ELEMENTARY - News, Reviews, and Discussion

[Nerys Myk]

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."

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]

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."

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]

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]

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]

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.

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.

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.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

I'm guessing that moriarty shows up in person in the season finale or a few episodes before that.

 

[Guy Gardener]

That's what we thought about Red John.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Doherty is more straightforward with Elementary than Heller is with The Mentalist though. And since Moriarty is a well known character there's no reason to stretch it out as long as the Red John thing.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Elementary is my favorite new show this year. Not being the biggest Sherlock Holmes enthusiast, I can live with this interpretation. I really like the characters and the actors playing them in this. I think Jonny Lee Miller is fantastic as Holmes, however Lucy Liu is even better as Watson. I like how she under plays it to how Miller is with Holmes. She has a real vulnerability in this and its refreshing. My only major issue with the show is how they write Aidan Quinn's character of Captain Gregson. He is suppose to know how brilliant Holmes is, working with him in London. However he regularly doesn't heed the advice of Holmes or plainly fights back against it. Makes his character apear stupid, which is sad.

 

[davejames]

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.

Well Sherlock did say he had been assisting Scotland Yard for quite awhile in tracking down M, so I assumed he would have pieced together at least a little more by now (even with all the rampant drug use).

Hell, just the fact he was able to elude Sherlock for this long should have made it clear that this was no normal, everyday killer.

 

[Christopher]

Hell, just the fact he was able to elude Sherlock for this long should have made it clear that this was no normal, everyday killer.

What, and just because of the way he looked and his working-class accent, Holmes should've immediately dismissed him as incapable of being unusually intelligent? I'm sure there are plenty of Brits who would embrace such stereotypical assumptions, but Holmes would surely know better.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Of course dear chap, being a master criminal is a gentleman's game.

 

[Greg Cox]

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.

Well Sherlock did say he had been assisting Scotland Yard for quite awhile in tracking down M, so I assumed he would have pieced together at least a little more by now (even with all the rampant drug use).

.

Yeah, but the "M" he was tracking was Moran, not Moriarity. Holmes had never heard of "Moriarity" until last episode.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

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.)

An excellent book, and one I should reread.

 

[stj]

^^^Wouldn't a similar approach make a truly remarkable version of Moriarty? (Don't want to spoil the novel.)