ELEMENTARY Has Good "Enough" Characters

Article first published as TV Review: 'Elementary' - 'Enough Nemesis to Go Around' on Blogcritics.

I’ve almost given up watching CBS’s Elementary on multiple occasions. It’s not that the show is bad; I do find it enjoyable. It’s just that it far too often is a case-of-the-week procedural, something CBS airs a lot of. When the story plays out basically the same week after week, I get bored and lose interest, especially with the plethora of high-quality programming on cable networks, and a limited amount of time to watch television. I tend to prefer writers that stretch themselves and tell an original story.

The reason I stick with this series, however, even when there’s a string of repetitive drivel, is because the characters and the actors playing them are just so darn good. Few would dare criticize Johnny Lee Miller’s take on the emotionally damaged, brilliant, socially challenged detective. Perhaps more surprising, though, is Lucy Liu’s version of Joan Watson, who at first seems gimmicky, but has grown into a solid part on her own that deserves equal billing with the great Sherlock Holmes. Add to that some wonderful recurring characters boasting complex relationships with our leads, especially Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft (Rhys Ifans), and it’s hard to turn away from the show.

Last spring’s finale ends on quite the cliffhanger when Sherlock accepts a job in London, presumably leaving behind his partner and housemate, Watson. This week’s premiere, “Enough Nemesis to Go Around,” picks up months later. Watson is now working independently as an investigator for the department, and is none too pleased when Sherlock shows back up, a new protege named Kitty (Ophelia Lovibond, Titanic: Blood and Steel, in which she was also named Kitty) in tow.

The way Liu plays Watson in this episode is extremely impressive. This is a hurt Watson, deeply betrayed when Sherlock leaves without a word. You can understand her desire to have nothing more to do with him, ever.

But even through that, she still has compassion for the broken man she’s played a huge role in putting back together. She sets boundaries so that Sherlock knows what he does is wrong, making him take responsibility for his actions. At the same time, she allows him to come back to work at the department, albeit not as her partner, unable to turn him back out on the street. Liu is able to convey the inner turmoil and layers of this duality and make it look easy.

Joan’s sympathy likely stems from the fact that Sherlock is brutally honest with her. He admits why he left, why he replaced her with Kitty, and why he has come back. He isn’t trying to manipulate her. He really exposes his vulnerabilities, and that gets to her. He still doesn’t deserve everything going back to normal, and you cannot blame Watson for refusing to let that happen. However, she leaves the door open for him, and should Sherlock work valiantly to repair their relationship, which he will because he needs and misses Watson, then some day, they can be friends again.

Given how fond CBS shows usually are of the status quo, this will likely happen sooner than it should. I give it three episodes, max, before Kitty is out and Joan is back to working with Sherlock. It should be more like ten, but for now, I’m trying to just enjoy the delicious drama and tension Elementary is delivering.

Part of why Joan is able to stay as strong as she is, not giving into Sherlock’s demands, is because he helps make her who she is just as much as she has helped him. She is a bit adrift when she first comes to stay with Sherlock. By “Enough Nemesis to Go Around,” she has things so together that she’s become an invaluable police asset on her own. It’s telling that Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn) only allows Sherlock to return to work with Watson’s permission. Part of that is because Joan has formed close bonds of friendship with Gregson and Detective Bell (Jon Michael Hill). However, emotion would not override talent, and Watson has proven herself quite capable at her job.

At the same time as Joan soars, Sherlock is at his weakest, able to figure out why he is the way he is, but unable to fix it. It’s funny that he tries to mold Kitty into the new Watson, not understanding that what he has with Joan is not something that can be copied. There is an ineffable quality to their relationship, and in typical Sherlock fashion, he only concentrates on the quantifiable qualities, which is why he fails to bond with Kitty in the same way he has with Watson. One day, he will have to learn better.

Elementary would be smart to remember how good the dynamic is between Sherlock and Watson in “Enough Nemesis to Go Around.” Their chemistry is ever-changing and they play very strongly off of one another. These are two personalities that belong together, but aren’t yet a perfect fit. The character-study aspect of the series is one of its best elements, beautifully developed. With Liu and Miller helping shape them, this is a duo I’ll keep watching for years to come.

Elementary airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

ELEMENTARY Best When "Diabolical"

Article first published as ELEMENTARY Best When "Diabolical" on TheTVKing.

CBS's Elementary has improved a bit in its second year. While it still kowtows to a dumb case-of-the-week format, the writers have begun working in more ongoing character arcs, which are most welcome. Sherlock's brother, Mycroft (Rhys Ifans) stuck around for awhile, and his story is unresolved. Detective Bell (Jon Michael Hill) is healing from a bad bullet wound and nursing a grudge against Sherlock (Johnny Lee Miller). Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn) is unhappily separated from his wife. And Watson (Lucy Liu) is searching for a soul mate. All of these make the series a little deeper, and a smidgen more enjoyable.

