Elementary: The Second Season - DVD [6 Discs]

I must also admit that although I grew up reading and enjoying all the Sherlock Holmes stories, I am usually disappointed by their TV and film adaptations. This series has been an exceptional stand out, and I highly recommend it for any Holmes fan. I picked up the DVD sets of Seasons One and Two. I do suggest you start with Season One before watching Season Two, so you can appreciate the progress of characters, relationships and sub-plots. Season One establishes the relationship between Holmes and Watson, how they come together, and the season ends with episodes involving Dr. Moriarty. Season Two explores their partnership and living compatibility, has an episode filmed in London to show Holmes' back story, and brings in Inspector Lestrade and much more with Holmes' brother Mycroft. I enjoy seeing how characters and plots from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories are being worked into the series. The modern treatment of Holmes and Watson - placing them in NYC, making Watson a female, showing Holmes as a recovering addict, having them work with the NYPD, etc. - is both creative and fresh while still being respectful of the original material. The essence of the characters and their relationships remains true but there's far more depth and background now. It also makes Holmes more believable in a modern day setting. I would imagine it difficult to come up with new story-lines each week for Holmes but there are no bad episodes in either season (I have yet to see season three, though it gets great reviews from fans). I think all the actors have been very well chosen for their roles and they complement each other very well. Holmes' character has so many quirky expressions and mannerisms that it's impossible to take your eyes off him. Essentially, each episode plays out like a crime drama but there's far more importance on the character development here, compared to other TV crime dramas. Also, in comparison to ANY other TV show I've EVER seen, Holmes (especially) has very long scenes of dialogue to deliver... it must be an especially demanding role simply for the memorization of lines, and I think Johnny Lee Miller (and Lucy Lui) deserve awards for this! Now that I've praised the show, I should explain why I've deducted one star from the season two DVD package. First, as others have mentioned, there are often times when Holmes dialogue is hard to hear. These are usually quiet scenes where he is conversing with Watson and while we can clearly hear her, his voice is a very quiet mumble/whisper. I don't believe this to be a problem with the DVD but a problem with how the show was filmed. I happens in several episodes and I do hope they correct this on future releases. Compared to DVD's of other TV series, this show is much more expensive, so wait for it to go on sale.

If you enjoy "Elementary," you won't want to miss out on the 6-disc second season! As usual, there are numerous intriguing and mysterious cases for Sherlock and Joan to solve, and, as an added bonus, Sherlock's brother Mycroft makes a re-appearance in their lives much to Sherlock's disapproval. Mycroft's dealings cause Sherlock to delve into a very complex and dark case in which he, Holmes and Joan have all become entangled and which solving or not solving equates with the difference of life or death. Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu shine in their performances as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Joan Watson. Highly entertaining and engaging mysteries to try to solve one's self. I strongly recommend it. Well worth the money.

Great delivery! This show is awesome and it came in better shape than season one which had a small piece of plastic broken on the case itself, none of the discs appear to be scratched on the first season, this one is still sealed but no plastic pieces are rattling around inside the case so it's good to go!

"Elementary" is my favorite TV series - the best on network television. The modern-day slant on Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson is brilliant and intriguing. Due to work hours, I missed several season-two shows and had to buy the DVD to catch up. It's a great complete series to own! The undercurrent of romance between Holmes and the female Dr Watson adds a whole new tension to the story. I highly recommend you buy the DVDs and see ALL the shows!

As with most Sherlock Holmes programs, this is intelligent and thought provoking. Highly entertaining. I had some trouble warming up to Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock, but he now has me totally won over. The character development has been steady, giving the characters more interest and humanity. The 2nd season was even better than the 1st. A must have.