Detective Marcus Bell: He's Skeptical - and Quite Attractive, Too

[Lisin]

I like Bell a lot. He's always a good sparring partner for Sherlock.

[Actionmage]

What I like is that Sherlock feels a genuine respect for Bell, much like for Gregson. I think that's why the fallout of Marcus' shooting felt so real. That Sherlock, whether he admitted it in public or not, felt guilt over harm coming to Bell.

[cko]

We need more of him. More detecting, taking the lead in cases, and interrogating. Some humor, camaraderie. He can kind of triangulate Watson and Sherlock; it makes for a good energy.

[MacGuffin]

Glad to see he stuck around, in the first season I was sure he'd just fade into the background as any random actor could be that week's dumb NYPD detective that Sherlock would dismiss and prove wrong.

They've really expanded his role and his character's abilities; and did it so subtly that I'm not sure when he became a good character rather than just another disbelieving pest for Sherlock to swat away.

[frenchtoast]

Saw this article on Slate and thought, well, it's good that Bell was able to return to being a detective. At least, I assume that's the task force that he was on, or something similar.

[Actionmage]

In my opinion, we need to keep having healthy doses of Det. Marcus Bell. It helps that there is a nice, genial, complex relationship now between the gents. I sorta 'ship Joan and Marcus.. I enjoy his scenes with Capt. Gregson. Losing Marcus would've been to the show's detriment. So I thank TPTB, if they even read threads, for keeping him on the show.

 

Glad he showed concern about Joan tonight.

[fastiller]

In my opinion, we need to keep having healthy doses of Det. Marcus Bell.

<snip>

Glad he showed concern about Joan tonight.

Me too, on both counts.  I think this thread name should be changed to "He's Skeptical - and Quite Attractive, Too".  Dude knows how to wear a suit.

[Athena]

Me too, on both counts.  I think this thread name should be changed to "He's Skeptical - and Quite Attractive, Too".  Dude knows how to wear a suit.

 

And a t-shirt.

 

In all seriousness, I can change the thread title if that's what you guys want.

[Actionmage]

Sounds good to me! :D

[PreBabylonia]

I find Marcus to be boring and quite expendable. And possibly, keeping him in the show is what made me lose interest some time midway thru the first season. I think they missed the chance to make a really great ensemble show. Gregson and Holmes (and Watson) can't have the entire show resting on their shoulders. My favourite shows have a larger, solid cast. I think the writers of Elementary really made a mistake with this - much as I love Jonny Lee Miller, I need a few more interesting characters to keep me watching. And although I am fine with Watson being female, just can't deal with Moriarty also being Irene Adler. I just can't.  So I'd be fine with Adler/Moriarty dying during a gunfight with Marcus - and Marcus expiring a second later.

[basiltherat]

I like Marcus because at the beginning, he was as skeptical as all the other outsiders of Sherlock's "methods."  Gregson already had known Sherlock and was on board the crazy train.  Marcus echoed Joan in that they both learned how to deal with Sherlock's eccentricities, Marcus at work and Joan at home.  The writers must have had a great deal of respect for him, too, because they named him after Joseph Bell, the real-life inspiration for Holmes.

[Actionmage]

I was heartened to see Marcus and Joan working so smoothly in the absence of Sherlock. There is a respect between them that is refreshing. I loved when both went to see Gina Gershon's character in her home. He let Joan lay things out. Marcus had Joan's back and was certain that this very bad person would not escape justice.

 

While I don't want everyone's hurt feelings, legitimate as they are, to drag out for several episodes, the ripples can still be explored. Maybe Holmes' leaving felt, to Marcus, like the shooting. While not physically injured this time, Holmes- in Marcus' mind- is a brilliant flake he needs to be wary around. He may be very protective of Joan, so that she isn't hurt by Holmes, as he's a good friend and saw how Joan reacted to Holmes' abrupt departure.

 

Marcus and Gregson were probably mad and disappointed in varying amounts, but being cops, they probably got over it okay. Being protectors, they're probably looking after not only Joan, but potentially, Ms. Hudson as well. (Ms. Hudson was nominally involved in the Mycroft hide-and-seek at the end of the season. They hid in a library Ms. Hudson had access to, as a kind of safe house/ research library combo.)

 

Since it was just the premiere, I'm not sure what I want Det. Bell to do. I guess I'm waiting to see how they start him off.

[Humbugged]

I always thought that it would be revealed that Marcus' middle was Joseph  - Joseph Bell being ACD's mentor and the inspiration for Holmes .The BBC did a series called Dark Beginnings about the Bell and ACD solving crime in Edinburgh (Bell did work with the peelers but  the show exaggerated how much) with Bell being played by Ian Richardson who had previously played Holmes in two TV movies