So I'm caught up until the Valentine's Day episode, and first thing I want to say is: I think we can confirm my theory about this being the dark, alterna verse where Holmes does not meet his Watson until after his canon cases. Lest it need be said: I am really, really enjoying this.
Part of what this show aims to do is show how much Holmes NEEDS Watson as a steadying influence in his life. Part of that is the evidence from the now- Sherlock flat-out tells her that she makes him a better detective, even though he doesn't know why. But part of that is from how badly things went in London- without her there. It's bit of a meta concept, really, but I do think it's intended. Without Watson, Holmes flounders. It's clear now, and it's clear then.
I'm also loving the honest-to-god character arc we're seeing with Sherlock. Here's a man who, in the beginning, was confident that he didn't need Joan. He didn't need the help with recovery, and he wasn't going to even try to do drugs again. In more recent episodes, we see Sherlock not only adjust to the knowledge that he needs help with staying sober- that it's a fight every day- but to the fact that he really does need Joan. He needs her companionship, her ability to call him out, and her strength.(Point of order: everybody needs somebody in their life who will call them out on bullshit and lend them a shoulder.)
At one point early in the series, we see that Holmes hates to be wrong, and hates when there's an outcome he doesn't expect. More than once he tries to tell Watson that he TOTALLY expected that outcome, he TOTALLY coached his kidnapper to text Joan in a way that would show Sherlock was being kidnapped. Joan completely calls him on this. In the Deductionist, he points out that the profiler has this same flaw, and at one point admits that he was wrong about the case.
I also love what we see happening with Joan: we know she's unhappy being a sober companion. She's doing it as a form of penance, and I believe she's very good at it. It's hard to admit you're miserable doing something you're good at, but I think the only real satisfaction she gets from her work is being proficient at it, and that the work itself gives her no actual joy. Being with Sherlock does- he challenges her in unexpected ways, he brings out the part of her that enjoys solving puzzles (I believe most of us have this in us) and he shows her new ways to look at the world around her. (Also, I love how Joan's Mom breaks this down and tells it to her.)
These changes in both characters lead up to the Valentine's Day episode "Details", when Sherlock reveals that he knows Joan has been lying about the extension, he knows why, and instead of being mad or regressing he seems to understand. He tells her in hesitating, halting sentences that he'd like for her to stay, he would make it possible for her to stay in whatever way suited her best ("you can stay in the brownstone. Or not."). He was as open as vulnerable as he's been so far- he wasn't sure that his gambit would work. Even though it seemed to be what Joan wanted, and the ideal way to solve both of their problems (she hates her real job and loves what she does with Sherlock, she gives him an edge and support that he doesn't otherwise have), it still may not work, and he put it out there anyway.
This is not just about her being his apprentice, but about how their relationship is mutually beneficial, and I think that's what moves Joan to accept.
Her acceptance wasn't assured, and I'm glad she made her own terms (including one where Sherlock continues to attend groups) before she'd accept it wholly.
Additionally, I'm happy that we were not introduced to Moriarty so early. We know he's going to be a Big Bad, but I'd really prefer if he were a Season 2 big bad, and it seems like things might lean that way. I think Sherlock (the series) blew their wad a little early with Moriarty (though I can see why they would do that), and I was worried Elementary would follow in those footsteps.
My favorite thing about this series is how emotional Sherlock is, especially compared to other depictions of him. I like that he is moved by the plight of those less fortunate, that he is genuinely distressed for the episode after Joan was endangered by the undercover DEA Agent. When he reveals the illegal immigrant status of an innocent woman, he is fucking haunted by the idea, and openly states it. The puzzle is important to him, and that is clear, but the people are ALSO important to him.
What I'd like to see: Alfredo! (I think I may be spelling it wrong.) I do believe we will see him again (after all, there's been no sign of Moriarty since the episode he was mentioned, and we know that's not the end of that) but because he's intended to take Joan's place after she's no longer Sherlock's sober companion, he hasn't been involved yet. I do want to see him get involved, now- Sherlock does need someone like him, and Alfredo is objectively awesome.
Joan going back into medicine- whether or not she becomes a surgeon again, I think that medicine is clearly a part of who she is and how she relates to the world. I don't think this will happen this season, but some tentative steps in the right direction would be wonderful. (Maybe she could consult! That would be thematically appropriate.)
More of Joan's family would also be nice.
What I don't want to see: I like Sherlock and Joan as friends, and I still DON'T want any 'will they/won't they' regarding a romantic relationship between them. I think a solid, platonic friendship between a man and a woman is refreshing and fun and I really enjoy their growing friendship.
I also don't want to see Moriarty for real this season, unless it's a teaser in the very last episode. (Like, his face is revealed then CUT TO BLACK would be acceptable to me.)
On a slightly silly note: Possibly my favorite thing on the show STILL is Joan's face when Sherlock says something phenomenally aggravating and/or frustrating. Lucy Liu is a woman of a thousand irritated eye rolls and I love her for it.
Having finally caught up on Sherlock two days ago, I was finally able to read this post - and respond.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think your analysis/commentary was pretty astute, and echoes my thoughts in a lot of ways. The thing I found most interesting about that moment in details is that... As you rightfully noted, this Sherlock hates being wrong. And, in that particular moment, he wasn't quite sure what would be the right thing to say, and the very fact that his friendship with Joan got to the point where he was willing to show weakness (without trying to cover it up or backpedal) is quite telling. It also underscores how much she values her friendship and wants to do right by her.
