Elementary, the American adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes character.
Plot Summary: In the aftermath of season 2’s finale, Sherlock, Watson, and Sherlock’s new apprentice, Kitty Wilson, solve crimes for the NYPD.
Plot: 6.7/10- Like most crime procedurals, Elementary maintains a relative status quo with a mystery every week. The standard mystery episodes range from surprisingly inventive to predictable. Several of the earlier episodes featured intriguing concepts, although the resolutions were nothing groundbreaking.
On the other hand, the series featured a few episodes that affected the season as a whole. The first half introduced a new character and her story arc was resolved by the mid-season mark. The mystery involved in that episode is nothing special, but it is fairly well written. Thankfully, the season finale itself offered a surprisingly satisfying conclusion. Maybe the series will find a way to change the status quo without compromising the Sherlock-Watson dynamic next season, but that incredibly unlikely.
Characterization: 6.8/10- After the events of the previous season, Sherlock and Watson's relationship is different than the earlier seasons. Sherlock now has a new apprentice named Kitty Winter, a young woman with a dark past. Kitty is an interesting character with a dynamic different than Watson, which worked for the series. However, the obligatory plot convenience to bring Sherlock and Watson back together often felt contrived, which made Kitty’s existence feel irrelevant at times. Thankfully, her story is resolved in a satisfying manner.
Sherlock is essentially the same eccentric detective that you know from the previous season. He does change slightly throughout the season thanks to his friendship with Watson. Despite certain things happening, Joan Watson is also essentially the same, which is really not a bad thing.
Captain Gregson is sidelined for the majority of the season, and considering that his character was always the least interesting, that was probably for the best. Detective Bell is entertaining as always, as his role is slightly expanded.
Acting: 7.0/10- Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal of the legendary detective, as before, does not take any risks, yet he is still very entertaining to watch.
After three seasons, he knows how to play the character, and he continues to do so with the same energy of before. One strange thing is that sometimes Miller sounded as though he was sick due to the nasally sound of his voice. I wonder if Miller is prone to colds or has allergies. Either way, this is not a slight on the actor, because it happens to everyone.
Lucy Liu continues to be one of the best adaptations of the Watson character to date, and her performance is as consistent as ever. The supporting cast is reliable, and, as expected from the genre, the one-off characters are all acted well enough.
Humor: 7.5/10- Sherlock's rudeness and lack of reverence of social standards continues to be the mainstay of the comedy, and it is just as funny as ever.
Entertainment Value: 7.2/10- Thanks to the character dynamic, Elementary is a fun series to watch, even when the mysteries are predictable and unremarkable.
Overall: 6.7/10- Elementary is a consistent procedural that delivers exactly what you expect each season, and season 3 is no exception. It might not be groundbreaking, but it is at least entertaining.
Closing comments: As a whole, Elementary is an above average crime drama that I plan to continue watching until its final episodes; there is not much more to say.
Recommended for: Procedural fans, Sherlock fan,
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