Finally watched some of CBS’ Elementary after being told numerous times that it’s as good as/better than the BBC’s Sherlock, and… well, I’m not convinced, to say the least. The CBS series lacks the humor, self-awareness and smartness for me that I love about the BBC show.
That isn’t to say that it’s not fun in and of itself, because it is – it’s a broader confection, something closer to Fox’s Bones or ABC’s Castle, both of which are fine shows for what they are but are nowhere near the same level of Sherlock. Now that Elementary has been bought by Hulu, I’m sure I’ll catch up at some point, but still.
I’m now thinking about the impulse that drives people responding to mention of Sherlock to say that Elementary is “better.” The idea of competitive television viewing, if that makes sense, is an interesting one, and a frustrating one, as well.I need to think this through a little more.