This week's winter return, "The Diabolical Kind," opens with Watson on yet another failed date, while Sherlock's voice-over ruminates on the foolishness of such an exercise. While Sherlock would have one believe that it's logic and science that have soured him on monogamy, I believe his mindset is more solidly based in pain over the betrayal by the woman he loves, Irene Adler / Moriarty (Natalie Dormer).

Thus, we have layers to examine, and room to grow. Will Sherlock ever find a way to come around to Watson's viewpoint? Certainly not with Moriarty, who will never change, but perhaps with someone else? Or will Watson side with Sherlock, finally giving up on her quest for love? One thing that appears certain is that Watson and Sherlock won't find it with one another.

Instead, Watson represents something else to Sherlock, a fitting companion and professional partner. Watson is an enigma that is hard to figure out, intelligent, yet also emotional. She bridges the world between the work that they do together and the personal element. While in most series this would lead to a couple, as the two move close to one another, Sherlock and Watson have a collegial relationship instead, despite their differing genders, and their chemistry just does not have a feeling of two people who want to have sex. I like this a lot.

Sherlock isn't the only one fascinated by Watson's apparent contradictions. Moriarty resurfaces in "The Diabolical Kind," and as she does so, she reveals an obsession with Watson, an x factor Moriarty didn't count on during their last encounter with her. Moriarty admits to being drawn towards Watson because she's a puzzle that isn't easily solved, but one day Moriarty expects to figure her out, and when that happens, Watson will be of no use to her.

Moriarty is wicked enough to tell Watson that Sherlock feels the same, although viewers (and hopefully Watson) will understand that it's not true. Through Watson's influence, Sherlock has developed a number of interpersonal relationships, including with Gregson and Bell, though the latter is in need of repair, and Sherlock has come to see these as valuable. She is responsible for leading him to this conclusion. This indicates he won't be abandoning Watson just because he might come to understand her.

I am one of the few, it seems, pleased by the fact that Moriarty is Irene Adler. It is really cool that Sherlock's greatest love is also his greatest foe, and it makes sense that he would be attracted to someone so complex. She represents an enigma in him and his feelings for her, and I love how the show progresses when they get together.

Although these levels and intricacies are what draws me into Elementary, they (sadly) are not the main point of the installment. Moriarty's daughter is kidnapped by an old associate, and she assists the police, who don't immediately realize the girl is Moriarty's, in trying to get the child back. Sherlock is reluctant to seek Moriarty's help in a limited fashion, but to save the girl, he agrees to work with her, which leads to not only a successful rescue, but a greater comprehension of his feelings for Moriarty.

This is all well and good, but the abduction could have taken place in any episode. The clues that the main characters follow to save the day could also have played out similarly should Moriarty not be connected to the case. Which makes that part of the episode too similar to other crime genre programs, and a bit boring. Even the twist that the girl is biologically Moriarty's is predictable from the start.

Ramses Mattoo (Faran Tahir, Warehouse 13) also represents wasted opportunity. Here, we have someone carefully selected to be Moriarty's jailer. Yet, we see very little in him that makes him equal to the task. He recognizes ten different ways she might escape, but makes no effort to guard against those. And when it becomes clear she is about to flee, he spends a lot of time examining blood on the floor rather than acting. He should be a much more competent, interesting character than he comes across as.

More interesting is how Moriarty and Sherlock relate to one another, and the game Moriarty is playing with the system. This continues their dynamic from last spring's excellent finale, and the door is left open for it to pick up again soon. The more Elementary focuses on this, the better.

One thing I wondered while watching "The Diabolical Kind" is if Mycroft might be behind the kidnapping. When last seen, he mentioned wanting to go after Sherlock from a different angle. Could this be his doing, forcing Sherlock and Moriarty back together for some unknown purpose? I hope that various threads are pulled together down the road, revealing a larger story arc.

Overall, Elementary still lingers in the procedural land that plagues too many otherwise good shows, keeping it ever on the list of shows I consider dropping when my TiVo gets full. But more of this character stuff could save it, and though the show is on CBS, which makes it even less likely to turn into something better than it is now, the hope still lingers that it might.

Elementary airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

Another "Step" For ELEMENTARY

Article first published as Another "Step" For ELEMENTARY on TheTVKing.

The following review was posted before the episode aired, and so is mostly spoiler free, dealing with relationships and generalities, rather than details of the case. Enjoy!

