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EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of Sherlock Holmes getting a successful contemporary makeover in features with the Robert Downey Jr.-starring franchise, and on public television with Masterpiece Theater’s Sherlock, the famous 19th century British detective is headed for a commercial TV series update. CBS has bought Sherlock Holmes, a drama project from CBS TV Studios and studio-based Timberman/Beverly Prods., which is described as a modern take on the cases of the pipe-smoking private eye created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Rob Doherty is writing and will executive produce with Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly. Timberman/Beverly has 2 new series on CBS this fall, Unforgettable and A Gifted Man.
In other CBS buys, the network has put in development Mommy-Track Mysteries, a series adaptation of Ayelet Waldman’s comedic series of books about Juliet Applebaum, a public defender turned stay-at-home-mom and private investigator. Waldman will write the adaptation, with Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper serving as non-writing executive producers. The Mommy-Track Mysteries series includes 6 novels: The Big Nap (2001), A Playdate With Death (2002), Death Gets a Time-Out (2003), Murder Plays House (2004), The Cradle Robbers (2005) and Bye-Bye, Black Sheep (2006)
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This may actually be worth watching for laughs, it will set new standards for bad remake. Who wants to bet their Watson will be female so they can have a thrilling will they/won’t they UST moment ever week?
Ummm, hasn’t anyone noticed that there is already an American update version of Sherlock Holmes on tv right now? “House”, anyone? House/Holmes, Wilson/Watson, his team being the equivalent of the Baker Street Irregulars? His apartment address is 221B Baker Street? There’s an episode where he writes a check and the closeup of the address is actually 221B, etc. Kind of a successful show, too! Hmmm mm…
Because the BBC has an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, this American adaptation must be a remake?
Yea… I’m going to stick with BBC Sherlock. Beside we kind of already have a modern version of Sherlock Holmes since House is based off of him.
I came to this article via another one which suggested Ricky Gervais play the title role. Well, there’s irony for you, since he’s one of the original creators of “The Office” which was series made by the BBC and hailed as a classic in its home country and then later remade successfully in America.
Last year, the BBC made “Sherlock”, a modern update of the Sherlock Holmes stories and it was almost universally lauded by the critics and with huge audiences in the UK.
And what is CBS now proposing to do? It sounds like Gervais may indeed have something to offer, although probably from behind the camera rather than in front of it.
The BBC’s “Sherlock” had Martin Freeman, from the British version of “The Office”, playing Dr Watson. He’s off “hobbiting” at the moment, but maybe they could persuade John Krasinski to play John Watson?
Or Tom Watson, maybe? After all Tim became Jim when “The Office” moved to America.
Hey, I’m sceptical too, but somewhat amused by it all as well. And y’never know. It could be okay or even so bad that it’s fun to watch for the lulz.
I concur. The BBC version that apepared on PBS was a brilliant modern re-interpretation of a classic. If CBS wants this same show, just contract with the BBC to increase production (although Martin Freeman is probably tied up for a couple of years with the Hobbitt movies).
An American Sherlock with no British accent we DO NOT need. And there is already a modern Sherlock on the air with an American accent (from a British actor) – House is Sherlock in hospital.
Not much of a Original Idea any more is it, what with House and BBC’s Sherlock. True BBC Sherlock only has 3 episodes but they are 1hr 30mins long and are basically small films, and I bet CBS will makes theirs so much shorter. Some of my American friends wont watch British TV because they can’t understand the accents… while Canada, Australia, NZ, Uk all seem to be able to watch each others stuff no problem and the Americans stuff with their slang which I don’t understand, and I still what it so that’s not an excuse. Maybe those types of Americans are just a bit thick? or unable to understand that some brilliant shows aren’t made in America?
I am so sick of America taking every great British show and remaking (read: ruining) them. And I’m American! There’s no need for it. Especially one this good. Modern-day Holmes should just be retired as an idea because it has been done to the absolute best it ever could be. There is no replacing Benedict Cumberbatch. Do your research, CBS.
The article doesn’t actually say that CBS’ Sherlock Holmes will be contemporary. It says the show is described as “a modern take” on Sherlock Holmes. Meaning that it could just be the TAKE that’s modern, and not the setting. The RDJ movies are a modern take on the character as well.
As far as I’m concerned, you can never have too many versions of Sherlock Holmes. He’s a great character open to wide interpretation. That said, if they ARE indeed doing a contemporary spin, then I agree with everyone else here that they’re setting themselves up for failure compared to the brilliance of the Moffat and Gatiss version!
While we’re on the topic of American remakes that completely ruined a series, why has no one even mentioned Life on Mars?
Why do American companies think they can make British things theirs? Sherlock Holmes is English, but it’s a guarantee that CBS will find an American actor who can’t do an English accent to play him. I don’t watch Sherlock but one modern version is really enough. Making another is just ruining it even more.
Some suggestions for how CBS could improve Sherlock Holmes: make Holmes gay and/or African-American or Asian and/or a woman; make Watson gay and/or African-American or Asian and/or a woman; add plenty of high-tech, crime fighting gadgets; car chases, lots of car chases, are essential, especially when a car flips and rolls and crashes; explosions are a must; guns, more guns and even more guns; a regular guest star from the rap scene; a pumped up soundtrack; set the whole thing somewhere more contemporary, like New York or LA or outer space; introduce a cute pet, such as a cat or dog; make Holmes the head of an international corporation who fights crime as a hobby after recovering from 9/11 or serving in Afghanistan; remove all references to anything non-PC, such as smoking and/or drug taking and/or drinking; change the characters’ names to something more American, such as Holmesenhower and Watsonstein; put numbers after their names to introduce historical continuity, like the lll or even Jr. Or are you already ahead of me here?
