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

I totally get where you're coming from. I really like comparing the different versions and seeing how it is being interpreted. It's a lot of fun. Lucy Lui was the main reason I was unsure about this version, but Joan is slowly growing on me as they make her more of a character in her own right.