There will only be two more reviews in this Sherlock Holmes
adaptations series.
I know. You’re all in tears.
Anyway, these two are going to be awesome. Because I have
left two of the most interesting adaptations until last. And today, I’m starting
with….
Elementary.
When I first heard about this, little old judgmental me said
“Sherlock Holmes in America? Yeah right.”
Not because I have anything against America, you understand,
but just because I have watched enough American TV to know to expect over-dramatics,
repetitive plot devices and formulaic… well, everything. Not to say that there
aren’t some great ones out there, and some that I absolutely love despite their
flaws, but… you know.
So I wasn’t super excited about Elementary. I expected more
of the same, and….
Well, I got more of the same.
Elementary is over-dramatic, repetitive, formulaic, and
entirely enjoyable.
Look, I can’t really explain why I like it OK? But for some
reason the characters are likeable and enjoyable, and somehow I can see
Sherlock Holmes living and acting like this. Well, maybe not all the time. But
sometimes. Rarely.
So, let’s start digging into this modern, American take on a
Victorian, British classic.
What could possibly go wrong………..?
The recovering addict:
Holmes is probably one of the big reasons I like this show. This
is a modern day Holmes as I want to see him. Sort of. I mean….
Look, we need to talk about drugs. Don’t do them kids.
In the original Holmes, drugs exist to fill the gaps for
Holmes. When he isn’t on a case, he chooses to use… alternative stimulants. So
here’s the question, is he a drug addict?
And, um…..
Look, I don’t know. I really don’t. the only thing that we
can be certain of is that he is addicted to the case, the game, the mental
stimulation of a tricky problem. But it seems that he has a choice, drugs or
cases, cases or drugs. And whenever he can, he picks a case over the needle.
Another thing that I think I need to point out here is that
in the Victorian period, the dangers of drug use were much less known, and much
less understood. Drug use was socially acceptable. This was an age when
children were given opium to help them sleep, and every scientist was looking
for the next drug to please the masses, or a new way of taking existing ones.
So a Victorian Holmes might have seen Cocaine as a safe and
easy solution to his boredom. But a modern one? One who knew the dangers, who
would have to perform a criminal act himself to get hold of some? Would that
Holmes even try drugs?
Um….
Maybe.
Maybe.
The reason I bring this whole discussion up here is that Holmes’
addiction is a huge part of his personality, and a massive driver for the plot.
It is the reason he and Watson meet, the reason he is in America, and a massive
recurring theme. And for me, the idea of a modern Holmes being a drug addict is
always a bit suspect anyway, so while I wouldn’t mind it being a thing, I also
think that making it possibly the biggest single character/plot driver is a
mistake, and means that other aspects can’t be focused on.
So, let’s talk about some of that other stuff. This Holmes
does tick one box for me. He gets the perfect balance between “gentleman” and “sociopath”.
He is kind, but when he is working he can be cold and calculating. So yes, gold
star for that.
Then they go and make him routinely hire prostitutes for sex.
Ugh.
Do I even need to say it?
Sherlock Holmes. Gentleman. Married to his work.
Fine. Now that that’s dealt with…
Overall, I like this Holmes. His complex, interesting
character is a really big part of what makes this series work. But while a lot of
the basics are there, they seem to focus a lot on the bad, and not enough on
the other things, his relationship with his family, his upbringing, what it was
like for him to grow up like that…
And yes, if someone wants to make a book/tv series that creates
a full history for Holmes, I will definitely read/watch it (and yes, I have
read the young Holmes books. They’re good).
Basically, this show has loads of episodes, great cast, lots
and lots of opportunities to explore other avenues of Holmes, and… they didn’t.
I like a lot of what they did, but could be better. B-.
Wait, I use a numerical scoring system, um…. 5/10.
52% if you’re fussy.
Joan Watson:
Wait, Watson’s a woman?
Um… no shit Sherlock. A doctor turned soldier turned doctor
again can be a woman as well as a man. The one of the pair who ends up doing
the fighting, knocking doors in, while also being the more sensitive and human
of the two…
Um….
Yeah.
Something isn’t right here.
I don’t get the thinking behind this, why this version of
John Watson, the female version, should have these really important characteristics
stripped away from her. She’s not a former soldier, she’s retired from medicine,
and she definitely isn’t the one to carry an old service pistol or the person
you want to provide physical back-up in a tight spot. And yes, they tale a
pretty loose take on lots of the other characters, but… Weird.
