Elementary: "Pilot" Review

Advance Review: The idea of updating Sherlock Holmes is nothing new. It's not even new for CBS, which has twice before aired modern-day series based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective (The Return of Sherlock Holmes in 1987 and the radically differently titled Sherlock Holmes Returns in 1993). But this latest iteration is notable for coming out at a time when Holmes is enjoying a resurgence on screens both big and small. Tempted as I am to compare and contrast Elementary's version of Sherlock Holmes to the recent Guy Ritchie film franchise or the Steven Moffat series (still my favorite) or even Hugh Laurie's Dr. House, I'm going to try and stick to evaluating the premiere on its own merits.

But let me just say this before moving on - if you enjoy Elementary and you haven't yet seen Moffat's Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, track it down and watch it immediately. You won't be sorry. Then you can come back to Elementary and bask in the notion that there will be a fourth episode a week after the third, and then another one after that, and so on for likely 13 episodes at the very least, and probably 22 in one whole year if it gets a full-season order. Of course, just those 13 would be more than twice as many episodes as Sherlock has had in its two seasons combined.

The case that kicks off the series is a standard murder mystery, with twists and turns no more surprising or extraordinary than those you might find on Law & Order, or any other procedural show (and not, as far as I know, based on any particular Doyle story). What sets Elementary apart is the enigmatic personality of Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) himself and the unique way he reacts to his surroundings. He leaves rehab early to offer his skills as a consultant, free of charge, to the NYPD via a former colleague, Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn). Worried about his son's rash actions, Holmes' father --- unseen for now, though producers say we will meet him -- hires a "sobriety companion" to follow him around and make sure he doesn't use. That companion, of course, turns out to be Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), a washed up surgeon who finds that solving murders is a lot more fun than glorified babysitting.

Miller gives us a more emotionally vulnerable Holmes than we've seen before. He's had his heart broken and is recovering from drug addiction, exiled to New York for the convenience of an American television show. These scars are close enough to the surface they sometimes get in the way of the cold, robotic analysis we're used to seeing from the ultimate detective. He still makes instant appraisals of total strangers based on deductive reasoning but, at least in the pilot, it's often as much a trick of smoke and mirrors (and Google) as it is the unrestrained tick of a genius mind. This Sherlock is good at looking like he has a master plan, even when he's just losing his temper. He may not always be in control, but it seems like he is. And if there's one thing Miller is good at, it's looking cool.

As fascinating as he is, we can't truly appreciate Holmes' intellect without Watson by his side to serve as an exposition device, someone to ask, "How did you know that?" Liu's Watson is quite capable, almost his equal. She even picks on clues he misses. Based on this first episode, it doesn't seem like the show will immediately be exploring a romantic angle between the two, but by casting a woman as Watson the door will always be open for that possibility. So far, I like platonic working relationship the two have established in the pilot, even if it is muddied by the fact that Watson's loyalties are divided between Sherlock and his father. I hope the writers can resist messing with it for a while - and for what it's worth executive producer Robert Doherty says he doesn't intend to make things romantic between Holmes and Watson. Regardless though, that relationship will keep viewers coming back to the show more than the weekly cases, I suspect.

Speaking of the cases, it's worth pointing out that it isn't just the other versions of Sherlock Holmes that Elementary has to contend with, but all the other procedural shows on television now as well. This kind of detective storytelling has become so formulaic it's difficult to be original or shocking. The first hour does a good job of introducing us to a new Sherlock, but I predict the ongoing challenge of making this show will be to keep the storylines as smart as the main character.

Elementary premieres Thursday, September 26th at 10pm on CBS.

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The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - "Code Red" Review

Warning: full episode spoilers follow.

This week's episode of Earth's Mightiest Heroes was nothing if not ambitious. "Code Red" was a loose adaptation of the comic book storyline of the same name (penned by Geoff Johns in a rare foray into the Marvel Universe). But it also brought Red Hulk back into the forefront as well as exploring the mystery of Winter Soldier and his connection to Captain America. Needless to say, the script bit off a bit more than it could feasibly chew in the span of 22 minutes, but "Code Red" was entertaining nonetheless.

