It’s been two months since I’ve been hooked onto Elementary and as I await the final Season 7 (perhaps making it the longest running Sherlock Holmes series ever), I felt the urge to pen down my thoughts on it and share it with the world. It is no doubt one of the most heretical interpretations of ACD’s work and the institution that is Sherlock Holmes and yet probably, I must admit, the best. No way, you say. Benedict Cumberbatch was the best, you say. Allow me to explain.
This contemporary take on Holmes unveils its lead as a modern day recovering heroin addict, addled with the inner demons of guilt, lost love, troubled familial relationships and inability to conform to the traditional social “tact”. While both Miller and Cumberbatch find solace in a dispassionate approach to crime solving, believe that they are smarter and better than others and view the people around them as hardly more than data points, there is a more nuanced, relatable approach to Miller’s Holmes.
So, as I re-watched Sherlock, I was surprised to find myself almost repulsed by Cumberbatch’s Holmes giggling upon hearing of a serial murderer on the loose (A Study in Pink). While Miller’s Holmes, demonstrates more of a “frenzied passion” to solving crimes and ensuring justice at all costs, Cumberbatch’s Holmes is only driven by the puzzle and the need to solve it, designating him and the “movieish” episodes to just that – a puzzle to be solved. And the viewer is left, like Watson, to exclaim sheepishly, “Fantastic”. Miller’s Holmes gives a character to root for, to believe in and to see evolve. Cumberbatch’s Holmes continues to tiringly pride in his superiority without ever exploring the inner workings of a “high-functioning sociopath” and the journey before and after.
This brings us to the debate of Watson vs. Watson. Elementary truly takes a leap of faith by casting Lucy Liu in the part of a female Watson, and I was very skeptical to be honest, if this could truly stay true to the original relationship of Holmes and Watson, but again, Elementary wins out. From the moment Joan Watson steps into Holmes’ house, she establishes herself as more than an idol-worshiping sidekick which Freeman’s Watson hardly ever rises beyond in the BBC version. Joan not only grows to be a true “partner”, often providing the critical insight into solving cases or solving them on her own, she also helps bring out the previously unexplored parts of Sherlock’s personality in terms of guilt, anger, resentment, isolation, empathy and enables his journey in dealing with a lot of these real emotions (of course without turning this into a soap opera). And while we see her character arc develop as well, she never takes away from Holmes' limelight or descend into orthodox feminine story plots. Freeman’s Watson on the other hand, slavishly admires his Holmes and his ability to deduce astounding facts from the minutest of details and is relegated to the part of a “wife”, tolerating the arrogance, lack of concern (and sometimes evoking the tiniest empathy in Sherlock) – this is probably why he is often the butt of “gay” jokes. He is less of a partner, and more of a bystander caught in the hurricane that is Sherlock. Quite the opposite, Joan develops a true friendship with her Holmes based on mutual respect, learning from each other as their journey progresses (contrary to Cumberbatch’s Holmes that often declares his Watson an “idiot” or “vacant”).
At last, we come to Moriarty. Well, the Moriarty angle is truly a very interesting approach in Elementary (no spoilers), one that deviates entirely from the canon, but definitely provides some compelling material. Though I must defer to the crazed, obsessive Andrew Scott who made the character so much more fun – a super villain worth his stock, in Sherlock.
So, while I must admit that big names, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman had me (like many others) prostrating over Sherlock, over time, Elementary has won the true respect of yours truly. Sherlock is more faithful and Cumberbatch’s deep voice and conspicuous arrogance perhaps lend him to higher adoration as a "high functioning sociopath". But, at the end of the day, Miller’s Holmes and Liu's Watson are truly more “organic” and “chemical” in their nature, ironically, much more than “elementary”.
This contemporary take on Holmes unveils its lead as a modern day recovering heroin addict, addled with the inner demons of guilt, lost love, troubled familial relationships and inability to conform to the traditional social “tact”. While both Miller and Cumberbatch find solace in a dispassionate approach to crime solving, believe that they are smarter and better than others and view the people around them as hardly more than data points, there is a more nuanced, relatable approach to Miller’s Holmes.
So, as I re-watched Sherlock, I was surprised to find myself almost repulsed by Cumberbatch’s Holmes giggling upon hearing of a serial murderer on the loose (A Study in Pink). While Miller’s Holmes, demonstrates more of a “frenzied passion” to solving crimes and ensuring justice at all costs, Cumberbatch’s Holmes is only driven by the puzzle and the need to solve it, designating him and the “movieish” episodes to just that – a puzzle to be solved. And the viewer is left, like Watson, to exclaim sheepishly, “Fantastic”. Miller’s Holmes gives a character to root for, to believe in and to see evolve. Cumberbatch’s Holmes continues to tiringly pride in his superiority without ever exploring the inner workings of a “high-functioning sociopath” and the journey before and after.
This brings us to the debate of Watson vs. Watson. Elementary truly takes a leap of faith by casting Lucy Liu in the part of a female Watson, and I was very skeptical to be honest, if this could truly stay true to the original relationship of Holmes and Watson, but again, Elementary wins out. From the moment Joan Watson steps into Holmes’ house, she establishes herself as more than an idol-worshiping sidekick which Freeman’s Watson hardly ever rises beyond in the BBC version. Joan not only grows to be a true “partner”, often providing the critical insight into solving cases or solving them on her own, she also helps bring out the previously unexplored parts of Sherlock’s personality in terms of guilt, anger, resentment, isolation, empathy and enables his journey in dealing with a lot of these real emotions (of course without turning this into a soap opera). And while we see her character arc develop as well, she never takes away from Holmes' limelight or descend into orthodox feminine story plots. Freeman’s Watson on the other hand, slavishly admires his Holmes and his ability to deduce astounding facts from the minutest of details and is relegated to the part of a “wife”, tolerating the arrogance, lack of concern (and sometimes evoking the tiniest empathy in Sherlock) – this is probably why he is often the butt of “gay” jokes. He is less of a partner, and more of a bystander caught in the hurricane that is Sherlock. Quite the opposite, Joan develops a true friendship with her Holmes based on mutual respect, learning from each other as their journey progresses (contrary to Cumberbatch’s Holmes that often declares his Watson an “idiot” or “vacant”).
At last, we come to Moriarty. Well, the Moriarty angle is truly a very interesting approach in Elementary (no spoilers), one that deviates entirely from the canon, but definitely provides some compelling material. Though I must defer to the crazed, obsessive Andrew Scott who made the character so much more fun – a super villain worth his stock, in Sherlock.
So, while I must admit that big names, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman had me (like many others) prostrating over Sherlock, over time, Elementary has won the true respect of yours truly. Sherlock is more faithful and Cumberbatch’s deep voice and conspicuous arrogance perhaps lend him to higher adoration as a "high functioning sociopath". But, at the end of the day, Miller’s Holmes and Liu's Watson are truly more “organic” and “chemical” in their nature, ironically, much more than “elementary”.