And then there’s the thing about her job as a sober
companion. In the original, Holmes and Watson are brought together by circumstances,
but they stay together because they get on well. You don’t get that choice
being made between these two for ages, and even afterwards, whenever Sherlock
would struggle with his sobriety she is instantly compelled to step back into
her job. And really, even when she’s working as a detective, is she ever not a
sober companion too?
That being said, they do have a good chemistry. I like watching
them together, I enjoy seeing them learning from each other. They also do a
relatively good job of giving her a social life. Well, sporadically anyway. I even
like seeing her take on the role of pupil in a more serious way, really becoming
Holmes’ apprentice. But again, that’s not very Watson!
So in the end it comes down to this. Is Joan a really good
companion for Holmes, with an interesting backstory, lots of family drama and a
fascinating personality, or is she a really bad copy of John Watson?
ARGH!
Can’t decide.
Really can’t decide.
So, I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt, and
decide that she is deliberately nothing like the original, rather than
accidentally. That means I can give this Watson a wonderful five out of ten.
The other characters:
So… basically here, we’re talking about the cops and Moriarty.
Yes, Mycroft, and Sherlock’s father do make appearances, but they’re so unlike
the original they’re hardly worth talking about. I’m just going to take one point
off for each of them, OK?
Ok. So the cops.
Well, the cops are…. Dramatic. Interesting, occasionally. They
have relatives and friends, which is always nice. They solve some crimes
occasionally. I really don’t see why on earth they would get Holmes involved,
but, you know. They do have characters. But my problem is that I know these
characters already. They’re every pair of cops, the young up and comer, the old,
highly experienced captain. They’re fine to watch. Maybe even a good example of
the breed, but really quite unoriginal, especially when you compare to the
crowd of detectives in the original, the diversity of opinions and tactics. And
yet no-one seems to remember anyone but Lestrade, even though the names might
pop up every now and then… why hello Captain Gregson.
Except the fact that there was an inspector Gregson in the
original canon is so poorly broadcasted that most people probably don’t get the
link. I didn’t until I was writing this review. Anyway, the two characters are so
different it almost seems mocking to even use the name.
So then. Moriarty. AKA Irene Adler. An interesting choice
combining these two characters. Not one that I particularly care about one way
or the other (except that they make Irene Sherlock’s love interest again!
Honestly, that trend is crying out for a review of its own…). Also, I love this
Moriarty. Obviously, she’s nothing like the original, but she captures the pure
intelligence the ruthlessness. And if you tilt your head on one side, you can
assume that she is faking real romance to manipulate Holmes, which would be
very, very Moriarty. So yes, I really like her. Love her even. Maybe. I like
that fact that she is part of what drove Sherlock into drugs, that is suitably
devious and cold. I like the fact that she is a painter too. It adds a new
dimension to the character, and it fits with the old as well. Really, I wish
more time was dedicated to her, and her relationship with Holmes. It’s kind of
weird that she spends such a huge amount of time existing in this universe,
being in prison or out loose somewhere, and yet has so few episodic
appearances. Even mentions of her are quite rare after her identity is
revealed.
So… yeah. A serviceable crowd, with a gem of a villain
thrown in for good measure. This lot would have won a seven out of ten, but the
Holmes family penalty brings them down to five.
The stories:
Ah well, the stories.
Um….
OK, this is where my problem is. The overarching plotlines,
I like. The character development is good. The build-up to a big finale is something
they have mastered. But…
I often find my attention drifting during the rest of the
episode. Which… is not a good thing. Not at all.
And really, I can’t think of anything else to say. These episodes
all too often fail my gold standard test of whether something is decent or not.
The test is simple. Part way through the episode, I think to myself “do I want
to get to the end of this? Should I carry on watching?” and if the answer is no…
I stop. The individual episode storylines are not sufficient to carry my
attention. Not at all.
And really, what else is there to say? These interesting,
fascinating characters float in a sea of mediocrity.
So…. 1/10
Which brings Elementary to a total of 16. A sad number given
that I really, really like this show. Given that I watch it regularly, love the
acting, love a lot about the new takes on the characters. But, you know.
Lacking in story. And without compelling plotlines and mysteries worthy of the
mind of Holmes, what is there? It’s like buying a McClaren P1 and driving it
around the town centre on a Saturday. And although I am glad there are so many
episodes, I can’t help but feel that this is part of what contributes to the problem.
141 episodes. It must be really hard to stay original and bring something new
to each one. And this, unfortunately, misses too often.
Comments
Post a Comment