Sherlock vs Elementary

Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman

Sherlock: Series 2 starts tonight on PBS Masterpiece Mystery. Yay!!! If you haven't seen this modern version of Sherlock Holmes set in present day London, it is well worth a view. Benedict Cumberbatch is razor sharp as the borderline austistic/Aspergers Sherlock Holmes who uses computers and smart phones as well as his usual observational sleuthing to solve crimes. Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson is the perfect foil for Holmes who would get irritating if he were not humanized by his sidekick. I find it fascinating that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle originally wrote Dr. Watson as a physician recently returned from the Anglo-Afghan war in Afghanistan, so that shows you how long foreign forces have been fighting there.

Elementary with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu

Across the pond, CBS has decided to cash in on the modern Sherlock Holmes idea by making their own version called Elementary starring Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone, Emma) as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Watson. Hmmmm. This is either going to be brilliant or horrible depending on the writing and the direction. It takes place in NYC (natch) instead of London but you will notice that Sherlock's looped scarf is the same, as is the posh accent on it's lead character. They are both gorgeous English actors which doesn't hurt with the female demographic and I suppose changing Watson into an attractive female takes care of the male demographic too. Again, good in theory but I reserve judgement until I see the finished project.

The last time American television tried to adapt a Steven Moffat/BBC production, Coupling, was a disaster. The British series is like a sexed-up version of Friends and is hysterical, but the Americanized Coupling was just...well...it shouldn't have been aired at all!

Sherlock with violin

So go with the sure thing for now and watch Sherlock on PBS for the next three weeks. If you miss it, it will be online for the next month or so. Tell me how you liked it!

And let's hope they give Jonny Lee Miller a good script for Elementary. He deserves it, and I would love to see what he does with the character.