Dave's Blog

{5/5} “Detection is not just a skill, Watson, it’s a point of view. You need to train yourself to be alert to the bizarre, the unusual, that which has no place in any given picture.”

Sherlock Holmes is just out of rehab and his father has hired him a sobriety partner, Joan Watson, who used to be a surgeon. At first Watson is not sure she wants to stay with the abrasive Holmes, but he grows on her and she finds that she enjoys helping him solve crimes. Captain Gregson of the police department respects Holmes’ abilities and is happy to have him as a consultant.

Elementary season 1 originally aired in 2012-13.

There’s lots of great Sherlock Holmes these days — the movies with Robert Downey Jr., the British series Sherlock, and this one. This version is set in the present, and Sherlock Holmes is from Britain but now he’s in New York.

I was hooked from the first episode. It’s very funny and clever. The show has similarities to shows like Sherlock and Castle, but it’s different enough to warrant your attention.

Holmes keeps bees, practises escaping from handcuffs, and conducts experiments on dead bodies at the morgue. Watson jogs to stay in shape, occasionally goes on dates, and avoids her parents who want to know why she’s not a doctor.

We gradually learn more about Holmes and Watson and what led them to this point in their lives. We find out that a woman named Irene Adler was part of Holmes’ past, and we find out that someone named Moriarty will be part of his future.

Although each episode has a new case to solve, the ongoing story is fascinating too. The third-last episode “Risk Management” has a shocking ending, in terms of the ongoing story. A two-part episode ends the season with a big finish.

The playful theme as well as the music for most of the episodes was composed by Sean Callery (the TV show Bones).

Jonny Lee Miller (Dark Shadows) plays Holmes and Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels) plays Watson. Aidan Quinn (Benny & Joon) plays Captain Gregson.

F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus) guest stars in one episode.

The show was created by Robert Doherty (story editor on the TV show Star Trek: Voyager).

Season 2 starts soon.