IT'S ELEMENTARY, WATSON - by Queensley Okon

For those of us who favour series that make us think or just have a love for detective stories, you would appreciate Elementary. Elementary is a story that follows the fictional Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson, calculated and gifted consulting detectives who help the New York Police Department solve murder mysteries. It's the American adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes character and I daresay, they did an amazing job on the 7 seasons. One thing that really stands out for me is the relationship between Sherlock and Joan. Their friendship and partnership which grows to become more familial as the series progressed shows how a guy and a lady can just be great friends without any sexual tension between them. I mean they are both good looking and I'm sure some viewers had that expectation but that was something I respected the writers for. Not every opposite sex relationship has to progress beyond friendship. Normal and healthy opposite friendships still exist and the constant need to rope two people together just because you enjoy the chemistry on screen is just annoying and I truly appreciate how the writers stood their ground and didn't fall for the status quo. In fact, if you observe their relationship, you see how much raucous was created at the beginning, how trust was gradually built and how it took a lot of patience and mutual respect for it to thrive Sherlock, who was a hard nut to crack and lacking in social skills had to learn to be more open, less arrogant, more empathetic and vulnerable. Of course with his junkie ways, it is always hard to open up and trust people, but he learnt to do that and was even willing to become a co-parent for Joan's child. It was truly beautiful watching his growth and how he made other lasting and effective friendships like Marcus Bell, who he helped find a better job, Kitty, who became his protégée and he in turn, godparent to her child, and the indomitable Captain Thomas Gregson, a father figure who stood in and always helped draw the line when he strayed. You really have to watch it to understand how beautiful this was, despite his arrogant behavior. Then we see Joan, whose A type tendencies were a marvel to watch and how she was able to progress from a surgeon to a sober companion and finally a World class detective. Honestly, I truly admire her and how driven and inspirational she is. Her patience with Sherlock during his trying times and weird experiments and behaviors was something mind-blowing. You get to see how she expresses how she feels about his antics, how she forgives him continually, how she is able to rope him in and also be a good listener. She was really able to be a friend and sister all at once, something he appreciated greatly, like when she stayed beyond her time as a sober companion with him when she saw a chance that he might relapse, despite not being paid by his dad. She was able to be a sounding board and the balance he needed without being his wife.She was able to understand the daddy issues he had and even helped in reuniting him with his brother, Mycroft Holmes. She also knew when to correct him and how to. You can see the depth of their love when Sherlock is exiled out of the States due to him confessing to a crime for her after she had been falsely accused because he didn't want her to go to jail. What he says at that moment makes for some tear-filled moment, "we are not friends Watson, we are two people who love each other". Yeah, I'm not crying, you are. This kind of relationship is rare in today's world but is also possible and I truly appreciate it. How have your friendships been with the opposite sex? Which one is still existent and how memorable is it for you? Do you feel a guy and a lady can have a friendship that lacks sexual tension? Let me know in the comments

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