Please note that I’m saying all of this as a devoted Mark Gatiss fan, and as an equally devoted BBC Sherlock fan.
I heard all of these things just over a year ago when BBC was about to show the Sherlock series. Everyone said that Sherlock Holmes shouldn’t be messed with and a modern adaptation would probably be an embarrassment. Several Sherlocks can co-exist! Stephen Moffatt and Mark Gatiss were originally criticized for not being original in choosing to adapt Sherlock instead of just coming up with their own drama. I’m not saying that CBS will do nearly the job that they’ve done (in fact, I don’t expect their “updated Sherlock” to be very good at all), but I don’t think that Sherlock Holmes, as a character, will suffer from a few bad portrayals. He’s lasted over 100 years and over 75 portrayals already!
Besides, if a really bad version attracts people to the original stories, and then to Basil Rathbone, and then to the BBC Sherlock, then it will have done some good!
Also, I hope that if the CBS version does steal ideas from the BBC version, that it does it so blatantly that we can all laugh at it & the BBC can make enough money from a lawsuit that they don’t have to increase the license fees!
PS All these anti-American comments do get tiring after a while to all of us Americans. But maybe that’s why we always portray you guys as the villains!
Oh no please just don’t. If you want a modern Sherlock then watch the BBC version. What part of that makes you think its not good enough and you need to make your own “better” version? The BBC Sherlock is FLAWLESS if you want it longer then just show 30 mins or each episode a week or something!
Dear Jim…
Please will you fix it for me; to get rid of this awful, American adaptation…
They did it recently. It was called “Monk”.
I haven’t seen the British Sherlock Holmes (although I must say after reading all your comments that I’m interested). I do agree with the general principle. America took Being Human’s characters, wardrobe, and SCRIPT, word for word, and chucked them into an American setting. That’s just not right. If you’re going to remake something from another country, at least change it somehow!
I agree w/ all the various quips about the BBC version of Sherlock, but this is NOT a remake of that show. Simply put it is, “a modern version of Sherlock”. Now, Moffat and Gatiss did their take on a modern Sherlock and it’s brilliant and very British. I agree that an American Sherlok detective series won’t be as bold and inventive as it’s BBC contemporary.
I’ve long felt that “The Mentalist” on CBS is already a modern take on Sherlock Holmes, excluding the serial-killer-revenge conceit of course.
Developing a “new” modern update on Sherlock seems like an attempt to capitalize on the name more than the concept… something we Americans have been doing for decades (empty-product name-capitalization).
Oh dear… I’ll inevitably watch it, but I suspect the quality of this show wont be much to speak of… Cumberbatch currently IS Sherlock Holmes, just as Brett was Holmes in the 80s.
I would hope any of you out there who are saying oh this CBS show will be fine would rent or do netflix or whatever to actually Watch the BBC (shown on PBS)SHERLOCK because I imagine you haven’t seen it. You can’t improve on its excellence.
Accents – what if you do miss a word here and there it doesn’t affect the incredible acting in this series.
Sherlock Holmes has been made a modern detective numerous times. House, Monk, Gil Grissom from CSI, Detective Goren from L&O Criminal Intent…most geniuis, but flawed detectives on television are derivatives of Sherlock. So it will be nothing new, except CBS is putting the Holmes name on the character. Funnily enough, Moffat seemed to know nothing of this and basically accused CBS of stealing his idea on twitter (I know, CBS doesn’t owe him or the BBC anything). It’s frustrating, but not because they are taking the British series. Rather, they are just doing the same thing we’ve seen numerous times already.
Isn’t the CBS modern Sherlock remake called “The Mentalist”?
People will compare, even if you don’t want them to. Plus the BBC version is very recent, still on going… Basically, I’m not against it but due to Sherlock’s success, like many I think it is a waist of time and money.
Sheesh, give the show a chance before you complain! I love the BBC version but this isn’t going to be a remake. I’m sure the CBS show will take some distinct approach that will make it different from House or The Mentalist OR BBC Sherlock. There’s always room for more Sherlock Holmes, he’s been on stage and screen (not to mention books by different authors) for over 100 years and everyone still manages to bring something different enough that people keep watching. The more Holmes the merrier.
I do worry a little about possible overlap if this new series sticks with canon (not terribly likely if they plan to go on for seasons) and if that’d discourage BBC Sherlock from doing something.
Yeah, sure, CBS will do something completely unique — like making Sherlock Holmes into some dime-a-dozen hollywood, brad pitt faced, six pack abs, etc. dark/broody detective…I’m seeing Holmes and Watson with tans for some reason…either way, they’ll sex up the characters to compete with everything else on american tv. One of the reasons why I follow some British shows is because their actors/actresses look REAL and not photoshopped.
No, it won’t be a “remake.” But, if it ever actually makes it to the screen, it can’t help but suffer by comparison to the BBC Sherlock.
Then it will be cancelled & all the money that could have gone into an original show will have been wasted. Or maybe the suits could bankroll a new look at another franchise. Who thought a new Battlestar Galactica would be any good?