The episode got off to a strong, slightly creepy start as Red Skull's virus spread and morphed all it touched into sickly, red-skinned, almost zombie-like creatures. This was some unusually creepy imagery for an animated superhero series, and it lent a nice darker edge to the episode. Unfortunately, the scope of Red Skull's attack was very limited compared to the original story. Rather than being a global pandemic, the Code Red virus only impacted the Avengers and the Manhattan civilians in the immediate vicinity. Ideally, this conflict could have been spread across multiple episodes, with one devoted to the Avengers battling against and ultimately succumbing to the virus, and the second shifting focus to Secretary of State Dell Rusk and his gang of superhuman enforcers.

It was strange seeing Doc Samson, Red Hulk, and Falcon relegated to what essentially qualified as hired muscle. The writers seemed inspired by Jeph Loeb's Hulk work in both the brawl between Red Hulk and Thor and the fact that Red Hulk was a member of a team comprised solely of characters who wear red costumes. Luckily, all three contributed to some memorable action scenes. The highlight was easily the Red Hulk/Thor battle, which was fierce enough to literally rock the Statue of Liberty on its foundations. Falcon showed his bad-ass side as well in the fight with Hawkeye, which should help win him some new fans in advance of his starring role in the upcoming Avengers Assemble series. Lance Reddick's vocal work certainly didn't hurt. Reddick, Fred Tatasciore (Red Hulk), and Steve Blum (Red Skull) all delivered memorable performances this week.

But again, the script was juggling more material than it could really handle, and the final minutes were really weighed down by the rush to the finish line. Winter Soldier's transition from loyal minion to Cap's savior was abrupt, to say the least. There wasn't even much indication as to what turned him against Skull. Red Hulk quietly vanished, while Samson's recent misdeeds were quickly explained away as a product of brainwashing. In the final moments, the Avengers discuss the downfall of Dell Rusk's political career and the resulting swell of public support for the Avengers, but this is all material that might have worked better if it were shown rather than told to viewers. Ultimately, Code Red either required more running time or a more narrow focus on Cap, Winter Soldier, and Red Skull.

Luckily, this isn't the end for these particular plot threads. Next week's episode will delve deeper into the Winter Soldier mystery, while the following installment (whenever Disney XD chooses to actually air it) will finally bring Hulk back into the fold and reveal Red Hulk's secrets. We're entering the final stretch for this series, and it looks to be an eventful time for Avengers fans.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following Jesse on Twitter, or on IGN.

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Hero Worship: Darth Vader Still Rules

I’ve got nothing terribly profound to discuss this week, so I wanted to take some time to showcase something that I think has been underserved in the comics community.

Earlier this week, I was pleasantly surprised by the conclusion of Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison, the latest mini-series from Dark Horse Comics to spotlight the beloved Sith Lord in all of his glory. There are tons of Star Wars comics on the market these days, but Ghost Prison is the first in quite some time that captures everything I adore about the franchise. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that the comic did more to push the boundaries of the series than any of the sequels/prequels, save Empire Strikes Back.

Check our reviews for Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison!

Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison is set months after Episode III as the Empire has taken hold of the galaxy and have begun to expand radically, training recruits at a rapid pace. The story centers around an Imperial cadet named Tohm that finds himself in the midst of rebellion and soon, fighting by Vader’s side. The story that ensues is not the typical Star Wars tale of black-and-white morality but instead a complex and tragic exploration of an average man’s loyalty to his leaders.

And though Tohm is in the spotlight, this series serves to underscore the ruthlessness of Darth Vader that we really only ever hear about in the films. By the story’s conclusion, we’re given a new appreciation for the coldness of Vader’s character that, after decades of exposure and perhaps even overuse, we have started to forget.

While I’m a fan of the prequels, they don’t do much in the way of showcasing Vader’s assistance in constructing the Empire. By the time we get to Vader in A New Hope, he’s more or less Tarkin’s lackey. And when Return of the Jedi rolls around, the series has shifted to portray Vader as a far more sympathetic character. Only in Empire do we see Vader as a true villain that transcends his cool look and becomes something terrifying. But most of his horrible past deeds are done off screen.

I’ve never really found myself reading licensed comics for anything other than continuing the adventures of some favorite characters. For the most part, they exist not to progress or expand these characters but rather to simply let them keep on living. In fact, the licensed comics that directly involve characters from the movies or TV shows (as opposed to peripheral characters or new characters set in the same universe) are essentially locked into the established continuity. In some cases where the comics are continuing a story – like the Buffy or Smallville comics – continuity is less restricting because it only needs to adhere to the past.

