Crime Dynamic Duos 2018: Criminal Minds (Reid / JJ) vs. Elementary (Sherlock / Joan)

Welcome to CarterMatt’s Crime Dynamic Duos 2018! This is the third year in which we’re doing this tournament, which is a way to honor some of the best crime-solvers in all of TV. This tournament runs throughout the month of August, and over the course of it we describe what makes certain pairs the perfect crime-fighting duo while also allowing you to share some of your thoughts on the competition! Each article is accompanied with a description and a poll; the winning duo will advance to the next round leading up to the winner being announced on September 1!

What are the rules of the tournament? Basically, all eligible shows have to still be in the midst of their run on TV as of August 1, and at least one character involved needs to be involved in solving crimes in some capacity. They can be a cop, a private investigator, a federal agent, a lawyer or a high-ranking officer. What matters is that they put plenty of bad people away.

Voting Rules – Vote however often you like! Voting for Round 1 is open until Friday, August 10 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time. Round 2 will begin the following day; the image at the top of the article should explain everything.

In this article, we’re talking about two much-beloved pairs from two long-running CBS shows — we’ve got Reid and JJ representing Criminal Minds in one corner, whereas in the other stands Sherlock and Joan from Elementary.

Reid and JJ, Criminal Minds (#3 seed) – One of the biggest reasons why JJ and Reid are so formidable as a pair is just because there is such a deep history and understanding between the two of them. When you work within this sort of field for as long as these characters have, you start to develop a tendency to be able to predict what the other person is going to do before they even do it. That’s an extremely valuable thing to have and it helps to make these two characters so much stronger. They’re a great partnership out in the field, but they are also a tremendous friendship and an inspiration for a lot of viewers watching at home. If Criminal Minds ever did end, we’d be happy to watch a spin-off these two hanging out and simply enjoying each other’s company.

Sherlock and Joan, Elementary (#6 seed) – Meanwhile, what we have here is another pair of characters who love each other dearly and will do everything in their power to be a support system — both on the job and off. In some ways, it is what makes the two so different that makes them so strong. They have different approaches to both life and their work, and they also carry with them very different skill sets. Sherlock has a natural ability to see things three or four moves ahead; however, in the process of doing that he often does miss out on important information in the present. This is where we do see Joan come in with her practical abilities and social skills. They are a great example of two characters who are successful because of them being together for such a long time.

Your take

Let us know which duo you want to see advance in the comments below! Meanwhile, be sure to like CarterMatt on Facebook for more TV news on The Blacklist, Strike, and a number of other shows we cover.

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