The second season premiere of CBS's Elementary, airing tonight at 10 p.m. ET, is called "Step Nine." For those not familiar with the twelve-step program that Alcoholics Anonymous and other addiction treatment programs like to implement, the ninth step is to make amends. This makes sense, as Sherlock Holmes (Johnny Lee Miller) flies across the pond to help out former colleague Gareth Lestrade (Sean Pertwee, who used to co-own a production company with Miller, Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, and Sadie Frost), intending to right past wrongs.

I call Lestrade a "colleague" because, as pointed out in "Step Nine," Sherlock doesn't have friends. That is, until he meets Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) last year. Before Watson, no one could see past Sherlock's abrasive attitude enough to care about him and help him out. This informs very much Sherlocks' relationship with both Lestrade and the authorities on the other side of the pond.

Sherlock feels guilty for Lestrade's down slide because he allowed Lestrade to take credit for Sherlock's work repeatedly. This suited Sherlock's purposes, as well as Lestrade's, but gave the latter a yearning for the spotlight that didn't serve him well when he no longer had anyone feeding him the answers. It's an interesting thing for Sherlock to regret, as one could argue it was a mutual relationship that wronged no one, but it also makes sense as a thing to make up for, as Sherlock does feel above everyone else, and that he had influence over the other man's actions.

While in London, Sherlock and Watson encounter Sherlock's brother, Mycroft (Rhys Ifans, The Amazing Spider-Man), who has moved into Sherlock's old flat, replacing the detective's possessions with his own. This riles up Sherlock, believing it to be a symptom of their longstanding rivalry. Yet, Watson sees something else in Mycroft, and works her way closer to him in order to gain greater insight into Sherlock.

This relationship is actually a two-way street because Mycroft quickly realizes that Watson has that special connection with Sherlock that no one else can ever have, similar to his own. These are two people who see a side of Sherlock that no one else does, and by combining what they know about him, they can form a fuller (yet still not complete) picture. This is definitely a couple of characters I want to see encounter one another again.

Mycroft has a secret that he isn't sure how to tell Sherlock. It's changed the way he feels about his brother, and spurs him to reach out. The way in which Mycroft does so is surprising, but feels right for someone who is kin to Sherlock. I'm hoping that Mycroft succeeds in beginning a new chapter with his brother, though given how Sherlock likes to keep things close to the vest, we won't likely know for sure if he's been successful for quite awhile.

That's what's disappointing about Elementary, though. There are rich characters and fascinating stories, but they are routinely pushed to the back burner for cases-of-the-week. Miller's talent is wasted in a standard procedural, and if it's not a sweeps-month episode, each installment tends to be numbingly boring, the same thing from week to week. The brilliant scenes are positively stunning, and everything else is drivel by comparison.

"Step Nine" is a good example of this. As excellent as the Mycroft and Lestrade bits are, much of the hour is given over to catching a singular criminal. This isn't strictly necessary; Elementary could have Sherlock just go over for a visit, or make sure that whatever he needed to do was dealt with quickly. They could even have made this a two-parter, leaving Sherlock in London long enough to have more interaction with the men from his past. Sadly, this is not to be.

And now, even though the opening of "Step Nine" is exciting and there are wonderful moments within, I wonder how long it will be before the next episode of the series deserving of praise airs. It likely won't be next week.

Elementary airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

"The Woman" on ELEMENTARY is No "Heroine"

Article first published as "The Woman" on ELEMENTARY is No "Heroine" on TheTVKing.

CBS's Elementary is one of those shows that I often dread watching, because, like most crime procedurals, most weeks concentrate on a single case that is solved by the end of the hour. Despite that, when the series is good, it's very good, and this year's three-part season finale, which ended with "The Woman" and "Heroine" this week, are two of the best hours of television I've seen lately.

Sherlock (Johnny Lee Miller) finds the love of his life, Irene Adler (Natalie Dormer, Game of Thrones, The Tudors), is still alive, not dead as he had thought. Taking himself off the case, Sherlock intends to stay with Irene and make sure she's OK, trusting Watson (Lucy Liu), Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn), and Detective Bell (Jon Michael Hill) to catch the villain responsible for Irene's abduction two years ago, Moriarty.

This is quite a turn for the character, seeing Sherlock able to walk away from the case. It's a testament to just how deep his feelings for Irene go. Clearly, this is the one person in the world that makes Sherlock change his game, and seeing the extremely talented Miller play the nuance and complexity of such a situation, so different from typical Sherlock, is fascinating.

But that is nothing compared to what happens when Sherlock finds out that Irene is Moriarty, his love and his foe one in the same.

Elementary has twisted much of the familiar Sherlock Holmes mythology in interesting ways; Ms. Hudson is a transsexual and Watson is an Asian woman. But to make Irene and Moriarty, two incredibly influential people in Sherlock's life, the same person is the boldest move yet. In lesser hands, with a series that doesn't write the tale so well, and isn't performed with the utmost care by amazing players, this would be campy and cheap. In Elementary, with Miller and Dormer involved, it's as impressive as it is daring.

