Crime Dynamic Duos: The Blacklist (Reddington / Liz) vs. Elementary (Sherlock / Joan)

What are some of the best Crime Dynamic Duos out there? We’re still looking to answer this question as our ongoing tournament series continues. We’re still in round 1, and today we’re featuring two shows in The Blacklist and Elementary that each have their own devoted following. Beyond that, we’ve got two duos who are beloved and very good at what they do — even though they do sometimes skirt the rules in order to do it.

So which duo is the most likely to advance? Within this article, we’re going to do our best to explore what makes Reddington & Liz and Sherlock & Joan so special. At the tail end of it, we’ll count on you to make the best determination as to who is the worthiest. That’s what the poll at the bottom of the article is for!

Voting Rules – You may vote however much you want within the specified voting window. (The image above explains everything in terms of start and stop dates.) Note that if you are struggling to cast repeat votes, you may need to clear your cache or use a different browser or device. If you are on mobile and you cannot view the poll, scroll to the bottom and click to view the non-AMP version of the page.

Still with us? Let’s dive into this battle…

Reddington and Liz, The Blacklist (#1 seed) – They’re an extremely popular duo here at the site (hence the seeding), and it’s not hard to understand why. When you’re looking at compelling character pairings, you want there to be something about the relationship that stands out. Here, there are so many things, from the ambiguity of the relationship to questions over their allegiances. While Reddington may be a bad guy in theory, everyone loves the idea of the “reformed bad boy” and he possesses some of those qualities. (Is he really that reformed, though?)

Much of the love for this duo comes out of their ability to trap many a Blacklister, but also the care that Reddington has for her. There’s no other relationship on TV that can adequately compare.

Sherlock and Joan, Elementary (#8 seed) – From the jump, it was clear that Rob Doherty and the writers were going to have a challenge when it comes to differentiating their version of Holmes/Watson from the others that are out there. Yet, they figured that out — Joan is both a caretaker and Sherlock’s equal, and she challenges him to be better while trying to separate him from his demons. Yet, she’s flawed in her own ways, and Holmes’ struggles to further understand that add to the complicated but enjoyable tapestry of this show.

One of the true testaments of this being a great duo is rather simple: You never quite know where the relationship is going to go over the season. There’s care there, but also unpredictability and a willingness for exploration.

Now, let’s turn this over to you

Photo: NBC