This is not just about her being his apprentice, but about how their relationship is mutually beneficial, and I think that's what moves Joan to accept.
Her acceptance wasn't assured, and I'm glad she made her own terms (including one where Sherlock continues to attend groups) before she'd accept it wholly.
Which touches on of the things I quite like about Elementary - it is one of the very few adaptations of the story where Watson and Holmes are treated on equal terms. In too many adaptations, we see a Watson reduced to a sidekick, a combination of a tag-along and a sounding board. Some of the recent adaptations (the RDJ movies, BBC!Sherlock) have tried to rectify it, but I think Elementary pulled it off most successfully.
Additionally, I'm happy that we were not introduced to Moriarty so early. We know he's going to be a Big Bad, but I'd really prefer if he were a Season 2 big bad, and it seems like things might lean that way. I think Sherlock (the series) blew their wad a little early with Moriarty (though I can see why they would do that), and I was worried Elementary would follow in those footsteps.
As someone who read the original Doyle stories/novels first, I've always been struck by how much of a bigger deal Moriarty is in the adaptations than he ever was in the source material. I mean, if you look at the original canon, he only really appears once and gets killed off at the end of said appearance. I can see why pretty every adaptation since has given a prominent role to Moriarty - he's the closest Sherlock has to an arch-enemy, and he's the kind of character that works great for multi-episode/installment arcs.
That said, Moriarty has already been introduced as an important part of Elementary!Sherlock's backstory. If you are going to introduce an element like that, logically, there is going to be some kind of a pay-off later in the season. So I would be willing to bet that, if we do see his face, it would be at the climax of this season (only to perhaps reveal that it wasn't real Moriarty after all in Season 2 premiere). We'll see.
One character I would like to see make an appearance in Elementary is some version of Arsene Lupin. Now, the character isn't part of Holmes canon, but he is in public domain, and it would be nice to see Sherlock go up against a criminal who's as smart as he is without the high stakes and tragedy that comes with Moriarty appearances. (I don't know if you've read Lupin stories/novels, but (like his animated descendent) he has a great sense of humor that tends to inform his criminal schemes, and all of his (unauthorized) crossovers with Sherlock Holmes revolved around him trying to not just outsmart the detective but make him look ridiculous in the process. It would be awesome to see Elementary try to replicate it (While Joan rolls her eyes all the way through))
What I don't want to see: I like Sherlock and Joan as friends, and I still DON'T want any 'will they/won't they' regarding a romantic relationship between them. I think a solid, platonic friendship between a man and a woman is refreshing and fun and I really enjoy their growing friendship.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny - RDJ movies and BBC Sherlock seem to have embraced slash-baiting wholeheartedly, while Elementary seems determined to avoid any appearance of heterosexual relationship between its leads. Not that I have a problem with that - on the contrary, it's nice to see a show with a perfectly platonic male-female friendship at the center (those things exist, but they are far too underrepresented on television).
On a slightly silly note: Possibly my favorite thing on the show STILL is Joan's face when Sherlock says something phenomenally aggravating and/or frustrating. Lucy Liu is a woman of a thousand irritated eye rolls and I love her for it.
THIS! So much this!
Seriously, that moment when Holmes laid it all out on the table for her? When you could see how vulnerable he was? How tentative, nervous he was? I ACTUALLY squeed.
DeleteI agree, I think that Elementary has really nailed the portrayal of Watson as a peer of Holmes- not just in our eyes, but in the character's eyes. In the way they perceive each other and the way others perceive them. That's really important to me.
I think Moriarty is such a big deal in the adaptations because it's very filmable, having a nemesis. I do think the adaptation that featured Jeremy Brett- the Granada ones? I'm not positive on their name- lined up a bit more with Holmes canon as far as that goes. It makes sense from a film standpoint- otherwise it looks like Holmes is shooting fish in a barrel.
A lot of the modern adaptations have been about what, precisely, Holmes does and how. I feel like this adaptation does focus on that, but also on how it effects him and others around him a lot more. I really like what they're doing with it.
Frankly, I think it's kind of brilliant to make an adaptation that is also largely a police procedural- I think it might be the rough cultural equivalent of what all those original Holmes stories were when they were written. (I may have ceased making sense, and for that I apologize.)
I do hope the Moriarty storyline gets scooted into season 2, though I wouldn't be surprised at all if you were right about him showing up and then it not really being him (Just like Sebastian Moran wasn't him- and how clever of them to meet Moran first, when in canon he is only taken care of after Moriarty died.)
I'm not familiar with Arsene Lupin but I'm intrigued, I think it could make for a very fun storyline (which would nicely contrast what promises to be a very dark storyline involving Moriarty).
I think the slash baiting has finally worn on me. While I think it would be amazing if an adaptation made them an actual gay couple, I don't think it's likely, and that makes the slash baiting more tiresome than anything. I find it nearly as tiresome as the 'will they/won't they' crap- that's pretty much what got me to drop Castle. (I'll probably pick back up at some point.)
I absolutely love the actors they picked for the main character, but I love Lucy Liu the most.