Love and hate are two emotions very closely related. We've seen the story of a hero and villain who are best friends torn asunder many times. But I can't recall a dynamic in fiction as intense as this one, with Moriarty returning Sherlock's feelings, but also driven by motivation he doesn't understand. It helps that she is a genius, capable of tricking and manipulating Sherlock, and their interactions are charged in a very visceral way.

How this will change the game going forward is anyone's guess. Surely, this isn't the last we've seen of Moriarty, and when her path crosses with Sherlock's again, it will throw him into disarray. He is able to put the law ahead of emotion, and helps Irene get caught. But the romance between them doesn't seem to be over, either, and she will likely terrorize him again.

Part of the reason Sherlock is able to stop Irene / Moriarty is because she underestimates Watson. Liu's version of Watson is a memorable one, and much sharper than some may give her credit at first glance. Moriarty probably won't make the same mistake again. But the fact that Watson can play such a key role in "The Woman" and "Heroine," during a tale in which one would think she would take a step out of focus, is telling to Watson's overall importance in the series.

The fascination of three brilliant minds going at each other is wonderful storytelling. In this encounter, Sherlock is sort of off of his game, with only Moriarty knowing the score ahead of time, and Watson is the x factor. But the next time, they should be ready for each other, or Sherlock will be as ready as he can be, and it should be a true match of wits, with the stakes likely upped even more.

However, until then, we're probably sentenced to go back to boring procedural episodes, setting aside amazing backstory and awesome performances in favor of solving a few murders. Yawn.

Elementary has been renewed and will return to CBS next fall.

Elementary proving to be more than typical CBS procedural

Article first published as Elementary proving to be more than typical CBS procedural on TheTVKing.

I was highly skeptical when CBS's Elementary premiered in the fall. We already have a great modern version of the Sherlock Holmes tale in the BBC's Sherlock, and CBS is not known for breaking new ground in their dramas, preferring to stick to a tried and true (and very boring) formula.

However, in recent weeks, the story told in Elementary has begun to deepen. There are hints early in the fall at something better, an intriguing character study forming, making the case of the week bits less important. This comes to a triumphant crescendo with "M." a couple of weeks ago, and continues this week in the post-Super Bowl episode "The Deductionist."

In "The Deductionist," Sherlock (Johnny Lee Miller) is forced to work with profiler Kathryn Drummond (Kari Matchett, Covert Affairs) when a serial killer named Martin Ennis (Terry Kinney, Oz) escapes. Kathryn is the one who catches the murderer the first time, but she also has a past with Sherlock, having slept with, and then publicly profiled, the brilliant detective. He feels betrayed, making him act irrationally and immaturely, forcing Kathryn into a competition, rather than a partnership.

There are few individuals who can shake up Sherlock, so that fact that Drummond does says something intriguing about her. Despite Sherlock's claims that what she does is worthless and false, I don't believe that Sherlock would get so upset were Drummond not extremely talented and capable. What she did to him hurt him, touching on something deep inside, and because he doesn't have the social skills to behave like an adult, this sends Sherlock into a spin.

Sherlock's instability continues when he finally tracks down Ennis. Rather than bringing police backup, Sherlock risks a one-on-one confrontation so that he can grill Ennis about the killer's own profile. It's reckless, much like Sherlock's actions in "M.," and it proves to Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn) that Sherlock can't be trusted.

This could threaten Sherlock's continued work with the police. Yes, our detective is highly intelligent and helps put away the bad guys. But that has to be weighed with how Sherlock respects rules and procedures, as well as orders from Gregson. Without this structure, it puts everyone at risk, and Gregson can't allow his guys to get hurt just to keep Sherlock happy. The bad may outweigh the good Sherlock provides soon enough, and Gregson is growing wary of this.

Sherlock's main goal with Ennis seems to be to prove to himself that Drummond is wrong, thereby being assured that he does not have to worry about the fate she has predicted for him, total self-destruction. Here, we get to see one of Sherlock's greatest fears, that the same elements of his psyche that make him a genius could also lead to his downfall. It's a portrait of a scared man laid bare, and one viewers are unlikely to soon forget.

This is why I like Elementary. It goes beyond what one might expect at first glance, is willing to let Miller take risks with the character, and gives him writing that supports his sheer talent. Sherlock, unlike other crime show investigators, is not a replaceable cog in the system, but the entire reason this series exists. He is something special.

I did not expect the surprise of Drummond being stabbed in this episode. One doesn't assume that the villain to accomplish their goal, and it was a shocking twist. I almost wish that she had died, because it would have been even more unexpected, but I'm glad in retrospect that Drummond can return in the future, given the effect she has on our lead. And I like Matchett.

