Doherty is a long-time fan of the original Holmes canon, and “a fan of the character in general,” following the iconic consulting detective into other works: the movies and comic books, and books written by authors other than Conan Doyle. “I wouldn’t say I’m obsessive, but I always enjoyed the character when we crossed paths.” At the time Doherty and Beverly were playing with this idea of doing their own Holmes adaptation for television, the first Robert Downey Jr. film had come out. “And I believe the first series of the BBC show had come out, and thought both were excellent. Really incredible, fast, fun, smart delivery systems for Sherlock Holmes.”
Searching for a new angle, Doherty wondered, “What’s the story we want to tell about this iconic character?” Latching onto Holmes’ relationships with drugs and women, combined with setting the series in New York, helped Doherty define Elementary.
Setting Sherlock in present-day New York offers the series’ writers some interesting possibilities, allowing them to explore Sherlock from a fresh perspective. “He’s a bit of a fish out of water,” Doherty explained. “He knows London like the back of his hand and he certainly knows the British culture. New York is such a mish-mash, and it’s big, and loud, and complicated, and rude, and wonderful. It’s this incredible soup, and to drop a guy like Sherlock, who is always in control of every situation,” was very appealing to him. But Elementary isn’t really a “fish out of water” series, at least not overtly. Realizing the usual getting lost in the subway system stuff “ultimately it didn’t feel true to the guy,” Doherty hasn’t played that card too often or over the top.
The touches tend to be subtler. Doherty explained, “I think Sherlock’s interactions with the NYPD are, I would imagine, different from what it was like working in Scotland Yard. Certainly in crime scenes and talking to people. We try to pick our moments. Again, whatever feels right given who this guy really is.”
Although many Sherlock Holmes fans consider Scotland Yard Inspector G. Lestrade as the detective’s main police contact Doherty went a slightly different direction, creating an American version of Tobias Gregson (Aidan Quinn). Doherty recalls “Lestrade as sort of a weasely type, and a sort of a glory hound.” On the other hand Doherty recalled that, “Gregson, was a little quieter, a little more intellectual.” But in Doherty’s mind two are a bit interchangeable. No matter the police counterpart, “it always sort of felt like Sherlock was, was perpetually amused by the investigators and what they did. He was very condescending in an essentially a lighthearted way. But it was still condescending,” Doherty said. Playing Gregson, Aidan Quinn brings a great earthiness to the role and an excellent counterpoint to Jonny Lee Miller’s portrayal of Holmes.
Article comments
1 - Lucy H.
Great interview, thanks. I was hoping that "M" episode title that we saw in a photo the staff tweeted meant Moriarty was coming up. Looking forward to that.
2 - barbara barnett
Thanks Lucy! I'm guessing that's the "M" episode :)
3 - Lucy H.
By the way, I heard you say the other day that you're watching Eli Stone but it's a little too sweet for your taste. ... I can relate, although I do think it was quite an admirable show and a nice attempt to do some innovative things.
For anybody who's curious about the range of JLM's acting skills and the depth of his emotional reserves (and if you can stand BBC costume dramas), I recommend the distinctly non-sweet BBC two-part mini-series Byron. Not the best written thing in the world, but available on Netflix and extremely well acted, by Miller especially, but also by the rest of an amazing cast that includes Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Little and Philip Glenister.
4 - barbara barnett
I'm enjoying Eli Stone very much (sweet as it is). JLM is quite good. I really enjoyed him Plunkett and Macleane as well (a bit bizarre of a movie, but with the benefit of putting him together with one of very favorite actors, Robert Carlyle) ;)
5 - Lucy H.
I really like RC as well. It was nice to see him get such a cool show as Once Upon a Time -- and I think he's great in it.
I find myself recommending Plunkett and Macleane when somebody asks me if I can think of anything that's just silly, escapist fun. Liv Tyler aside, the cast there can't be beat, and I think the Hogarth-meets-MTV approach actually works great for the story. Never could figure out why it got such terrible reviews. RC and JLM may have had some fun making it, at least, I'm guessing, though, doing a lot of improvising and such. I seem to remember an interview in which RC said that he wondered where his and JLM's writing credits were for P&M. They're both pretty funny guys.
6 - Resa Haile
Just a note to say that it hasn't actually been a hundred years since Doyle stopped writing the Holmes story; the last one was published in the *Strand* magazine in 1927. Very interesting interview, though.
7 - Resa Haile
I meant "the Holmes stories," although "the Holmes story" makes Watson's tales sound like one long biography, which, in a sense, they were.
8 - barbara barnett
Point taken Resa. I'll make that correction.
Lucy--just posted my review of Carlyle's new movie--and an interview with the director (he talks alot about RC's improvising ;))
The more I see of JLM, the more I like him. Plunkett & Macleane is just a great lot of fun!
9 - Josh Porter
Thanks Resa for the correction. I am working on my school project about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Your comment definitely saved me from a lot of embarrassment.
You are the best!