The crime drama “Elementary” takes Sir Conan Doyle’s beloved characters, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and reinvents them with amazing results.

The series follows Holmes (Johnny Lee Miller), a young recovering drug addict who is as bizarre as he is brilliant. He lives in a large brownstone in New York owned by his father and spends his time assisting the NYPD on homicide investigations. His observations and deduction skills surpass even the most experienced detectives. With his trained eyes, he is able to solve murders with unlikely and tangled truths.

Holmes is an eccentric, yet lovable character who isn’t nearly as concerned with social norms as he is with reading police files and beekeeping on his roof.

Initially a “sober companion” hired by Sherlock’s father, Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) joins Holmes during investigations. As the series progresses, so do her investigating skills. When she is no longer needed as a sober companion, she officially becomes Holmes’s assistant. The smart, talented and strong character softens Holmes’s edges with her determination and compassion. Together, Holmes and Watson solve cases that leave the NYPD stumped.

The relationship between Sherlock and Watson is one of the best parts of the show. Surprisingly absent of sexual tension, their relationship is built on trust, respect and mutual understanding. Watson respects Sherlock as the brilliant man he is and tolerates all of his quirks and oddities. Sherlock trusts Watson and appreciates her knack for unraveling mysteries. This unique and unusual relationship is refreshing and entertaining.

Most of the humor in the show comes from interactions between the two protagonists. Their banter is rapid fire and their verbal jabs are clever and sharp. At the end of the day they have each other’s back no matter what.

Another big strength of the crime drama is the cases Sherlock and Watson set out to solve. Every homicide, robbery and kidnapping is extremely engrossing and different from the rest. The mysteries usually involve several twists and turns that keep the viewer guessing as Sherlock picks up details most people would never notice.
Whenever it seems a case has hit a dead end, he is ready to crack it wide open with unusual answers, creating surprising and satisfying endings.

“Elementary” is quite unlike other crime shows on television nowadays with its brilliant, witty and unexpected writing. It doesn’t follow the same predictable formula so many other series use. Instead, it relies on ingenuity and creativity.

The fourth season of “Elementary” will premiere at 10 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5 on CBS. You can catch up on seasons one through three now on Huluplus.com