In the case of Star Wars, Vader’s tales need to adhere to the past and the future, which you’d think would be limiting. Instead, the Ghost Prison mini-series takes full advantage of our knowledge of where Vader’s been and where he’s going, and instead uses it to flesh out this character. Because of this story, I’ll never look at Vader’s relationships with the other Imperials in A New Hope the same ever again.

Alongside things like The Force Unleashed, I have a greater appreciation for the power of Vader’s character than ever before, most notably his power of manipulation. You know when Admiral Motti steps to Vader in that Death Star roundtable scene? The tension is retroactively even greater because I know what Vader is capable of doing to his allies to benefit his own cause.

I guess what I’m saying is, licensed comics should dare to do more with the characters, and those who license them should encourage it. Ghost Prison proves that there is plenty of room for growth and exploration within even the most confined spaces of continuity. In the meantime, I urge you to give this book a try – no matter how jaded about Star Wars you’ve become.

And if you’re jaded, stop. Star Wars still rules.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.

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Superboy #0 Review

Fans of exposition and recapitulation get ready. This book is chock full of it. If you’ve followed the series, you will learn next to nothing. Superboy #0 is a filler issue if ever there was one.

Yes, Tom DeFalco’s script does add a bit of backstory, strange as it is. Sadly, the greater part of the book is a rehash of the first few issues of the series. Worse, there is an epic, grating voiceover/monologue by Harvest that lasts almost the entire issue. It does explain how Harvest fits into the whole convoluted scheme, but it fails to register as interesting.

RB Silva and Rob Lean try to inject some energy into the story, but the final product remains relatively low key. There are some good moments of suddenness in a few of the action scenes, but the familiarity of the story limits their impact. The character design for Kon is unimpressive, as the character resembles the average post-apocalyptic revolutionary a bit too much.

There’s not much reason to pick up this issue. It’s dull and lacks significant insight into Superboy’s backstory. Like so many of these #0 issues, this story doesn’t need its own issue. The class warfare and climate change themes percolating below the surface are interesting and preachy, respectively, but they don’t have much to do with the story. This is definitely a book to skip.

Poet is a freelance writer, mid-core gamer, and frequent IGN contributor. Follow Poet on Twitter, or post a message on his IGN profile.

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Joss Whedon's S.H.I.E.L.D. TV Series to Feature New Characters

While at the Toronto International Film Festival promoting his film, Much Ado About Nothing, Joss Whedon sat down with MTV News and revealed that the Marvel S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series that he's currently developing is "very far" along in the developmental process and that he's already pitched it to ABC - with new S.H.I.E.L.D. characters in place of Nick Fury, Agent Coulson and Maria Hill.

Click the pic to watch the interview over at MTV.

One of the things fans have been speculating about is how involved would Fury and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, most recently seen in Whedon's The Avengers, would be on a week-to-week TV show.  Budget-wise and availability-wise.  So this idea of new agents and characters answers that question.

"It's new characters" Whedon stated. "It needs to be it's own thing. It needs to be adjacent, but you don't want to do a show where you're constantly going, 'Iron Man just left, but he was totally here a minute ago.' You want them to do their own thing. What does S.H.I.E.L.D. got that the heroes don't have? To me, it's that they're not superheroes. But they live in that universe. Even though they're a big organization, that makes them underdogs and that's interesting to me."

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Lionsgate Buys Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing

Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions announced today that they've acquired filmmaker Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing, a contemporary adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic comedy.

Unlike his blockbuster The Avengers, Much Ado is a low-budget indie shot in black & white. Whedon filmed it in less than two weeks at his home upon completing Avengers. It's the first production of his micro-studio Bellwether Pictures.

The film, which screened at this week's Toronto International Film Festival, stars such Whedon veterans as Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz, Jillian Morgese, Sean Maher, Clark Gregg, and Reed Diamond.

“I’m thrilled to be working with my cronies at Lionsgate again, and with The Roadside team," said Whedon in a statement. "That they all embrace a Shakespearean romance with the same enthusiasm they had for 'Cabin in the Woods' shows that they’re exactly the mad fools we want to be partying – I mean working – with.”

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