Sherlocked

Sherlock: The Clear Winner

         
            Sherlock has made a comeback in a big way.  Then again, to have a comeback, you have to have left, and Sherlock Holmes has never really been off the minds of his fans since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first created the crime solving agent for good.  The man has inspired countless movies, shows, and books. With a new show cleverly titled Elementary and set in modern day New York City in the works for the new television season, Sherlock has also dominated the big screen with Robert Downey Junior's sleuth.  Elementary stars Johnny Lee Miller as the famed detective and Lucy Liu (an egad female!) as Joan Watson.  It isn't the first time the stories and characters of Sherlock Holmes' world have been changed.  House, which recently closed its curtains, focused on the Sherlock-like relationship between House and his best and arguably only friend Wilson.  The real question is, is there room for Elementary, when a truly masterful Sherlock is on bbc and pbs?  Benedict Cumberbatch plays Holmes with acidic power in the Steven Moffat run and aptly named Sherlock, with Martin Freeman (Bilbo in the upcoming Hobbit movies) playing his war veteran best friend Watson.  The show is set in modern London, and has become an international hit with its two short, three episode seasons.  The show honors traditions and arch-enemies like Moriaty while adding new flavor and hightened humor and danger.  In short, it is my favorite of the giant Sherlock empire.  I appreciate the Sherlock movies, and can get sucked into an occasional episode of House, but Sherlock sticks and stands out above the rest.  Perhaps Elementary's saving grace will be that it will be a normal, multi-episode show, whereas Sherlock runs more as a mini-series.  I, like others who love Sherlock Holmes, will at least give it a good objective chance.  Like a parent who has another kid, Sherlock fans will just have to let their hearts make room for another version of their favorite detective.  Unlike a parent with another kid, if Elementary stinks, the fans can say goodbye.