ELEMENTARY - News, Reviews, and Discussion

[Kimi3013]

I wasn't too interested in this when I first read about it. Not because it was a murder show, unlike the seeming majority of the populous here I actually like them, but because it sounded like a go at copying the BBC show. If it had been announced without the BBC one then I'd have been all for it.

But I've really enjoyed it so far, and I'm hoping for a long run for it. No clue how it's doing in the ratings or anything.

[Christopher]

Allyn Gibson wrote:

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First, Rob Doherty talked about the Super Bowl episode, Moriarty, and Irene Adler as part of the Television Critics Association's press tour.

From the article:

It was important to Doherty that the casting of Moriarty be kept secret for as long as possible. "We're approaching very carefully and as quietly as we can. At the end of the day, we want a tremendous actor," he said. "It's less fun for me if you know who he is."

Then why, Mr. Doherty, do you always cast a name actor as the murderer and thus give the game away right off the bat???!!!!

[sojourner]

I've noticed in Elementary it seems to be much more about the how of the murder, rather than the who.

[Christopher]

^Sure, but they could make it a little less predictable. I remember the detective shows in the '80s and '90s, like Murder, She Wrote or the Perry Mason revival movies, where they'd cast a whole bunch of more-or-less well-known actors in the same episode. If shows today did that, at least there'd be some uncertainty about which name actor it was.

[Allyn Gibson]

Christopher wrote:

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Then why, Mr. Doherty, do you always cast a name actor as the murderer and thus give the game away right off the bat???!!!!

That's not always true. Craig Bierko wasn't the murderer in his episode; it was his crazy secretary. Callie Thorne wasn't the murderer in her episode; actually, she had no significant role in her episode. The Lisa Edelstein episode, on the other hand...

[Nerys Myk]

Allyn Gibson wrote:

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First, Rob Doherty talked about the Super Bowl episode, Moriarty, and Irene Adler as part of the Television Critics Association's press tour.

From the article:

It's Benedict Cumberbatch.

[Aragorn]

Moriarty should be Red John. Then CBS can have a big crossover.

And only The Machine knows his true identity.

[lennier1]

Nerys Myk wrote:

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It's Benedict Cumberbatch.

It would be beyond awesome if they actually had the balls to pull that off!!!

[davejames]

I have to admit, this show's really been growing on me. Although in the latest episode it was a little TOO obvious that the big assassin guy was not the real Moriarty-- and it should have been to Sherlock as well.

[Christopher]

davejames wrote:

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Although in the latest episode it was a little TOO obvious that the big assassin guy was not the real Moriarty-- and it should have been to Sherlock as well.

How would it have been obvious to him? He didn't yet know that there was a Moriarty, so he had nothing to compare the guy to. He hadn't even heard the name Moriarty until Moran told it to him -- he just thought he was going after a serial killer called "M."

I guess what's unusual here is that we're used to seeing the character of Moriarty introduced at a point when Holmes is already aware of him and has been tracking him for some time -- but here we're coming in on the ground floor, seeing the moment when Holmes first became aware of a shadowy criminal mastermind.

[Greg Cox]

Christopher wrote:

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I guess what's unusual here is that we're used to seeing the character of Moriarty introduced at a point when Holmes is already aware of him and has been tracking him for some time -- but here we're coming in on the ground floor, seeing the moment when Holmes first became aware of a shadowy criminal mastermind.

Exactly. At this point, pretty much everything Holmes knows about Moriarity is a name on an index card, surrounded by a lot of empty space. As represented by that final scene.

Moriarity (whomever he or she is) has obviously been aware of Holmes for some time, but Holmes only just now became aware of Moriarity's existence.

[Christopher]

^Yup, and that's what's interesting about it. We'll finally get to actually see the process by which Holmes investigates Moriarty and pieces together the web of evidence.

I wonder how long it'll be before we meet Moriarty in person. And I wonder how long it'll be before this Holmes has his own version of Reichenbach Falls.

[sojourner]

It would be cool if they did have the actor playing Moriarty in the background of some of the episodes this season. Would give nice incentive to re-watch them and try to spot him/her. As long as he doesn't turn out to be an established cast member.

[Guy Gardener]

It better not be Watson.

[stj]

Aragorn wrote:

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Moriarty should be Red John. Then CBS can have a big crossover.

And only The Machine knows his true identity.

Funny. Especially since Patrick Jane is so much like Sherlock's Holmes (well, except that Jane's sociopathic tendencies are reformed, for good reason) it would be the next best thing to having Cumberbatch guest.

Christopher wrote:

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I wonder how long it'll be before we meet Moriarty in person. And I wonder how long it'll be before this Holmes has his own version of Reichenbach Falls.

Five seasons, they hope. Truthfully, I hope they bring back Adam Kimper as one who keeps getting away. Kimper wouldn't be a Napoleon of Crime of course. But that's one's getting a little hard to believably put on screen.

Guy Gardener wrote:

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It better not be Watson.

True. But, I wonder if Doherty has read the late, great Michael Dibdin's The Last Sherlock Holmes Story?

(Yes, I know I'm evil.)

I don't think the actor who pretended to be Sherlock's father was actually Moriarty, because it doesn't make sense that Moriarty could count on Sherlock never re-accessing his genuine friend/accents tutor.

Moriarty is plainly supposed to be in the UK which asks the question of how and why they would keep falling afoul, except that the villain keeps trying to kill the designated hero, just because. Like in the comic books.