CBS Greenlights Modern NYC-Sherlock Holmes called "Elementary"
Jan 18, 2012
Pilot Shows SherlockThe first, Elementary, is a modern take on the cases of Sherlock Holmes, with the detective now living in New York City.
Robert Doherty will write and executive produce the CBS TV Studios project, with CBS vet Sarah Timberman (A Gifted Man, Unforgettable) and Carl Beverly on board as executive producers.
Source and more: THR
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How original.
ReplyDeleteWhat is this sudden Sherlock hype, though?
Really doubt they can do better than the BBC's modern take on Sherlock, kind of think they shouldn't bother either.
ReplyDeletewell...a modern day Sherlock Homes, just where get these guys their unique ideas from
ReplyDeleteWell, the movies are doing well and Sherlock is garnering viewers, money and critical acclaim for BBC.
ReplyDeleteNot that I mind another Sherlock Holmes series but considering the timing, that there already is one modern day Sherlock Holmes and done amazingly well, all I can think of is "So typical for American TV" - see Life on Mars, Prime Suspect... And considering the hype surrounding BBC's Sherlock, this feels more like mooching off than usually.
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt this will be anything compared to the BBC series. Why even bother?
ReplyDeleteAgreed, my reaction is a similar mixture of excitement (because I always want MOORRE Sherlock!) and annoyance, because for god sake America, stop copying everything and thinking it's original! I wouldn't mind so much if they were at least honest about it and said "here's more of what you evidently love, we thought we'd jump on the bandwagon!"
ReplyDeleteactually, me too!
ReplyDeleteOh, No.
ReplyDeleteWhy does the US have to imitate a show that has had success on UK TV, just make a hash of it, like they did with Life On Mars.
I don't want to criticise American TV, as every country has its own methods of making shows but I sometime feel that British TV has a subtler take on the characters that inhabit their shows, by depicting not just the black and white, but also their grey areas.
Something that USA TV writers find harder to do, in my opinion, of course
I have two reasons for caution. 1) I've been spoiled by the UK current series. 2) The Americans notoriously don't "get" the source material. After the attempts to Americanize Coupling, Doctor Who (it was a TV Movie/backdoor pilot years ago) and most recently Torchwood and Being Human...I'm really dubious.
ReplyDeleteThere's a popular film series, and a popular British TV series based around this character. I KNOW! Let's make a TV series based around this character. That'll make us money.
ReplyDeleteFrom Basil Rathbone movies of the Fourties?
ReplyDeleteI dont think it is even possible for them to make it as good as the UK version !!
ReplyDelete1) I was also being spoiled by Jeremy Brett, and very skeptical of BBC's attempt until I actually got to see what they did. 2) Unlike the shows you are mentioning, BBC Sherlock is not a source material, but an adaptation of source material, Doyle's stories. So, creators don't have to 'get' what BBC did, but what Doyle did.
ReplyDeleteTo add 3) I will keep an open mind, but if they make it into a boring procedural, as all of their dramas (sans Person of Interest) are, if they make Sherlock a clever version of all of the lead investigators I got fairly sick of in the past years, or even make him a sort of Unforgettable/Mentalist 'freak' with tragic history I will be positively ill.
why bother?! It's a role Benedict Cumberbatch OWNS! Even Robert Downey Jr (who I love) can't do it better.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love BBC Sherlock and would love to see more Sherlock, I have serious doubts that an American TV series can pull it off.
ReplyDelete1) as the other comments: Why modern detective? It has been done to death.
ReplyDelete2) Why copy the British series? (and it looks like that) the British one is produced in a modern way, has great cinematics and deep stories. I give the answer myself, because it's too short. But can you really produce a series of this high quality meshing in all the sherlock stories together for 22 episodes? There's just not enough stories to do that, right? So the cases are split over several epsiodes?
3) Why New York? Why? There could have been several more creative places to set this in.
Well, if it happens it will be totally different from the BBC version. They are just doing very small seasons which keeps the quality high, the CBS version most likely will be a Holmes & Watson procedural with 20+ cases a season. I'd definitely pass on this.
ReplyDeleteHey! Cumberbatch owns modern Sherlock as Stve Carell owns "That's what she said". Really!!! And it will take place in NYC. For me Sherlock Holmes equals Baker Street as in London, UK. Please, CBS, do not embarass yourself.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds terrible. I'll just watch Sherlock.
ReplyDeleteAnother modern version of Sherlock Holmes. I have not see the BBC version yet, although this appear to be separated and not based on it, it will be compared. Plus with it beening CBS I am not sure about it.
ReplyDeleteI get what your saying,but since it was already done in the UK,why not New York? It is a very creative place for a "modern" Sherlock.I can't think of another place that has more Character,or filming opportunity's then N.Y.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even debating if they should or shouldn't make a US version,two of the many unforgettable shows that happened this season (IMO anyway) are A gifted Man and Unforgettable,so for me i look at it as what is this team going to do with this wonderful character..
