The current trend for television drama centers around complex, high intensity serial thrillers designed to shock and excite their viewers. While this has produced some of the best drama series in history, other branches of the drama genre fall victim as viewer expectations shift.
I find the beautiful dialog, dry humor, and simple elegance and refinement being pushed aside in many of this season's new series. A few have tried to retain some or all of those three, with varying degrees of success.
However, CBS's Elementary has had all three in droves in its two seasons on our screens, and it's one of the many reasons I love the series. Elementary returns for its third season on October 30, having been pushed back into late fall in favour of CBS's lucrative football lineup on Thursdays.
In May's second season finale, tensions rose between Johnny Lee Miller's Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu's Joan Watson as the pair sought to get to the bottom of the accusations of murder and treason Sherlock's brother Mycroft was framed for. The duo of 18 months split up, with Holmes taking up an offer to work with MI6, while Watson made arrangements to leave the Brownstone for her own apartment despite Sherlock's insistence she remain.
"You have this kind of pull, like gravity. I'm so lucky that I fell into your orbit" Watson remarked during their final case. "But if we live together, that's how it will always be, me orbiting you. There will always be the next case, the next problem, and I will always get pulled along." These were powerful words, exquisitely written and spoken, that defined the series thus far.
Elementary's third season premiere, titled "Enough Nemesis To Go Around" well and truly upholds the classy elegance, humor and refinement the series is known for. Creator Robert Doherty and Executive Producer Craig Sweeny did an excellent job with the script that was beautifully directed by John Polson.
We pick up proceedings six months after the events of the season 2 finale. Watson is keeping busy, continuing her work with the NYPD, managing several cases at once. We don’t see Holmes appear until well into the episode - in fact the resident turtle, Clyde, shows up before he does, as does a bearded dragon, which has something to do with a new romance for Watson.
Watson's biggest concern is the welfare of a witness in a case against a powerful, high rolling cartel matriarch. On the way to the courthouse, the witness ends up dead in an elevator, but the absence of any shooter has her, Captain Gregson and Detective Bell stumped. Two months on, and with no leads, a tip comes to the attention of the team, raising Watson's suspicions that someone is watching over her. Watson calls in at her former residence, now somewhat derelict. Holmes attempts to mend fences with her, and later Gregson and Bell as they pursue the assassin. Obviously, Holmes's time at MI6 didn't pan out too well.
Holmes doesn't help his cause after he sets his new protégé, Kitty Winter, played by Ophelia Lovibond, onto Watson as a test for them both, unbeknown to them. Despite Watson's further objections, Holmes continues investigating, and cracks the case right under Watson's nose.
Of course, plenty more happens in the season premiere, but I'll leave it there for now. The episode does a fine job of setting the season up, and though numerous series I've seen make managing the fallout from a time jump harder than hearding cats, the creative team at Elementary manages the time jump exquisitely, and in such a way that many showrunners could learn a thing or two from.
Despite the changes in circumstances among characters, the premiere ensures Elementary retains its class, its elegance, and its sense of self. The series feels refreshed as a result of the turbulence between the leads and the introduction of Kitty Winter, but it's not deviated at all from the formula that makes it one of television's best and most entertaining dramas. The premiere still dishes out the humor despite its more serious nature. Whether you're a committed fan or an occasional viewer, you'll still feel right at home. All these factors combine to make Elementary's third season premiere one of the best premieres you will see this year.
Thanks a lot for reading. View a recent trailer for Elementary's third season here, and the press release for the premiere here. Keep an eye on Elementary's ratings on my TV ratings website, www.seriesmonitor.com/elementary. As usual, I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories in the comments below - if you have any questions about the premiere I may be able to answer them!
Elementary premieres Thursday October 30, 10|9c, on CBS.
Jimmy.
