Author Topic: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century  (Read 256999 times)

Offline southendmd

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #180 on: July 17, 2012, 07:33:56 pm »
Thanks, Bruce. 

Well, who knows when we'll get more of Benedict and Martin?

I had never heard of Jonny Lee Miller--IMDb says he was once married to Angeline Jolie.  But Lucy Liu and Aidan Quinn?  Sounds good to me.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #181 on: July 17, 2012, 11:00:11 pm »
I had never heard of Jonny Lee Miller--IMDb says he was once married to Angeline Jolie.  But Lucy Liu and Aidan Quinn?  Sounds good to me.

I liked him in his brief stint on TV as Eli Stone, but the show didn't last very long.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Meryl

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #182 on: August 23, 2012, 03:48:06 pm »
Here's a link to a Tumblr blog about Benedict Cumberbatch.  It sounds like his new series, "Parade's End," on the BBC is going to be a winner.  8)

http://cumberbatchweb.tumblr.com/day/2012/08/19
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #183 on: September 28, 2012, 12:26:02 am »
It will get an Americanized update this fall with Jonathan Miller and Lucy Liu as Sherlock Holmes and Watson in "Elementary".

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrDVSxNycKc[/youtube]

I just watched the premiere of Elementary, and it was personally painful for me. There was something disturbing about the pallid face of Jonny Miller that bothered me, but even more so was the fleeting expression that occasionally crossed his face that said "Oh dear, you've found me out." I often wanted to take Lucy Liu, playing Dr. Watson, aside and say, "Just walk away, now while you can". Then, when he (SPOILER ALERT) took her car keys and crashed her car into that of the villain, I...was hooked.
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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #184 on: September 28, 2012, 09:18:58 am »
I doubt Elementary will last more than one season. I cannot say that the debut episode disappointed me, but I wouldn't be watching the series in the first place if it weren't for Jonny Lee Miller--and him I absolutely loved as Sherlock Holmes. I consider him a worthy heir to the late Jeremy Brett, who for my money was the best Sherlock Holmes ever. I even thought that Lucy Liu made a pretty darn good female Watson. But my response to the show was muted at best.

I guess perhaps my muted response is based on the fact that for me, much of the attraction of the Sherlock Holmes stories is that they are for us period pieces--of course they weren't when Conan Doyle wrote them, transcribed them from Dr. Watson's memoirs, but they are now. In theory the idea of a modern-day Sherlock Holmes doesn't hold much attraction for me; I'd rather just watch C.S.I.

The other thing is that the situation that has brought Holmes and Watson together seems awfully contrived to me. Can you actually do that? Hire someone to babysit a recovering addict just out of rehab? And would you really send a woman to live with a man to do that for six months?  ???

It was also kind of sad to see Aidan Quinn (Greggson) getting--all right, I'll say it--old, tired, and looking overweight in the face.  :(

I would like to see Jonny Lee in a period Holmes piece. And I wonder who played what role in Holmes' session with that BDSM prostitute?  8)
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline milomorris

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #185 on: September 28, 2012, 09:44:39 am »
I doubt Elementary will last more than one season. I cannot say that the debut episode disappointed me, but I wouldn't be watching the series in the first place if it weren't for Jonny Lee Miller--and him I absolutely loved as Sherlock Holmes. I consider him a worthy heir to the late Jeremy Brett, who for my money was the best Sherlock Holmes ever. I even thought that Lucy Liu made a pretty darn good female Watson. But my response to the show was muted at best.

I guess perhaps my muted response is based on the fact that for me, much of the attraction of the Sherlock Holmes stories is that they are for us period pieces--of course they weren't when Conan Doyle wrote them, transcribed them from Dr. Watson's memoirs, but they are now. In theory the idea of a modern-day Sherlock Holmes doesn't hold much attraction for me; I'd rather just watch C.S.I.

The other thing is that the situation that has brought Holmes and Watson together seems awfully contrived to me. Can you actually do that? Hire someone to babysit a recovering addict just out of rehab? And would you really send a woman to live with a man to do that for six months?  ???

It was also kind of sad to see Aidan Quinn (Greggson) getting--all right, I'll say it--old, tired, and looking overweight in the face.  :(

I would like to see Jonny Lee in a period Holmes piece. And I wonder who played what role in Holmes' session with that BDSM prostitute?  8)

In Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous, part of the program is to find a sponsor. The sponsor is someone who the newly-recovering addict can turn to for advice, share experiences with, helps explain and explore the 12 steps, and the sponsor also helps the newly-recovered overcome cravings. The sponsor themselves should be a recovering addict, and 12-step practitioner with at least 1 year of clean time. For a variety of reasons, opposite-sex sponsorships are discouraged. In my case, my therapist thought it made sense to have a female sponsor because of my homosexuality. Having a live-in sponsor is unheard of AFAIK. A sponsor is supposed serve as a resource, not a babysitter. 
  The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

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Offline southendmd

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #186 on: September 28, 2012, 01:02:27 pm »
Sounds like they're going for the dramatic, not the accurate.

I didn't catch "Elementary"; maybe it'll turn up on hulu.

I still love the old Basil Rathbone films.  But I equally love the BBC Sherlock series, especially for the updating.  (IMO, I think they stumbled with "Hound of the Baskervilles".  Didn't like that update.  Perhaps because I knew the story so well, and the Rathbone film too.)

However, as much as I like Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, I found their (sorta period) film completely unwatchable. 

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #187 on: September 28, 2012, 01:48:41 pm »
Sounds like they're going for the dramatic, not the accurate.

I didn't catch "Elementary"; maybe it'll turn up on hulu.

I still love the old Basil Rathbone films.  But I equally love the BBC Sherlock series, especially for the updating.  (IMO, I think they stumbled with "Hound of the Baskervilles".  Didn't like that update.  Perhaps because I knew the story so well, and the Rathbone film too.)

However, as much as I like Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, I found their (sorta period) film completely unwatchable. 

I've never gotten around to seeing the Downey-Law films. I understand all but two of the old Rathbone films were also "updates" to the period when the films were made (I've only seen the first Rathbone film, which was done as a period piece); Rathbone wasn't bad in the role.

I still think Jeremy Brett was the best Holmes ever.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Meryl

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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #188 on: September 28, 2012, 02:17:40 pm »
I remember liking Nicol Williamson in "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution."  Robert Duvall was Watson and Olivier was Moriarty.  Don't recall if it was well-reviewed, but it certainly had a great cast.  8)
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Re: PBS "Sherlock Holmes" Updated for the 21st century
« Reply #189 on: September 28, 2012, 02:30:29 pm »
...I equally love the BBC Sherlock series, especially for the updating.  

Me too. Interestingly, it seemed like Lucy Liu resembled Benadict Cumberbatch and Miller resembled Martin Freeman, who plays Watson in Sherlock. What if they switched the roles around?

The program graphics were a bald copy of Sherlock, as well.

Law was watchable; Downy Jr. repulsive in the only one I saw.
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