Jonny Lee Miller

JONNY LEE MILLER ACTOR TAKING ON A TITLE ROLE After his last experience working on an American television series -- CBS' "Smith," yanked off the air early in its freshman season last year -- British actor Jonny Lee Miller was wary about committing to another one. "I was like, no way do I want to do serialized television again right now," said Miller, best known for his roles in films such as "Trainspotting" and "The Flying Scotsman."

How many Sherlocks can dance on the head of a pin? At least one more, as it turns out. On paper, Thursday's launch of "Elementary," CBS' update of the world's first and most famous consulting detective, seems absurd. Robert Downey Jr. has given Holmes an ironic, rakish twist and action-figure potential on the big screen, while Benedict Cumberbatch dials him down to icy and vulnerable brilliance on the BBC's "Sherlock. " But David Shore's "House," which started the whole Holmesian renaissance, is notable in its absence this fall, leaving space for a straightforward police procedural accessorized with characters that evoke familiarity while projecting a thoroughly modern, and American look.

NEW YORK - Sherlock Holmes has really been through the wringer lately. In two feature films, Guy Ritchie turned the pipe-smoking detective into a 19th century British butt-kicker who's as likely to corner criminals with his fists as with his brain. An increasingly popular BBC show restores some of the meditative qualities of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original but brings Holmes to modern-day London. Now a new broadcast series, "Elementary," offers perhaps the most fanciful interpretation: Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller)

NEW YORK - Sherlock Holmes has really been through the wringer lately. In two feature films, Guy Ritchie turned the pipe-smoking detective into a 19th century British butt-kicker who's as likely to corner criminals with his fists as with his brain. An increasingly popular BBC show restores some of the meditative qualities of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original but brings Holmes to modern-day London. Now a new broadcast series, "Elementary," offers perhaps the most fanciful interpretation: Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller)

How many Sherlocks can dance on the head of a pin? At least one more, as it turns out. On paper, Thursday's launch of "Elementary," CBS' update of the world's first and most famous consulting detective, seems absurd. Robert Downey Jr. has given Holmes an ironic, rakish twist and action-figure potential on the big screen, while Benedict Cumberbatch dials him down to icy and vulnerable brilliance on the BBC's "Sherlock. " But David Shore's "House," which started the whole Holmesian renaissance, is notable in its absence this fall, leaving space for a straightforward police procedural accessorized with characters that evoke familiarity while projecting a thoroughly modern, and American look.

The “Friends” gang might have painted the walls a cheery yellow and brought in lots of candy-colored furniture. The “Gossip Girl” brats would have made fun of anyone poor enough to live there, and Carrie probably would have been too horrified to allow her “Sex and the City” Manolos to touch the scratched floors. But the unrenovated Brooklyn brownstone where TV's modern-day Sherlock Holmes rests his head and solves some of the Big Apple's twistiest crimes hits some amusing -- and timely -- decorating notes.

Did Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie become "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" on Christmas Day? The unconfirmed rumor du jour has Hollywood's No. 1 celebrity couple spiriting their brood off to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean to swap "I dos. " The Dec. 25 ceremony allegedly took place at designer Donna Karan's Parrot Cay estates, suggests the Telegraph, and those in attendance were said to have included Brad's parents Jane and William Pitt, and...

"Wes Craven Presents Dracula 2000," starring Jonny Lee Miller and Justine Waddell, also opens today in general release. Because Dimension Films did not make the film available for screenings, The Times' review will appear in a later issue.

Woody Allen will open the 52nd San Sebastian Film Festival in September with the world premiere of his new film, "Melinda and Melinda." The 68-year-old Allen also is to be honored with a lifetime achievement award, and the festival in Spain will show a retrospective of his work as a writer, director and actor, organizers said Friday. His new romantic comedy stars Radha Mitchell, Chloe Sevigny and Jonny Lee Miller. It will not be competing for the festival's top Golden Shell prize.

For the generations of men who have wondered what it is women want, this year has made it fairly obvious. We want a man of devastating intelligence, cerebrally and physically nimble, whose vast store of arcane knowledge is foundation for a super-human ability to solve problems and the fascinating, frustrating wall that protects a tender heart. We want Sherlock Holmes. FOR THE RECORD: "Sherlock": A Notes on the Year column about television in the Dec. 16 Calendar section said that the series "Sherlock" airs on BBC America.

JONNY LEE MILLER ACTOR TAKING ON A TITLE ROLE After his last experience working on an American television series -- CBS' "Smith," yanked off the air early in its freshman season last year -- British actor Jonny Lee Miller was wary about committing to another one. "I was like, no way do I want to do serialized television again right now," said Miller, best known for his roles in films such as "Trainspotting" and "The Flying Scotsman."

David Tennant is the new host of PBS' "Masterpiece Contemporary." Tennant will make his debut on the long-running public TV anthology this fall, its producing station, WGBH, said Wednesday. The 38-year-old Scottish actor, who follows past "Masterpiece" hosts such as Alan Cumming and Laura Linney, played the title role in the long-running BBC sci-fi series "Doctor Who." His screen credits include "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." "Masterpiece Contemporary" returns in October with "Endgame," a drama about the final days of apartheid in South Africa starring William Hurt and Jonny Lee Miller.

The nation's largest pediatricians' group says ABC should cancel the first episode of a new series because it perpetuates the myth that vaccines can cause autism. ABC's new drama, "Eli Stone," debuts on Thursday. It features British actor Jonny Lee Miller as a prophet-like lawyer who in the opening episode argues in court that a flu vaccine made a child autistic. When it is revealed in court that an executive at the fictional vaccine maker didn't allow his own child to get the shot, jurors side with the family, giving them a huge award.