Elementary Season 1 DVD Review: Benedict Cumberbatch will be watching
| August 22, 2013 at 10:26 AM EDTWorried about becoming a nasty cheater? Don’t be. You can love the series Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman) and still love Elementary (Jonny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu.)
In fact, Cumberbatch and Miller are friends. For all we know they’ve exchanged braided friendship bracelets. (Something manly and understated- perhaps some suede or leather cord!)
Cumberbatch told TV Line that he was not threatened by the new series, and welcomed it to the table.
“I don’t see why they shouldn’t co-exist with us. … I don’t think they’ll steal our audience. I think people who are Holmes fans who think they do a good job of it will have a treat in watching ours and the films. So I wish them good luck!”
Hopefully that clears up any trepidation you had about being loyal to just one of these fabulous adaptations of the tale of Sherlock Holmes. I’ll admit that I’m no scholar on the subject, but adore them both none the less. Why? Because … well, let’s take a closer look at Elementary.
The design for ELEMENTARY, a contemporary take on the legendary characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson set in New York City, features series stars Jonny Lee Miller (Holmes) and Lucy Liu (Watson.) Photo: CBS
- The series is fun. End of sentence. It’s warm and fun and intriguing, and just one of those “friendly” shows that you’ll always feel happy to have on your TV.
- We never see a FEMALE Watson. Except now…we do!
- Who doesn’t love the clothing and jewelry that Lucy Liu wears as Watson? Do you remember how much I already love Elementary jewelry before I was watching?
- Sherlock and Watson are such great characters, and you can’t ever tire of them. You just can’t. There’s a wealth of material there.
The people in charge of the series are serious about making this a quality show. - Ever since the essential 90’s movie Hackers, with Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller has been captivating us all. Okay, especially me.
- Some shows are hard to marathon, but this isn’t the case with Elementary. I personally hadn’t found time to get into the show as it aired last year, but I was always interested in it. Picking up the first season on DVD is a great late Summer idea, because there’s not a ton of other things on and I’ve been able to devote hours every day to living in this fun world with Miller and Liu. (BTW, shows I find hard to marathon? Mad Men and Breaking Bad.)
- The show is beautifully executed. This is especially relieving, as another remake, at first, seemed like a very dangerous idea to tackle.
- Let’s talk about Sherlock again. A very good show. And Elementary doesn’t try to copy it at all. They are entirely different, and neither copies the other.
- The episodes are procedural rather than serialized, which is something most people seem to enjoy. (I like either.) This also lends to letting you watch the episodes more randomly and even out of order, meaning if you buy the DVD and watch the first three episodes one month, then don’t get to the other’s until two months later, you won’t feel lost or like you have to go backtrack and watch everything you’ve already seen. The procedural system means each episode is self-contained, with a “case of the week” mentality. (Think like: Bones, House M.D.)
The season 1 DVD of Elementary is available in just a few days…
Score Elementary Season 1 DVD from this Amazon link on Small Screen Scoop and save $12.00!
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JONNY LEE MILLER AND LUCY LIU HEADLINE PREMIERE SEASON COLLECTION OF TELEVISION’S #1 NEW SERIES
ELEMENTARY
THE FIRST SEASON
Fans Can Experience Every Thrilling Mystery Of The Hit Show’s Debut Season On August 27
Exclusive Special Features Include All-New Interviews With Cast And Crew
New Holmes. New Watson. New York. Experience the “Best New Show” (The New York Times) when ELEMENTARY – THE FIRST SEASON arrives on DVD on August 27 from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution. Starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, ELEMENTARY was the #1 new drama of the 2012-2013 broadcast season. ELEMENTARY – THE FIRST SEASON DVD includes all 24 crime-solving episodes from the debut season.
An episode still from “Details”– Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) encourages Joan (Lucy Liu) to learn self-defense, on ELEMENTARY, on Thursday, Feb. 14 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Jeffrey Neira/CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
What makes the Elementary DVD stand out?
A broad array of new special features, only available within ELEMENTARY – THE FIRST SEASON DVD collection, include “A Holmes Of Their Own” in which series creator Rob Doherty and executive producer Carl Beverly, along with Miller and Liu, discuss the new series and “In Liu Of Watson,” featuring a newly produced interview with Liu describing her character’s evolution throughout the first season. In addition, viewers can also follow Dr. Watson behind-the-scenes in the “Set Tour with Lucy Liu” featurette and take a look back as the cast and crew review the first season in the special feature, “Holmes Sweet Holmes.” The set also includes a five-part web series called “Power of Observation.” A special bonus disc that will be available exclusively at Target will include the featurette, “Elementary Super-Sized,” which will give fans an inside look at the making of the episode that aired on Big Game Day post-Super Bowl episode of the series through interviews with the cast, director and show runners.
Watson and Holmes discuss their plans. Photo: Jeffrey Neira/CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
What is Elementary about?
The modern day drama about the iconic crime-solving duo, ELEMENTARY – THE FIRST SEASON, stars Miller as detective Sherlock Holmes, in a performance that is “…superb and compelling…” (The Hollywood Reporter), and Liu as Dr. Joan Watson. In this contemporary take, Holmes is joined by Watson, a former surgeon who is hired by Holmes’ wealthy father to help keep the eccentric detective sober while he works as a consultant to Captain Thomas Gregson (Aidan Quinn) and Detective Marcus Bell (Jon Michael Hill) to crack the NYPD’s most impossible cases. ELEMENTARY – THE FIRST SEASON also includes notable guest stars including Craig Bierko, Anika Noni Rose, Lisa Edelstein, Vinnie Jones and John Hannah.
The duo even sit in specific ways. One is confident, the other composed. Photo: Jeffrey Neira/CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The details
ELEMENTARY – THE FIRST SEASON will be available as a six-disc DVD collection, and will be presented in 16×9 full frame with English 5.1 Dolby Digital and English 2.0 Stereo Surround Dolby Digital, with English SDH, Brazilian Portuguese and Latin American Subtitles. The Target exclusive bonus disc is also available in 16×9 full frame with English 2.0 Stereo Surround Dolby Digital with English SDH. The DVD is Not Rated in the U.S. and rated XX in Canada. The total running time is approximately 17 hours, and 18 minutes. It will be available for the suggested retail price of $64.99 U.S. and $69.99 Canada.
Disc One:
- Pilot
- While You Were Sleeping
- Child Predator
- Rat Race
- Special Features:
o A Holmes Of Their Own
o In Liu Of Watson
Disc Two:
- Lesser Evils
- Flight Risk
- One Way To Get Off
- The Long Fuse
Disc Three:
- You Do It To Yourself
- The Leviathan
- Dirty Laundry
- M.
Disc Four:
- The Red Team
- The Deductionist
- A Giant Gun, Filled With Drugs
- Details
Disc Five:
- Possibility Two
- Déjà Vu All Over Again
- Snow Angles
- Dead Man’s Switch
Disc Six:
- A Landmark Story
- Risk Management
- The Woman/ Heroine
- Special Features:
o Holmes Sweet Holmes
o Set Tour With Lucy Liu
o Power of Observation – six-part web series
Target Exclusive Bonus Disc:
- Elementary Super-Sized
- Photo Montage
- Cast Biographies
Disclaimer: Item provided for review.
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