The B plot of "The Deductionist" involves Watson (Lucy Liu) being evicted from the apartment she sublets because pornography has been shot there, breaking her lease agreement. But with a little pushg from Sherlock, Watson is soon able to prove that her landlord is trying to pull a fast one on her, and negotiates a deal. She doesn't want the apartment back, but she ends up satisfied.

I like that Watson is very intelligent in her own right, and that she sometimes doesn't have to stay by Sherlock's side all the time. She is a fully developed person, rather than a one-note sidekick, and adds quite a bit to the overall success of the show.

I do have a theory that Sherlock is the one that hired Watson, not his father, having looked into her, and realizing that they would be good together, she being what he needs right now. This could explain a lot, would mean that Sherlock is well aware of her continued presence in spite of the fact that she was fired. It also sets them up for a big falling out when she learns of Sherlock's betrayal of her trust. Sherlock tests her all the time. Who's to say that her entire job thus far hasn't all been a test? This revelation would make a heck of a season finale!

My only real complaint about "The Deductionist" is the opening. Sherlock engages in a sting against a couple of prostitutes that rip people off. It doesn't really fit, and seems designed purely to hook in the football fan who might tune in after the big game. In that, it should serve its purpose, and because it might draw a few more viewers, this can be easily forgiven, as long as it's a one-time slip, and not a habit.

Elementary normally airs on Thursdays, including this week, at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter.

The Trouble With Football

Article first published as The Trouble With Football on Blogcritics.

 It's been a frustration of television fans for a long time that sometimes sports, mainly football, runs over into the favorite programming, pushing the broadcast time later. In the days before DVRs, one tuned in when the show was airing, anyway, and aside from possibly having to stay up a bit later, it wasn't that big a deal. But now that many record their shows, and don't check in on them when they are on, this has become a problem.

One side of the issue is that DVR technology has just not caught up with the real world. It's great to be able to record things, but often the schedule updates maybe once a day. Because the DVR does not track what is airing in real-time, it cannot make adjustments when the NFL teams take a bit longer than is scheduled.

I assume that the fix will ultimately come from DVRs being able to tell when this occurs. Until this happens, though, we are liable to miss the second half of The Good Wife, and I don't see that as an acceptable concession.

On a side note, if CBS would join the rest of the broadcast networks in the modern era and make their shows easily available to stream online, the problem would be less urgent. But since they focus on the older viewership, their main audience, they don't seem to be in any hurry to catch up with the times. And CBS has been the main offender for this problem lately.

One solution some DVR owners choose to pursue is to set their recording times a half hour or an hour longer. There are a couple of problems with that, though. Sunday night is arguably the biggest night of the week for TV, with cable channels such as HBO, AMC, and Showtime running their new installments mainly on this night, and ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS competing, too. Most DVRs record two shows at once, and it takes away from other channels if you let one show record at double length. Also, unless you have one of the massive TiVos that can record hundreds of hours of HD programming, you might be concerned you don't have the space to hold more. (Disclosure: I do have a massive TiVo that can record four shows at once, and I still run into both of these things.)

But I think the sports run-over runs deeper than this. We, as a society, have decided that sports is the most important of all of the television programming, especially NFL football. It gets more viewers than anything else, makes more money from ads, and thus, gets the top priority. The network isn't about to cut off the end of the game for fear of angering the source of their income.

 Why is football so popular? Isn't it basically the same thing week after week? Guys run at each other and try to move a ball down the field. There won't be any exciting plot twists, and the memorable moments come few and far between. What is the draw?

We see this in scripted television, too, with CSI and NCIS topping the ratings, even though they virtually always stick to a single formula, with stand-alone installments. Is the point here that people want mindless escapism that they don't have to think about, and can tune in or not at their convenience, rather than scheduling their lives around it (for the most part)?

Why doesn't the cream rise to the top? Why don't the higher quality, more complex shows draw football ratings? This is a phenomena I will never understand, nor really have any desire to. It just disappoints and frustrates me that this is the reality we live in.

However, considering the two points this essay has made thus far, that DVRs aren't ready to adjust, and that football will always be given first dibs on the airwaves, isn't there something that can be done to solve the problem now?

The simple solution seems to be to schedule the football air times longer. Afterall, it's not unusual for the game to run longer than schedule. It's the norm, rather than the exception, for this to happen. Why not pad the time a little bit, and just let the post-game commentators ramble on a bit longer if the competition should end early? I really don't understand why this hasn't happened yet. It's so obvious!

That being said, if you do know why this can't be done, please weigh in on the comments below. Seriously.


