CBS Investigates New Sherlock Holmes TV Show

[vansau]

CBS Investigates New Sherlock Holmes TV Show

Now that Sherlock Holmes is back in the public eye, CBS wants to put bring the detective to televisions across the United States.

CBS has announced that it's ordered a pilot for a new TV show called Elementary, "a modern-day take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic Sherlock Holmes cases." The show is being produced and written by Robert Doherty, who is known for his hand in that other popular CBS crime drama, Medium.

At the moment, details about Elementary are few and far between, including the general setting of the show and how Holmes himself will be portrayed. However, this means that between Elementary and the BBC's (excellent) <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Season-One-Benedict-Cumberbatch/dp/B004132HZS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326942711&sr=8-1>Sherlock, there will be two Sherlock Holmes shows on television.

What will be interesting to see is if Elementary will be able to differentiate itself enough from Sherlock to gain an audience of its own or alienate fans. However, this is the best time to produce a new show about the character, since the BBC just finished airing the most recent series and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is <a href=http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3349&p=.htm>wrapping up a gangbuster run at the box office. That means that Sherlock Holmes is still in peoples' minds and there's an empty period of time where CBS won't face any competition for Doyle fans' attention.

Still, keep this in mind: There's already another season of Sherlock planned for 2013, and Sherlock Holmes 3 is apparently planned for late 2013. Even if Elementary is well-done, the show may very well oversaturate the entertainment industry with the character.

Source: Screen Rant

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[Something Amyss]

I can't imagine this outdoing the BBC's entry. I won't knock it until I've tried it, because I'm a sucker for Sherlock Holmes, but I'm not sure we really need two modern retellings on the air right now.

And by "right now," I mean in 2013, so maybe Sherlock will be off the air by then (I don't trust the BBC in terms of decision making), but even still, I can easily see this as the also-ran.

 

[Reaper195]

A US version of Sherlock Holmes? I thought they'd already tried the smart detective with a side kick who is usually there for moral conflicts or romance drama or witty remarks forumla with..I dunno, every investigative show that wasn't some acronym.

 

[latenightapplepie]

So, it's House without Hugh Laurie playing a doctor for the main character?

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Somehow I think it will end up differentiating itself in a bad way.

 

[Beardly]

Somehow I think it will end up differentiating itself in a bad way.

I'm assuming Watson will end up being either Dumb Watson or Gay Watson.

 

[gunner1905]

I really doubt anybody from the US could recreate Sherlock Holmes as good as the one on BBC right now.
Just watch last Sunday's episode to see the kind of quality the new show would have to beat (OMFG that was so fucking awesome, kind of quality).

 

[XSin]

"a modern-day take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic Sherlock Holmes cases."

Read this and immediately thought

Another American version of a British TV show?

This

But then realised that they're not even saying "Sherlock was really good, lets make an American version" they're honestly trying to come across as having an original idea. . . .so sad

 

[Dr_Horrible]

Why would we need another version when Sherlock is the best thing I've seen on TV in at least two years?

I see this failing, and failing hard.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

No love for the Masterpiece Mystery Sherlock [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/]?

Whoops, that's the same one as BBC.

Ahem... YAY! MORE SHERLOCK HOMES!

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Somehow I think it will end up differentiating itself in a bad way.

I'm assuming Watson will end up being either Dumb Watson or Gay Watson.

Spoiler: Why not have both?

I was going to make a why not Zoidberg joke, but that required me to edit an image.

 

[Aisaku]

This is just sad. Not saying it couldn't work, and it's good that americans love the 20-ish episode season format, but.... it'd would have to be outstanding to command an audience.

I mean isn't being a a misfit prodigy the trope every new crime show goes to these days?

 

[RaNDM G]

But we already have Sherlock. Why do we need an American version?

 

[Broken Blade]

Wow, the original poster took the words out of my mouth: it's already been done, and it's called Sherlock, and it's awesome.

 

[FalloutJack]

Oh indeed. Listen, Sherlock is a brilliant re-telling of the many fine cases of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work. The only other show that has ever been quite so good was this one, starring Jeremy Brett.


A great adaptation of the literature through fine acting in the classic style. And even though I also enjoy the Holmes movies, Sherlock is clearly proof of who OWNS the style. Let the British people have this epic themselves.

 

[Thyunda]

Is this show going to leave us with a cliff hanger for a year too?

If so, then I want no part in it. I'll wait till the series is finished.

(Reads responses to thread... Wow, why do you all really tell us how you feel about America? Does it make you feel special to hate on a country?)

Eh? That was an overreaction to the entirely true concept that American versions of British ideas rarely come out good - and something that RELIES on subtlety, wit and intelligence most certainly won't work with an American audience in mind.
I mean, Life On Mars was only SOMEWHAT profound with its life and death questions, and American producers managed to fuck it up. What hope does Sherlock Holmes have?

 

[Bvenged]

But we already have Sherlock. Why do we need an American version?

This - why the hell can't they just lease it from the BBC. Why go on and attempt a version of somethign that's already been done to a critically acclaimed standard where all that could be changed without hampering it is an american accent in american locations. Both of those are subject to opinion and would do little to improve the overall experience of watching the show. Besides, surely Americans would find it more entertaining to watch an English Sherlock Holmes based in the UK with the same technology? It'll be a fresher experience to the concrete grids most of their shows are set in.

 

[Sonic Doctor]

I haven't been watching all the new Holmes stuff that has been going around, I should when I find the time. Who knows, maybe CBS can do it. I for one would welcome something like it on the networks. It would relieve us from the seemingly huge rut of comedy, comedy, reality show, typical cop/lawyer/mystery drama, typical cop/lawyer/mystery drama.

The only cop/mystery drama of late and the past few years that got my attention was Castle.

Though I found Terra Nova to be a good enough show to somewhat break the broadcast stations out of the rut. It's really the only new show that I've found to be remotely watchable, though I am a sucker for dinosaurs and cheesy shows about such things.

Now that Sherlock Holmes is back in the public eye, CBS wants to put bring the detective to televisions across the United States.

I just wanted to point out the awkward error, "put bring".