ReplyDeleteWell we can be certain of one thing.... the story will not be as well done since CBS will want each episode to end in a self-contained 42 minute episode...
ReplyDeleteI really have no issue with new Sherlock movies or series, although PBS and Masterpiece theatre seems like a better fit to me. I do however have issues with a modern take on Sherlock since has just been done in the last 2 years by BBC. Why not take another of histories great detectives and modernize him?
I think the US version of Being Human got the material and is as good as or actually better than the original UK version honestly. it's one of the VERY few UK to US re-imaginings that have been successful to me.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
ReplyDeleteI think another take on Sherlock could be successful, I have doubts another modern take will be.... I am even more skeptical CBS can avoid their impulse to turn it into a procedural that dumbs down intricate plots into 42-minute episodes.
However I do quite like Person of Interest even if it is 97.35% procedural. There is little doubt it had the potential to be better, but I find it fun as is I guess.
American TV don't mess with originals. It's not going to be same as the BBC Version. CBS you should save the trouble and cancel the show together. But if i do see Elementary it better blow my socks off, but i doubt it would. You can never replace Cumberbatch & Freeman. To me all the only British Shows that transitioned well into the american audience was The Office, Being Human & Shameless
ReplyDeleteI don't know, New York and London do seem so much alike, climate-wise. You can also have these old 19th century looking buildings in New York, so there doesn't seem to be that much different. I can already see the Raincoats for example. Something different, something new. Why not make it Kansas City? or Washington (political intrigue!), or Sunny LA? It's just that everything is set in New York. everything! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure they can be as good as the new ones on BBC; I probably will give it shot though
ReplyDeleteYep,Washington sounds good,but LA doesn't hold any excitement everything is so flat,and too sunny,if you know what i mean.if K.C. has some good locations why not..... :)
ReplyDeleteWhy go and saturate the market with this? Isn't there enough Sherlock out there right now? Sheesh. But it's CBS so of course it will be a hit. :/
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's not bad. It sort of toggles the line the of mediocrity for me but it's perfectly watchable and at times, quite moving.
ReplyDelete...And then we were bitch-slapped by the Deja-vu. It's really like they are not even trying.
ReplyDeleteIf this was being developed by a cable channel like HBO, AMC, FX etc I might be at least intrigued by the idea. It is being done by CBS the land of procedural, predictable, boring shows. they might as well call it CSI: Baker St because let's face it we all know it will be like that.
ReplyDelete'Sherlock' is a near perfect show that has modernised a classic story in an unique and brilliant way. We also have the more traditional setting of the RDJ movies which are a lot of fun in their own way. No one needs yet another spin on the character and stories and especially not one set in America.
What's up with all the Sherlock Holmes stuff, I mean I like it too, but seriously?!?
ReplyDeleteSherlock as a procedural on CBS....it'll be interesting to see their approach on this....
ReplyDeleteYeah, nothing intrinsically wrong with procedurals, just difficult to make them fun. I wanted to ask you, as we had quite a lengthy discussion last week, what did you think of the Reichenbach Fall? It got 10 on IGN for example, but something bugs me about it, though I can't put my finger on. I probably need two more viewings. What were your impressions?
ReplyDeleteI have yet to watch it actually!
ReplyDeleteI had a busy weekend and I guess I forgot about it. I will get back to you after I eat and watch it tonight.
Oh man, good I haven't spoiled anything. Whew. Ok, I'll just check it in that 'what did you think of' column. Cheers
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be tough to beat the BBC version and I really don't want to see Sherlock Holmes turned into another CBS procedural.
ReplyDeleteSeriously? Whatever happened to original programme ideas?
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify. I was referring to Doyle's work when I said 'source material' with regard to Sherlock. I know all the other examples were US nets trying to adapt BBC properties. Sorry, I wasn't clear about that.
ReplyDeleteThere are elements where I think the US version of Being Human was really successful (for example, taking a few of the subplots that were forced in to one ep and expanding them a bit) but there were other elements that haven't been and, for me, felt like the differences in the basic cultural approach hampered the translation a bit.
ReplyDeleteCSI: Baker st... LOL!
ReplyDeleteCBS already has The Mentalist in season 4 which has a main character inspired by Sherlock Holmes.
ReplyDeleteAs it cannot possibly top BBC Sherlock, I don't suppose they'll try. And with"Sherlock" and "House" already out there in the world, It will be interesting to see how they might manage to make this feel even a bit original. But, perhaps if enough viewers have low enough expectations, (or just haven't seen Cumberbatch and Freeman's take on the same material), it might go over well...
ReplyDeletehttp://cultfix.co.uk/bbc-not-happy-with-american-sherlock-16144.htm
ReplyDeleteI bet they make Watson either female and/or have them as a non American/Brit, just to be *cool* :S
ReplyDeletemeh, that's pants. i shan't be watching it. they've milked the csi to death now
ReplyDelete