Seeing one of my favourite TV shows from the UK, BBC's modern rendition of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, in Maclean's magazine got me very excited. The show has won several awards and is gaining mass audiences. How often do you see British television in the mainstream North American media? That is why I got really excited to see it in Maclean's, because it is truly proof of the gaining popularity this current 6 episode mini-series is getting. It is not surprising, then, that other television corporations are eager to ride on the coattails of Sherlock's success. A very prominent example is CBS's upcoming show, Elementary, which will also feature a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, except in New York rather than London. There is already a lot of spite among the Sherlock fans towards Elementary, after the co-creators of Sherlock consulted the creators of Elementary saying they did not want them to continue because they were the original creators of the modern-day Sherlock Holmes idea. It is instances like these that raise the question - is originality dead? Is there literally no unique ideas out there, or has the media taught us to take the easy route and rely on the success of others? It seems to be making television companies money anyhow, so why make the effort of being original?
I agree with you, Emily, when you say that other shows are riding on the coattails of Sherlock's success. As a person who has read many of the original Conan Doyle books, I am looking at these reinterpretations of his books with disdain. We continually seek to modernize, refresh, what has been done in the past. Sometimes they work, like in Sherlock, and sometimes, they don't, like I am imagining Elementary will. (Sorry to anyone who wishes to defend Elementary, but I've read quite a bit about it, and they have changed the original canon too much for my tastes). All in all, I think that originality is stifled. Everything that we produce comes through from the past. We are all just recycling ideas. But recycling-- is that creative or not?
I personally think that most things now days are actually pretty original. Maybe not TV shows, but definately movies are original, along with video games and books. A good example of the originality of entertainment is that many consumers dislike seeing the same stuff all the time, and they demand originality. So companies are forced to come up with new ideas. I dont think that its dead, i think its alive and well
Ben, I am not sure I can agree with you. Movies are hardly original. I mean, let slook at last week's big three films. 1. Madagasscar 3 A sequel with the same animals trying to escape only to wait, find that when they escape it is not what they had hoped it would be. Wow, never seen that story before. 2. Rock of Ages Boy meets girl boy losses girl...never seen that before. But, wait this is all done to an obnoxious soundtrack of 80's hair metal that was done on broadway 5 years ago. 3. That's My Boy Do you think Andler and Sandberg will be friends and show their love or one another at the end?
Now, Video Games, I will admit I am less knowledgeable of, but let me ask you...did you shoot anyone today?
I agree with you, Emily, when you say that other shows are riding on the coattails of Sherlock's success. As a person who has read many of the original Conan Doyle books, I am looking at these reinterpretations of his books with disdain. We continually seek to modernize, refresh, what has been done in the past. Sometimes they work, like in Sherlock, and sometimes, they don't, like I am imagining Elementary will. (Sorry to anyone who wishes to defend Elementary, but I've read quite a bit about it, and they have changed the original canon too much for my tastes). All in all, I think that originality is stifled. Everything that we produce comes through from the past. We are all just recycling ideas. But recycling-- is that creative or not?
ReplyDeleteI personally think that most things now days are actually pretty original. Maybe not TV shows, but definately movies are original, along with video games and books. A good example of the originality of entertainment is that many consumers dislike seeing the same stuff all the time, and they demand originality. So companies are forced to come up with new ideas. I dont think that its dead, i think its alive and well
ReplyDeleteBen, I am not sure I can agree with you. Movies are hardly original. I mean, let slook at last week's big three films.
ReplyDelete1. Madagasscar 3
A sequel with the same animals trying to escape only to wait, find that when they escape it is not what they had hoped it would be. Wow, never seen that story before.
2. Rock of Ages
Boy meets girl boy losses girl...never seen that before. But, wait this is all done to an obnoxious soundtrack of 80's hair metal that was done on broadway 5 years ago.
3. That's My Boy
Do you think Andler and Sandberg will be friends and show their love or one another at the end?
Now, Video Games, I will admit I am less knowledgeable of, but let me ask you...did you shoot anyone today?
I agree...originality is dead. But, is that okay?