So, I just finished all seven seasons of Elementary again. And by again, I mean I have watched the whole series five times. I will wait a year and then do it again. I have a problem.
For those perhaps unfamiliar, Elementary is a modern reinterpretation of the stories. Holmes is living in Manhattan and meets Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), who becomes his sober companion for a time. Sherlock has had a bit of trouble with heroin, and Watson is hired by Sherlock’s billionaire father to help keep him on the straight and narrow.
I guess what I love most about the series, in addition to the superb casting, is the moral integrity of the show. The series is really about being a better person, being a better friend, and the principals—Holmes and Watson—eschew guns and abhor violence. They have dedicated their lives exclusively to working and making the world a better place. Wealth is given to charity and Watson engages in various humanitarian endeavors along the way. All down the line, Holmes and Watson attempt to do—and usually do—the right thing. Sure, they color outside the lines a bit when it comes to maybe circumventing a warrant, and Holmes does have his moral struggles, but always returns to center.
I like Lucy Liu in this series. Watson is smart and tough. When Liu discussed possible involvement in the project, Liu was very clear that she was not going to walk around with her foot stuck in a bucket. (Watson in the books is no dope; he was turned into that later for television.) Liu told the producers the character has to be, well, smart and tough. Good for you, Lucy. As a result, Liu created an outstanding character. And Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes simply owns the role. He is perfect. Such a good job.
I don’t expect folks to become obsessed like I am, but I do very much recommend this series. The writing is quite good; the episodes are well crafted and refer to the books loosely. It’s mostly its own thing. That said, fans of the books will find a lot here to enjoy. And there is the occasional line from the books; Sherlock quotes from them on a regular basis: “I’m the laziest devil to ever stand in shoe leather.” Just wonderful.
Another aspect of this series I appreciate is the writers did not allow it to go on too long. Many series overstay their welcome; they end up redrawing characters, “jumping the shark,” and spiraling into absurdity merely for the sake of keeping the train going. Elementary did not do this and the series ends. And it ends well, with its integrity intact.
Now, I have a year or so to kill. I tried watch the new True Detective season and made it one episode. It’s ludicrous, and Jodie Foster could not save a stupid series. So, I have turned my attention to Mare of Easttown. While not a huge fan of Kate Winslet, so far the series is not bad. I’ll keep it going—something to do until the new season of Slow Horses comes out, which won't be for a while. New episodes of Abbott Elementary are being rolled out, thank God.
