Summary
Sherlock Holmesis one of the most popular fictional characters of all time, but screen adaptations have struggled to properly capture the detective, untilElementarycame along. Over the years, the popular works by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have been adapted dozens of times. Most of the time, this adaptation takes the form of a movie, but some series have been able to adapt the character for a more extensive period. However, in recent history, the most popular adaptations of Holmes featured Robert Downey Jr. in the titular role for the 2009 movie, and its sequel, and the BBC series,Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
Whileboth of these versions received positive fanfare, both have faced challenges in expanding the story. The movies, directed by Guy Ritchie, were initially intended as a franchise with at least three movies, and while this may still be going ahead, it’s been 13 years since the sequel was released in 2011. The BBC series which attempted to modernize the story, on the other hand, began in 2010, and ran until 2017. However, this is deceptive, as the show consisted primarily of seasons with three or four episodes, and a total of 4 seasons.Elementary, on the other hand, enjoyed a great deal more success.
Sherlock Holmes: 10 Differences Between Sherlock & Elementary
The Elementary and Sherlock series may draw from the same source material, but here’s how these Sherlock Holmes adaptations differ.
CBS’s Elementary Ran For Seven Seasons Until 2019
Elementary Outlived The Competition
Where bothSherlock HolmesandSherlockencountered incredibly long breaks between entries, and lingering future plans that were never realized,Elementarymanaged to hold on for an incredible seven-season run. This resulted in theshow having more than 150 episodes by the end of its run, and because of the lack of great TV adaptations in the past, Jonny Lee Miller became the actor to play the character across the most individual episodes by the end of the second season.
This change is potentially one of the biggest and best elements of the show, which helped the story go beyond the novels and short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle that have been adapted countless times.
However, the show’s success is deeper than just the total number of episodes it released. LikeSherlock,Elementaryput a modern twist on the classic story. Sherlock Holmes remained a brilliant criminal consultant, and a man who struggled with drug abuse, but he also set out tostart a new chapter in his life by moving to Manhattanin New York. This change is potentially one of the biggest and best elements of the show, which helped the story go beyond thenovels and short stories by Arthur Conan Doylethat have been adapted countless times.
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The Guy Ritchie movies delivered an excellent period film which saw the story remain in its classic setting, but with the pacing and action of a modern film. Robert Downey Jr. also excels in his performance as Holmes, and when paired with his loyal sidekick, John Watson, played by Jude Law, the pair have immaculate chemistry. The visuals, the scale, and the impact of these films isall indicative of a major blockbuster movie, and it certainly provides a brilliant adaptation.
Elementaryis primarily a crime procedural drama, which sees Holmes and his drug support buddy, Dr. Joan Watson dives into difficult to crack cases in a fun and exciting way. The show is much more contemporary, with a modern day setting, and a major shift in location to New York. While both are great adaptations of the character,Elementaryleaves more of a mark on the character due to itsbrave attempt to reimagine and reinvent elements of the story.
10 Reasons Elementary Was Better Than BBC’s Sherlock
Elementary and Sherlock ran around the same time, but the American take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world-famous detective actually stood out.
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However, things get more interesting when comparingElementarytoSherlock, both shows that update the story and feature brilliant leading actors. Miller and Lucy Liu tackle the roles of Holmes and Watson respectively inElementary, while Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman take the lead inSherlock. Another pivotal character, Moriarty, is masterfully portrayed by Natalie Dormer inElementary, and effortlessly brought to life by Andrew Scott inSherlock. Every member ofthe cast in both shows manages to deliver a spectacular performance, and so it’s difficult to pick a winner based on this alone.
But, when considering factors like the originality of the story and how robust and well-defined the characters are over the course of the shows,Elementaryhas to take the lead. Doyle’s original works are brilliant, but they are firmly set in a time and place that is unlike the modern day. Sherlock attempts to take these same stories and put a modern twist, which it does to great effect. But,Elementarytakes the characters and understands them on a level that it feels comfortable placingSherlock Holmesand company into brand-new adventures, likely leading to the show’s enduring success and higher overall ratings.
Elementary
Cast
A modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, Elementary is set in New York City and details the adventures of Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) who becomes partner to the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Johnny Lee Miller) after first being assigned as his sober companion. Set up a procedural crime drama, the series includes multiple references to the original Holmes stories, often with surprising twists. Aidan Quinn and John Micahel Hill also star as Thomas Gregson and Marcus Bell, with John Noble as a notable guest star.
