Sherlock Holmes is an iconic fictional character from Conan Doyle’s novels that has been adapted into TV shows, games, and movies for decades. While Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock gained popularity in the 2010s, its Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu rendition of the iconic detective duo caught fans’ attention the longest. And it’s not just because Dr. Watson is a woman. Many fans of the intelligent British detective might see this as another gender swap to fit the changing times or meet a quota on set but there is more to this American Dr. Watson in the show Elementary than meets the eye. She is brilliant and confident and has the characteristics the novels have been missing.
In most adaptations of Sherlock Holmes’s trusted sidekick, Dr. John Watson, is a man. In BBC’s Sherlock, Watson is a former military doctor who ends up living with Sherlock when he is looking for a roommate. In Elementary, Watson and Sherlock meet because the detective needs a sober companion while working on kicking his heroin addiction. She is a surgeon who lost her license and doesn’t want to renew it after losing a patient. However, that only scratches the surface of how good Liu is as Holmes’s trusted confidant, Watson. Here is more on how Elementary gave fans the best interpretation of Dr. Watson.
Joan Watson Isn’t Just a Female Version of John Watson
While Sherlock’s John and Elementary’s Joan are former doctors, these characters couldn’t be any more different. In Doyle’s books, Watson is a low-profile guy who is utterly loyal to Holmes no matter what situation they find themselves in. However, in Elementary, while dealing with a career crisis of her own, Watson stands as an individual with desires and needs outside of Holmes. Even though this takes some time for her to discover, as she gets pulled into his orbit frequently, their detective job works to help her find a purpose and a new career. But the moment she finds herself, they create healthy boundaries and remain friends while working cases together. The role being played by the talented Lucy Liu is one of the major reasons why a female Watson works so well!
Elementary’s Watson Is an Equal Partner to Holmes
One issue most fans have had about recent adaptations of this iconic character is that Watson is always playing Holmes’s sidekick. While this is his role from the novels from which these stories draw inspiration, it does help to have some change. In Elementary, Watson starts as Holmes’ apprentice in the detective business but soon can stand on her own, having nurtured her investigative abilities to a professional level. Watson isn’t a background character in Elementary. Instead, she is Holmes’ partner and equal. Holmes even respects this about her, treating her with more care than other people in his life. She takes on some cases herself, and Holmes trusts her to do the work even without his supervision. It makes her more confident and bold, which is better than having her stay in the shadows while Holmes does all the work, as with other Sherlock Holmes shows.
Romance Wasn’t at the Centre of Her Relationship with Holmes
One of the many expectations when Elementary aired with a female Watson was a romantic relationship. It wouldn’t be surprising, considering most American TV shows don’t miss a chance to have the lead characters in a romantic relationship if they have even the slightest chemistry, which was the case with Liu and Lee Miller. It would have been easy to have these two characters fall in love and work together to solve cases in New York. But Elementary goes in another direction.
The two have a solid platonic relationship that helps them both through tough times in their lives. It also helps that Liu’s Watson isn’t a damsel in distress who needs constant saving. This personality trait makes it easier for viewers to believe that a romantic relationship with Holmes isn’t the first thing on her mind. In BBC’s Sherlock, Holmes and Watson are the epitome of a brotherly bond, and they spend the series growing their relationship. Their bromance made for entertaining television just in the same way Watson and Holmes’s relationship in Elementary was always exciting to see. Here’s a detailed rundown of the cast of Elementary here.
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