This situation arises to my thoughts this week because of the Super Bowl. Yes, I'll TiVo it, like many, but I plan on fast forwarding through the game and just watch the commercials. However, more important than ads is the brand new episode of Elementary that airs after. I definitely do not want to miss any of that clever show! If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's very good.

Sure, this is the Super Bowl, and perhaps this is the one time of year that run-over can be excusable; after all, this is the Big One. But what is the excuse the rest of the year?

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Television Reboots

With a new year upon us, thoughts turn to fresh starts and new horizons. However, what will be dramatically different for us in 2013 than in 2012? Most people's lives are likely to stay very similar to how they are now. The trick is to make everything old new again. It's a feat our pop culture seems quite dedicated to, especially as of late.

I refer, of course, to reboots and remakes of television series. In this day and age, we cannot leave well enough alone, or commit just to original ideas. So many television shows are new incarnations of old ones, or based on movies or other material, that it seems like they outnumber the fresh concepts. Sometimes this can be bad, and other times, it's so well done that one can't complain.

Sci-fi seems to be the biggest beneficiary of good remakes. Battlestar Galactica springs to mind as a top notch effort, a show that took a poorly executed concept from decades ago (so I've heard, I haven't actually got around to watching the original), and managed to make it a grand political, religious, war-intensive, philosophical thriller. Interweaving the things that our society hinges on, and seeing them laid bare, with the trappings of B.S. stripped away, it is a true triumph.

Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Stargate also have found new lives, continually updating themselves to stay up with the current trends. The first two of these three had some pretty solid stories in the old days, but the technology just wasn't advanced enough to satisfyingly portray them. Now, not only have the special effects gotten better, but so has the depth and complexity of the tales. Dark sells better these days, and so the optimism gives ways to dystopia.

Next up in this category: Star Wars should soon get a long-awaited, live-action small screen adaptation.

Fantasy is right up there with the sci-fi. Once Upon a Time has shown us what can be done with children's stories when they are reinterpreted with a fresh eye and a creative wit. It helps that it is starting to feel a lot like Lost, which it borrows from almost as heavily as the source material. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, arguably one of the best television shows of all time, has its roots in a crappy film. These are the types of shows that give rebooting a good name.

And then there's Game of Thrones. Previously a book series, this epic tale has capitalized on the Lord of the Rings' success, and taken the genre to a new level. It's the amount of characters, mixed with the willingness to take risks in storytelling, throwing stereotypes out the window, performed by an all-around amazing cast, that makes this one soar.

Sadly, Mockingbird Lane failed to join this list. Despite a wonderful cast and stunning visuals, the characters just weren't good enough to earn a pick-up. The concept was solid enough, making a goofy comedy into an hour-long drama, but the execution, which sold itself short, going for the easy path, rather than breaking new ground, is what killed it.

Staying in a similar vein, superheroes are still the rage. Even after the ill-fated Heroes, they continue to be attempted over and over again, taking their roots from popular comics. Smallville is the biggest so far, and is about two-thirds good, amid some terrible arcs. But Arrow shows promise as a suitable CW replacement, with many critics calling it one of the best freshman shows of this past fall. Both of these took liberties from the original stories, but stay close enough to convention to be accessible for general audiences who haven't read the books.

Of course, if one really wants to look at comic adaptation done right, look no further than The Walking Dead. The genius of the show, in which the creator of the comics also helps with the TV series, is that both incarnations embrace their medium fully. What works on the page won't necessarily translate to the screen, and the writers have been brilliant about making those distinctions, while keeping the premise at heart. Plus, killing characters off at different points and in different ways keeps viewers guessing, and makes the show its own unique experience.

We Americans sometimes look across the pond for inspiration. One of the best examples of a remake here that made the premise its own is The Office, finally bowing out this spring after a long, mostly enjoyable run. Similarly, Ugly Betty took a Mexican telenovela and turned it into something great in English.

Being Human is doing its own thing, in a good way, and Homeland and The Killing do for drama what The Office does for comedy. All of these owe American ignorance of other cultures for their praise. After all, if the original is good, why remake it? Except, many of us still refuse to watch the originals, especially if we have to do it with subtitles. This seems a glaring flaw in our national makeup, but one not likely to be corrected anytime soon. As long as our versions are as good as those I've just mentioned, and not another failed attempt at Coupling, we're OK.

CBS's Elementary has been an interesting experiment this year. In a landscape so flooded with current Sherlock Holmes iterations, this one still manages to be different than its peers, and entertaining. I have a few complaints, but overall, it's been a pretty solid fall run.

The pitfall Elementary must avoid is sticking too close to its crime procedural set up. After all, aren't all the CSIs and NCISs just remakes of themselves? Hawaii Five-0 is also in this category, though I hear that the new episodes remain pretty decent; I gave up because crimes of the week usually get pretty boring, pretty quickly.

