BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Trailer for Elementary now on YouTube

Sherlock Holmes · May 16, 2012 10:04 pm

I'll embed the video here, but it's worth clicking on the link and going to the page just to see how many "dislikes" it's got and all the Sherlock fans making disparraging remarks. It's pretty funny.

As for the trailer itself...*yawns*. Dull. *shoots wall*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrDVSxNycKc

m0r1arty · May 16, 2012 11:58 pm

Tsk, tsk.

I knew it would go one of two ways. Seems poorly done is the way they chose.

-m0r

Wholocked · May 17, 2012 1:06 am

Well I don't think we can judge based on the trailer but my first impression is that they've taken the usual US Crime Drama formula and chucked Holmes and femme!Watson into the mix. I don't know if I'll like it. I can't decide whether I dislike it because it pales in comparison to the BBC or because I genuinely just don't like it.

I think I'll have to watch at least the first episode though to make a judgement. It deserves it's chance. And like I've said before, if it brings the work of ACD to a larger US audience then that can't be a bad thing. Just may not be our cup of tea ;)

BrandoMan13 · May 17, 2012 4:11 am

I'll give it a shot being I can just DVR it and watch at my leisure, but I know it won't come close to Sherlock.

Rosey · May 17, 2012 6:02 am

I think it looks ok if you just look at is a new program. If I saw that ad on tv I would be interested in watching it definitely pales in comparison to Sherlock I also don't think that they brought through much of the sort of "sense" of the characters from the original books, which BBC does, and I think that is its main downfall.

CarlPowers · May 17, 2012 6:16 am

I am a bit worried I must say. But I'm a fan of Jonny Lee Miller's work, so I'll give it a try. maybe just close my eyes and think of England?

Davina · May 17, 2012 6:22 am

Johnny is a great actor but the problem for him will be putting his own stamp on it without it appearing as if he is copying Benedict's take on it. The other problem I have from watching the trailer is that Joan Watson comes over as being too assertive. When did Dr. Watson EVER tell Sherlock Holmes to stop it? I know this is modernised and that to a certain extent the character of John Watson in Sherlock has been broadened and deepened from the canon but really!!

The other thing that struck me, and I may be wrong in this, is that Sherlock in the trailer seems at the start to be just a bit hesitant and passive. The interrogation of the woman who is lying also lacked the manipulative power of the comparable scene with the wife of the missing business man in The Great Game, it seems too 'ordinary' although I suppose it is to establish that Holmes will say anything.

To me, at the moment, this is coming over as being little different to many other US cop and detective shows. Antagonism between the 'hero' and his 'partner', his 'colleagues, his 'bosses'. They do not understand him, he is a maverick character, the bond grows between him and his partner, who straightens him out from time-to-time, they start to appreciate his albeit weird talents...is his name Monk? I also find the premise that Joan is hired as Jonny's-oops- Sherlock's sober partner a bit well, flimsy actually. Frankly transferring the idea into medicine with House was a more imaginative leap and has worked really well, in my humble opinion.

I think I will try and watch Elimentary, if only to write episode critiques here!

CarlPowers · May 17, 2012 6:34 am

I agree with you about House, that worked well, for several years. And these American copycat cop shows definitely go for the maverick and the quirky. To have gone for 'clever' they would have had to name the characters other than Holmes and Watson. They didn't, so that means they have set themselves up to have an awful lot to prove.

I hope for the best for Jonny Lee Miller, whatever he chooses to do. He may not be able to save this show, and it's an incredibly fine line he's going to have to walk to not step on his dear Cumberbatch, but I find him very watchable.

Davina · May 17, 2012 7:12 am

And no sign of a dressing gown, just tattoos, how daring! Made sure they got a topless Jonny in the trailer...I wonder why? Not that I'm actually complaining! Lol

kazza474 · May 17, 2012 7:24 am

As just another American cop show, fine. But please, how can they connect that to Conan Doyle's creation?

Yes, they've put in some deduction scenes; but they've smattered through such 'unSherlock' lines as 'sometimes I hate it when I'm right'. Remorse for finding a dead body?
Sherlock is incredibly colourful? (Lucy Lui quote)
Starting out with Holmes & Watson being together through design rather than fate goes against the grain also. The brilliance of fate bringing these two men into each other's company works so much better. They move forward to create a harmonious & spontaneous bond through their desire to fight evil. In this adaptation they are forced onto one another. Very telling!
The forcefulness shown by Watson comes directly from the fact that she has a purpose to being with Holmes. I'm not sure that they can pull that back in as the 'relationship' develops without it changing the whole premise they've set in this clip.

The script has given this coupling a 'designed' look, and lets face it, the whole series was 'designed' for a reason.

I think they've shot themselves in the foot with this one. I won't be watching it; it will quickly fade to late night time slots & then peter out during the non ratings times.

Irene Adler · May 17, 2012 7:58 am

I love Jonny Lee Miller and Aidan Quinn and I have absolutely nothing against Lucy Liu, though she is not one of my favourites. I think that whith a character like Holmes there's room for a lot a adpatations.

But.

This trailer looks soooooooooooooo dull...

I don't know if I will be able to go through a complete episode. For what I see here, it's something we've seen a lot of times. Yes, we've seen the stories told in our BBC Sherlock a lot of times, but it's the way they're told that makes them so special. And this looks not special.

Sherlock Holmes · May 17, 2012 10:02 am

Yeah, the trailer is supposed to capture people's interest and show some of the highlights of the show...Is that really the best they can do??? Not really much excitement going on there at all...

I will watch it though, just so I can scream at the telly.

Davina · May 17, 2012 10:11 am

CN't remember where I read it now but I did laugh when one commentator referred to Jonny as being the ex-husband of Angelina Jolie. Where do these people come from. The only thing Jonny and Tommy have in common is the Lee part of their names! Duh!

Wholocked · May 17, 2012 10:31 am

That's because she was married to him. He was her first husband, before Billy Bob Thornton. They were quite young. Was in the 90s. They met on a film. Maybe Hackers?

Tommy Lee was married to Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson.

Last edited by Wholocked (May 17, 2012 10:33 am)

m0r1arty · May 17, 2012 3:56 pm

My main fault with this snippet is that the production team are full of themselves and sadly it doesn't show on the actual reel.

Very akin to Russell T. Davis' run at Doctor Who (Although the Eccleston is the exception with him).

Jonny seems fine, it's everything else that reeks of wrong.

Good call on the Monk thing Davina - mirrored my thoughts exactly!

-m0r

Sherlock Holmes · May 17, 2012 5:52 pm

Lol, I like Monk!

Davina · May 17, 2012 5:56 pm

MAybe Angelina's got a thing about Lee?

m0r1arty · May 17, 2012 5:58 pm

The director of the first Hulk film had better had better watch out once Brad dies then!

-m0r

Davina · May 17, 2012 6:20 pm

She has a lot to choose from! Lol

www.babynamefacts.com/babynames/namesakes.php?name=LEE

Wholocked · May 17, 2012 11:11 pm

You didn't like Russell T Davis' Doctor Who? I much prefered his take over Moffat's. His season arc plots were more subtle.

The trailer was odd to me. I don't think it really showed much. It was too all over the place. Trying to show us all the highlights without providing any context for them. It will be interesting.

I think it's sad how much hate it's getting from BBC Sherlockians though. And then people are hating on the haters! It's sad. It's a big world. Moffat didn't invent the Holmes brand.