Elementary 2.20

[selenak]

Elementary, I don't know whether letting Holmes mention Edward Snowden in a positive way is your way of trying to atone for the abominable government propaganda exercise that was episode 2.03 (which shall remain unforgotten *shakes first*), but if so, keep at it.



I also approve of the fact the case of the week in the end wasn't about terrorism but about the greed of a former Wall Street trader. And that Sherlock snarks about everyone, no matter whether political or coooperation, utterly destroying privacy harvesting data on everyone else these days. And Gregson wondering whether the next thing they'll hear was that the suspect of the hour was really working for the government. Doesn't entirely make up for 2.03, but you're on the right track, show.

Other than that, though, the case of the week was mostly remarkable for the teaser in which the driver of the car DOESN'T die gruesomely but actually manages to get the other car out of the train's way. Phew. And good for hiim!

The subplot of the week, bringing back Hanna Gregson, reminded me that the last time we saw her was in a Kitty episode which in turn reminded me I miss Kitty, dammit. Show, please, please, please fulfill my hope and bring back Kitty for the finale! Otherwise, the Joan and Hannah plot struck me in some ways as a female version of the Sherlock and Lestrade plot last season. (BTW: if I never see someone saying something along the line of "on Elementary, Lestrade is called Gregson" again, it'll be too soon. Not only are Lestrade and Gregson two different characters in Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories, but after last season, even not-Doyle readers don't have the excuse of ignoring the show established them as seperate characters in their universe, too.) Which was why I was surprised Holmes never brought this up to Watson, who last season counselled him repeatedly not to help Lestrade again. Not that the cases were identical - Lestrade was far further gone. Also, what Joan objected to in Hannah's case was making the short term personal glory seeking arrest over prioritizing the long term community helping bigger picture, whereas what Sherlock focused on what the actual Lestrade parallel, Hannah using Joan the way Lestrade used him re: credit.

I'll be travelling next week, so the next review will arrive with delay.

Comments

[monanotlisa]

Interesting parallel, you're right; I actually enjoyed this episode (and, yes, its plot device ;) which I don't even feel was much of a McGuffin at all).

[selenak]

So did I.

[king_touchy]

I'd like to see Kitty again, too.

[ide_cyan]

I'm annoyed by this episode's making it seem like Hannah taking the credit for Joan's deductions & making an opportunist arrest (instead of passing the info to her superiors for a longer-term case) to further her career is a logical extension of Hannah not wanting to report partner/domestic violence because the resulting sexist backlash would hurt her career.

[lilacsigil]

While Hannah acted badly, it does annoy me that Holmes doesn't want Watson to form personal relationships, and the show sometimes backs this up. She dates someone and she's "settling", she briefly mentors someone and Hannah is "middling", she has problems with her mother and Sherlock takes over. It's quite a pattern.

[selenak]

? Isn't that ignoring the entire previous episode which was about Holmes encouraging Watson to maintain her (neglected) personal relationships? All of whom predate him, and none of whom include him. I mention this because of course he's also respectful/encouraging of her relationships with Bell, Gregson and (when she was there) Kitty, but you could argue in each case his own relationship with these people predates Watson's. However, this wasn't the case with her friends from the wedding party. I also fail to see how Holmes "took over" with Watson's mother; he was snarky about the joys of family life at the start (which reflected on his own family, not hers), but when it turned out the Watsons actually did have a problem (i.e. the supposed adultery and actual Alzheimer's), he was supportive of Joan.