Today, CBS released the first official pic of Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Joan Watson, as set in modern-day New York City. The very idea makes me angry, and the pic only makes it worse. Really–could they put Liu and Miller in more plaid? C’mon.
Sherlock is not an American character. Point one. Moreover, Steven Moffat is currently making an AMAZING modern-day Sherlock TV show starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Point two. Moffat’s Sherlock is incredibly well done, but it airs on PBS in America, and each season only contains three 90-minute episodes, which would never fly on American TV.
So what do we do? We take something lovely and ruin it, just like almost every other British import. So forget about CBS. Go get your hands on Moffat’s Sherlock and really sink your teeth into something wonderful. But knowing my luck, Elementary will turn into yet another CBS mega hit (that, somehow, no one I know will admit to watching–just like every other CBS “hit”). Ugh. Please, go watch the British Sherlock. You can thank me later.
However, all that being said, Cumberbatch and Miller recently starred in a stage production of Frankenstein for the British National Theater. It was directed by Danny Boyle, and videos of the performance are being shown around the US. Do some research and look for it. The two actors switch roles (Dr. Frankenstein and the monster), so try to see both if you can. I only saw the Miller-as-Dr.-Frankenstein performance, but I would love to see the other. It’s really quite good.
