The other weekend, I was asked my thoughts on some recent thefts. British gems were being smuggled out of England and sold on the streets of the U.S. And I’m not talking diamond and rubies.
In the past decade, some great U.K. shows have been ground down by Hollywood for the North American palate.
Despite their popularity in some groups, Kitchen Nightmares, The Office and Prime Suspect, to name a few, were all-but destroyed once Hollywood got involved.
Although the North American versions eventually improved with time, they never reached the magic of the original U.K. production.
But is it any surprise?
Really, catching a few episodes of Benny Hill, Monty Python and Coronation Street does not make us adept at the minefields of the BBC or the British lifestyle.
We don’t take the Tube or go to the loo. And who among us can claim to have been gob-smacked?
Then there’s the language barrier. The accents, cadence and colloquialisms allow the English to get away with saying just about anything without recourse.
Either we don’t understand or it just sounds too pretty to be insulting.
Sometimes the magic of a show is in those quirky and culturally-specific elements. Take the culture and context out and suddenly, it’s just the same plotlines and characters we’ve seen before – without the magic.
So a lot of British shows don’t translate well. And some viewers are getting tired of Hollywood’s attempts at Americanizing them.
Specifically of concern to one local viewer was CBS’s new show, Elementary.
A fan of the current Sherlock series in the U.K. that stars Benedict Cumberbatch, she was understandably upset.
Not only has Jonny Lee Miller taken Holmes to New York, but Dr. Watson now wears a bra!
Why mess with a great series? Was it really necessary to re-make it?
Well, yes. And no.
Elementary is not an Americanized Sherlock. CBS and Miller are respecting the fundamentals of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation while taking the concept in a different direction from the U.K. production.
If anything, this keeps the sleuth fresh, relevant and alive for audiences.
In fact, in a recent interview, Cumberbatch, himself, stated that he wished people would not compare the two.
“Over 70 actors have played this exceptional character before us. To say that there can be only one Holmes would be ludicrous.”
Sherlock is an icon – a personification of the solution to a mystery – and proof that we’re all walking riddles.
This characterization can fit anywhere, and has inspired everyone.
Jonny Lee Miller has done a masterful job in the role.
Of course, the initial North American problems with the accent, cadence and colloquialisms make him even more endearing – but probably drive the show’s writers to drink on occasion.
It’s easy to fall for Jonny and company. Dare I say … it’s Elementary.