I could say the same thing about medical dramas, except, for some reason, these tend to be more character-driven. Maybe Grey's Anatomy owes its roots to ER, but if they're both good, why complain? (Disclosure: I did not watch ER).

One tactic I applaud is continuing a previous series. Perhaps Dallas was ready to end after spending the better part of two decades on the air (I don't know for sure, I was too young to watch), but I am glad they brought it back now, as it was a highlight of last summer. I cannot wait for Arrested Development to make its highly anticipated return on Netflix. I wish more shows would do this, calling back the cast members who made the show special in the first place, rather than trying to completely revamp itself, a la 90210.

I think, again, we could learn from the British. Obviously, its Doctor Who is a continuation, and a very, very good one at that. But it's far from the first time they made new episodes of a series that was over and done with. Absolutely Fabulous had new entries last year. Sure, we occasionally get a TV movie, like we used to with The Waltons and The Brady Bunch continuations, but mostly, nowadays, once a show is over here, it's over. Why? This doesn't make sense to me.

I've mostly listed the good shows, but I'll give you a few of the recent bad here, without too much explanation, as they don't deserve it: The Bionic Woman, Charlie's Angels, Melrose Place, Free Agents, Eastwick, V, Flash Gordon, Skins, American Gladiators, Crusoe, Kath & Kim, Knight Rider. These are some of the many reasons folks argue against a reboot.

It's pretty clear that reboots and remakes are not going away anytime soon. And I don't necessarily want them to, not when there are so many great ones to list above, including some of my favorite programs on television. I guess, the point is, when considering a reboot, those in the creative industry should ruminate more fully on what has worked and what has not. If it's obvious to the fans the reasons some of these shows soar and some flop, it should also be apparent to execs. There are lessons to be learned. Take them to heart, and we'll all be happier.

After all, we do not want a new Gilligan's Island on the fall 2013 slate. Unless there's a smoke monster.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as Television Reboots on Blogcritics.

Elementary not a "Leviathan" to crack

Elementary - "The Leviathan"
Grade: 82%

In my review of the first episode of CBS's freshman drama Elementary, I had more than a few complaints. Chief among them, CBS will be watering the iconic character of Sherlock Holmes down by making him fit into a very neat box, solving one case per week, following in the footsteps of the far-too-common crime procedural. These particular fears have not been eased, but much of the rest of my concerns no longer seem valid.

For one thing, I complained that I wasn't sure Lucy Liu was up to the task of playing Joan Watson, a female version of John Watson. I was especially worried about a romantic tension between Sherlock (Johnny Lee Miller) and Watson, something that would ruin the dynamic of the duo, as well as the fact that Liu, while capable, just did not feel like a Watson-esque character to me.

I still don't see Liu's Watson the same way I see most other variations of the character. That ceases to matter, though, when one considers what Liu brings to the part. She plays in Elementary a vulnerable, intelligent, sidekick, one who lends valuable assistance, and isn't just there to carry his bags. She has her own personality and her own past that define her, meaning she is her own character, as well as Sherlock's assistant. She meets the very talented Miller head on, and proves a more than capable acting partner, having great chemistry with the lead.

For instance, in this week's installment, "The Leviathan," a key clue to finding the killer deals with a medical situation. Sherlock misses it, not being highly attuned to this area of specialty, but Watson doesn't, helping them find the culprit far quicker than they would have otherwise. Sure, Sherlock probably would have eventually solved the case, but Watson added real value to the process.

This is how their partnership has slowly progressed. Sherlock sees within her someone he can count on, and whose sensibilities echo his own. He says that he likes to collect experts, using their knowledge to supplement his own skills, a sensible thing to do. Sherlock has an ego, but part of that ego lets him know exactly who to go to for help. Watson is yet another card in his desk, but one that he, thankfully, enjoys being around in way he doesn't most other people, upping her importance.

Part of the conceit of bringing the two characters together is that Watson is assigned as Sherlock's sober companion for a set period of time. As season one plays out, the ending date of her assignment looms closer. Instead of waiting until the last minute, though, or coming up with some contrivance to temporarily extend Watson's tenure, the seeds are carefully being planted for her to leave her career and become Sherlock's full-time helper. Watson's mother, Mary (Freda Foh Shen), points out this week that Watson is happy working with Sherlock in a way she hasn't been for some time.

Now, that's not to say that Elementary will overcome the CBS procedural curse. Despite some wonderful characters, the majority of each episode is still focused on the case of the week. However, the scenes that do extend the mythology and the continuity are extremely good, enough to keep even this cynical viewer tuning in week after week.

