Direct from the pages of our brand new, just released, first annual, Fall TV Preview eBook appropriately titled “Thank Goodness It’s Fall” comes a closer look at CBS’ take on one of Britain’s most popular exports, ELEMENTARY.
In A Nutshell: If you guessed that recovering addict Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and his sobriety coach, Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), travel about exchanging witty barbs, solving crimes and delving into their own complicated pasts, then you’ve either seen the pilot… or know a thing or two about CBS procedurals.
Names You’ll Know: Miller (ELI STONE) is a ball of energy as Holmes, while Liu (DIRTY SEXY MONEY, Charlie’s Angels) does an admirable job of making the less-interesting Watson a character worth of investing in. Aidan Quinn (BOOK OF DANIEL) is largely wasted as the New York City cop who serves as their liaison.
What They Say: Of the inevitable “Will they or won’t they?” that arises whenever a show has a male and female lead, creator Rob Doherty replies absolutely no, the won’t, despite ads playing up the sexual tension between them. “They have to use every arrow in their quiver,” he says of those in charge of selling the show, “and we have a mind-bogglingly attractive pair in Jonny and Lucy. There’s a very natural sexual tension when you put them in a room. You are just going to feel it. Are we going to write it? No. Are they going to act to it? No. But there are people who are going to ask us about it every week.”
What Others Say: Matt Webb Mitovich of TVLine.com summed up his reaction thusly: “There’s no mystery here — ELEMENTARY is poised to be another hit for CBS.”
What We Say: Smart folks know that you have to catch the audience’s attention immediately, and the first few seconds of ELEMENTARY do that via brilliant directing. And no matter how much the folks behind the scenes insist Watson and Holmes won’t be hooking up, anyone who thinks viewers won’t be clamoring for it might want to invest in a pair of earplugs. We were particularly intrigued to hear that producers intend to eventually introduce Moriarty, aka Holmes’ nemesis. Meanwhile, Miller’s Holmes reminds us of several other famous TV doctors, most especially Who (in that both are quirky and witty) and House (in that both have issues with addiction and social graces). Yes, it’s yet another procedural, and no, it is not the type of mystery you’re likely to be able to solve by following the clues. But let’s face it: Shows such as this aren’t about the crimes but rather the characters. You could do a whole lot worse than to end your Thursday night with this pair of sleuths. 
For more great reviews, exclusive interviews with some of your favorite showrunners and actors, as well as printable calendars and Emmy ballots, please consider supporting theTVaddict.com by checking out our First Annual Fall TV Preview eBook.>>
