The decision to move Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) from the foggy streets of London to the bustling boroughs of New York City was a bold gamble. While the BBC’s Sherlock used London as a character in its own right, Elementary used New York to ground its protagonist in a gritty, procedural reality.

The twist? In this universe, Watson is not a bumbling assistant or a chronicler. She is a former doctor, sharp, analytical, and eventually, a detective in her own right. The show’s central relationship is a platonic, deeply respectful partnership—a radical and refreshing take on the Holmes-Watson dynamic.