"The Leviathan" disappoints in playing to the larger arcs, giving only a little bit of Watson's family life, and little else. But it does have one amazing scene where Sherlock tells Watson that they are both attracted to the bizarre, something most people don't understand. It's a telling insight into each of their personalities, and provides a reason why Sherlock would want Watson to stay on with him, even though he has a hard time expressing his emotions, or giving them importance in his decisions.

The safe cracking crime in "The Leviathan" is interesting, but like in most episodes of Elementary, it fails to feel fresh. The same drama could happen on any one of CBS's other series, and not much would change. This is unfortunate, because the characters here have the potential to tackle some truly interesting mysteries, rather than be stuck on dreary tasks. The writers seem to be doing their best to keep things exciting within the framework, but the show will never really be free to soar until it leaves those conventions behind, at least some of the time, something it isn't likely to do. The best we can hope for is that it soon enough earns the right to make "special episodes" that are artistically original, and do something memorable. Like House succeeded in doing.

Elementary is far better than I expected it to be, owing mostly to two incredible performers, and the characters they inhabit. But it still falls short of what it could be.

Elementary airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published on TheTVKing

Elementary, dear CBS

Grade: 71%

CBS is known for its crime procedurals. The newest has a twist, and that’s that it’s based on something old, yet still feels current. Called ELEMENTARY, the new show joins British television and Hollywood in the current trend of bringing Sherlock Holmes back to life on screen. This character may be a born-again fad, but each incarnation is different, and, good or bad, ELEMENTARY isn’t really like either of its brethren.

CBS’s incarnation stars Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone, Dexter) as the infamous detective. Miller’s Sherlock has recently come off of an obsession with drugs. He now lives in New York City, helping out his old friend on the police force, Captain Tobias Gregson (Aidan Quinn, Prime Suspect), who did a stint in Scotland Yard, with the difficult cases. Sherlock is slightly insane, but brilliant, able to put together complex puzzles from the smallest clues, and is an excellent judge of character. He may hate himself, but he also knows himself, which is why he is able to shake his drug habit.

Sherlock’s father isn’t so certain about this stability so he hires Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu, Kill Bill, Southland) to stay with Sherlock for six weeks. Watson is a former surgeon who is haunted by the demons of her past and isn’t too pleased with her current career. This sets the stage beautifully for her to stick with Sherlock, since she can actually seem to stand him, and provides a good balance for his maniacal ways.

One’s thoughts when seeing a female Watson immediately jump to romance between the central duo. ELEMENTARY has vowed not to go there, and in keeping with their word, there is no sexual chemistry between the pair in the “Pilot” episode. When Sherlock says sweet words to Watson during their first meeting, they do not feel natural, which is good, because they aren’t. For the rest of the first hour, lots is done to establish their relationship with one another, but there are no longing glances or innuendo. This is a professional arrangement, and Sherlock gives us plenty of reasons to dislike him, which Watson, in living and working with him, likely experiences doubly so.

It’s a little odd that ELEMENTARY chooses to be set in the Big Apple, rather than London. Is this done purely to set itself apart from previous incarnations, or just to appeal to American audiences? Whatever the reason, Sherlock himself has a distinctly British feel, and not just because of the accent, which influences the tone of everything around him. New York-flavor is lacking in the series, which makes the decision to switch cities a little puzzling, since it’s done only half-heartedly.

The worst thing ELEMENTARY has going for it, though, is its home on CBS. Sherlock is known to solve case after case, so it isn’t out of character to place him in a procedural. The issue here is that ELEMENTARY does bend to fit the identity of the network. This mean that, rather than the puzzling enigmas that Sherlock has to sort out, he is being given much more pedestrian murders that can be neatly wrapped up in an hour. It should be a natural fit, making a CBS drama around Sherlock Holmes, but it also waters down the character to a distasteful blandness.

Any flaw in Sherlock cannot be blamed on Miller. He has an edgy insanity that overflows with essence. He is a compelling actor, and has a definite perspective that works on the iconic character. He could easily take his Sherlock to new heights, if he is ever allowed to on this show, which he probably won’t be.

Quinn and Liu are much more flat, and almost have to be in the face of such a strong personality. Liu does the best she can with Watson’s back story, which has been developed a bit more than in most incarnations, really giving some heft as to why she is no longer a surgeon. She just lacks the second banana feeling that makes a good Watson work. It’s almost like the show did too good a job casting Watson, guaranteeing that she will be played more deep and serious than one might expect. And, to be honest, the pairing just isn’t the same when it’s not two guys.

So is ELEMENTARY worth watching? Yes, for now. Miller gives a performance that must be seen. If the stories become repetitive throughout the season, there is plenty of time to tune out later. For now, I just want to see what the main actor’s will and energy can do to a relatively mediocre attempt at the Sherlock Holmes tale. Who knows? If he is allowed a little freedom, it could turn into something magical.

ELEMENTARY premieres September 27th on CBS.