sherlockskitty wrote:

I didn't know that.  sheesh.   yeah  TV  needs more original stories.   Soooo---CBS  is  re-doing it,  ONLY  because BBC's Sherlock is so darned popular with us  viewers.

They're ripping off an old movie in order to make it look as if they're not ripping off a new one.

I'd hate to be their writers.
Moftiss & co are waiting & watching for anything that is similar to their product. They really are limited somewhat.

You know what, I would be much happier to accept the general premise and storyline of the series (ie. Sherlock becoming a detective in New York), if they'd just called the Lucy Liu character something else - like Amanda Smith or something completely non-canonical, then we could have all just pretended that Watson had got married and stayed in London, God I would have liked that SOOOOOO much better, and so much more believable.

Anyway, I haven't seen the pilot, but I did see the extended trailer. There were some moments in it that made me laugh, and I'm starting to think it won't be as bad as I originally thought, just as long as you don't take it too seriously...I notice it now says it's "inspired by" Sherlock Holmes, and isn't claiming to be a direct adaptation. Which is good.

I watched the trailer and I hated. the only good thing was that below I could see Sherlock  at the same time saying "P...Off". My sentiments exactly.

kazza474 wrote:

The Elementary people should veer away from the Holmes premise, they MAY have a good mystery show, because they won't have a good Holmes show. Their attitude has already ruled that link out.

As for the romance thing, that shows a leaning towards a less matured audience, one who will accept a more trashy story. Romance never has and never will be a part of REAL Holmes tales.

Good way to put it: possibly a good show, but not a good Holmes show. Yeah, why is it if there is a girl and a boy together, their MUST be romance?? Hopefully this is subtle in the show. Ah, what do I don't care, I'm not going to watch it.

Another thing - Watson is "forced" to work with Sherlock here, not of her own accord! That's a little annoying. Though, I guess they are trying to be as far away from a "rip-off" as possible so they are changing a lot of things.

When it comes down to it, the US is obviously just doing this because of BBC's Sherlock's success, as you guys have mentioned.

The other day, I asked a friend if he had heard of Sherlock. He said, "Oh, that show that's coming out?" Me: ".......Elementary?" Him: "Yeah" Me: "No." Then I put on Sherlock and he was really liking it. Quick save

veecee wrote:

Ivy wrote:

Steven Moffat about "Elementary"

Sherlock mania has started spreading Stateside but how does he feel about Elementary, another modern retelling of Sherlock Holmes, set in America? Especially given the controversial decision to cast Lucy Liu as a female version of Holmes’ sidekick John Watson? “I can’t comment on their artistic decisions at all. That wouldn’t be fair or reasonable. All I’ve said was, CBS approached us about adapting our version […] and we said no because we’d had some bad experiences in the past. So they went, ‘well if you ever change your mind, get in touch’ and the next thing we heard they’d just decided to go and do one anyway. I think it’s remarkably bad behaviour." 

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/steven-moffat-would-a-middleaged-person-abscond-in-a-magic-caravan-8096356.html


I didn't know that they asked Mofftiss about adapting Sherlock.

So, if Moftiss said no, why is it bad behavior for CBS to go ahead on their own?

I was not impressed with the trailer, but I will probably watch at least one episode to give it a fair chance.

Ok what this means is, anyone can make a show based on ACD's works; they don't have to ask anyone's permission for that. Those works have been done and are not continuing to be made by ACD. So the canon is no longer 'tabooo' as something for others to copy because the originator is not going to be doing any more & hence will lose no money if it happens.
Moftiss have made an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes with their series and are continuing to do so. This means anyone else who tries to use the type of adaptation that they have ( Holmes in the 21st century, using all the mod cons, having all the different behaviours etc) will skate very close to the invisible line of plagiarism / ripping off a current project. Legal proceedings would probably find that there IS indeed a case to answer for copying Moftiss' ideas as CBS would financially benefit from using someone else's ideas.

When CBS approached Moffat, it was because THEY now wanted to do an adaptation of HIS ideas ( Holmes in 21st century etc) But Moffat has plans for this to be an on going project, so naturally he said no & as it says, they could have 'cheapened' the ideas if they didn't do it in the correct manner.
But then they went forward & started their OWN version of Holmes in the 21 st century, etc and have had to change enough elements (no pun intended) so that it doesn't look like BBC Sherlock. In doing so, they basically said ' We want your idea'; Moffat said " No" they said " well we'lll do it anyway, but chop it up into something less recognised as a copy of yours, but you already know that its YOUR idea we're chopping up". 

That's why Moffat called it rude. And I tend to agree with him on that; the 'we'll take whatever we want' attitude sucks saveloys.

I think Elementary will always be second best behind the BBC's Sherlock, no matter how good it may end up being.  The BBC's production, vision, and acting, is just THAT GOOD.

Agree, when I read the newspaper article about this stunning new BBC series, I got stuck with the picture (aka Susi's avatar) right away:
This is something I want to give a try because it looks interesting.
No, Elementary, sorry, you don't look interesting enough to me. Too much of the same...

Last edited by Harriet (September 22, 2012 3:49 pm)

It might be an interesting show anyway. And I will watch it. (As soon as it's possible in Germany...)
It might be hard to reach an effort with us, who are Benedicted; but I know everyone has one's favourite Sherlock Holmes. I was angry when a friend of mine refused watching Sherlock because she thinks Jeremy Brett is the one and only. That's why I will not avoid Elementary.

But, please, someone might prevent Sherlock as a woman.
Not offense, but that would be too much for me. No thanks. 

Last edited by Mattlocked (September 22, 2012 4:56 pm)

Yes, of course, but I am a fan of Sherlock Holmes, the character of Arthur Conan Doyle and I try, when I watch the pilot, to forget Sherlock with Cumberbatch and I compare with Holmes of ACD.

It is true that Sherlock, for me, is better than Elementary because it is the firt modern serie of SH !

I am afraid that Elementary will become more famous than Sherlock and that people prefer it because it is american like Dr.House, Grey's Anatomy, Expert Miami, etc...