Elementary 4.01

[selenak]

My favourite Holmes and Watson are back, and I would have missed it hadn't I spotted a review elsewhere!



Given that what post-s3 finale fanfiction tales I've read that featured Sherlock himself had him in the same stupor we last saw him in and Watson in emotional uproar, their mutual insistence everything will be fine is the one scenario nobody imagined, and yet it fits these two at this point of their lives. It's not simply repression and denial, more clinging to good old work therapy and trying to look out for the other. Except that there are consequences to precisely that work they cling to. BTW, much as I love Gregson and Bell and am dreading their reduced screentime if Holmes and Watson are no longer allowed to consult for the police, I hope this won't be solved in the next episode by Holmes Senior bribing the NYPD or something like that. I'm reasonably optimistic in that regard, since it took the whole Kitty arc plus three more episodes for Joan to move back into the Brownstone last season, so it's not like this show doesn't have precedence for taking its time to resolve a new circumstance. Also, one consistent complaint in reviews about Elementary has been that it has too many murders versus too few non-lethal crimes, and if Sherlock and Joan are forced to consult privately for half a season or so, we might get some more variety here as well. Anyway, given Sherlock already made himself unpopular with cops not Gregson and Bell several times over in the last few seasons and given the political reason Gregson names (sacking consultants for misdemeanors looks good without actually sacking cops), it's all too plausibe this would happen.

What I really love about the way this is handled is that Sherlock is and remains aware through the episode that he actually is guilty as charged in this regard (he did beat up Oscar viciously, he did use heroin), and at no point tries to excuse this with the circumstances, but that his concern throughout is to find away so this won't cost Joan her job as well. I was going to get annoyed that he kept the truth a secret from her, because these two keeping secrets from each other never works out well, but then after hearing from his lawyer he did tell her the truth, so that was fine. Meanwhile, Joan didn't lie to him but didn't talk about her attempts to reach his father or her conversation with Snotty Minion, either (Snotty Minion being duly scared was quite a moment). And then we got another great partnership scene. Loved it.

Mind you, in the scene with NSA Agent (insert my reflexive boo, hiss at the NSA) it was also clear that absolutely the worst thing that could happen in this situation would be professional idleness for Sherlock (Johnny Lee Miller's expression when the agent suggested he should be grateful to get some time off - "just what the doctor ordered" - was perfect), and I don't think Joan has admitted to herself yet how scary the relapse was for her. But making the point to Gregson that she's not Sherlock's sober companion anymore, so no, she's not around him 24/7 in this situation wasn't just bravado, I think she meant it, because it's tied in their need to trust each other, and in the strength of their partnership.

Thanks, episode, for updating us on Alfredo, even if he's not in it, and showing that Sherlock didn't lie when saying he keeps going to meetings. And speaking of updating, I also enjoyed the references to Sherlock's ongoing correspondances with both Moriarty and C. (C being the fabulous older lady he's exchanging erotica with whom we saw in a season 2 episode.) It occurs to me that Sherlock's passion for letter writing is really a consistent trait in this show and must have started with him as a child/teenager - that's how he got into contact with Alistair and Agatha back then.

Despite John Noble being in the credits, I didn't expect Holmes Sr. to show up until the last moment, because it's an obvious cliffhanger, and the first episode needed to be focused not on his introduction but the immediate fallout of the previous finale for Sherlock and Joan. So I wasn't surprised when this was indeed the case. However, this also means I can't have an opinion on the character yet, other than make-up did a good job of giving him a bit of a resemblance ot JLM.

Comments

[king_touchy]

Letter writing rocks. I'm delighted the show does keep up with many continuity elements. C was awesome. And I guess if Holmes keeps writing Moriarty, she can be waiting in the wings for more shenanigans in future episodes.

John Noble as Mr. Holmes feels like a better fit than Rhys Ifans as Mycroft.

Joan's discussion with the Snotty Minion made my day.

[selenak]

Considering how great John Noble was as Walter (and Walternate!) in Fringe, there's certainly terrific potential here. And I could watch Joan dressing down Snotty Minions with just a single question all day. :)

[lilacsigil]

Joan vs Snotty Minion was worth the whole episode, even if I hadn't enjoyed the rest (I did, though!) I liked Gregson and Bell's reactions - sympathetic but not letting Sherlock off the hook, and Joan's continuing trust in Sherlock as a friend and colleague both. I also liked that they've taken a good line between the relapse not being treated as a big moral failing (only Sherlock and his dad see it that way) and Sherlock's actually violent, if understandable, actions. The idea of him going to prison and that being entirely out of his hands was driving him to understandable pessimism, but he wasn't being a martyr about it either - that was saved for trying to get Joan her job back!

[king_touchy]

Fringe is one of those shows that I want to watch but haven't yet. I really, really should watch Fringe, shouldn't I?

[selenak]

The first three seasons are definitely worth it. Then... alas.

[selenak]

I also liked that they've taken a good line between the relapse not being treated as a big moral failing (only Sherlock and his dad see it that way) and Sherlock's actually violent, if understandable, actions

Yes, it's not treated as the same thing by the show. And the characters, including Sherlock, are aware of it, too.

There was a big difference between this and how Sherlock behaved in the Bell arc in s2 when Bell got shot - he was initially dealing with his sense of guilt by being extra obnoxious, avoiding Bell, blaming everyone else, making it about himself. This time, he accepts responsibility for his own actions and is focused on trying to ensure Joan won't have her career ruined in the fallout.

And Joan isn't a martyr about this, either. When she tells Sherlock she wants to work with him, not the NYPD, I believe that it's not simply because he's her friend and partner, but because her partnership with him is to her the most emotionally and intellectually fulfilling way she can be a detective.

[sabra_n]

I was going to get annoyed that he kept the truth a secret from her

I briefly thought about it, too, but once he suggested one last mystery before his arrest, I thought, okay, he wants a few days of him and Joan doing Their Favorite Thing before the end, and he wants it without Joan worrying about a firing neither of them can do anything about.

Then, of course, came the realization that he was running Operation Redemption, and my sentiments turned around to face-palming again, albeit affectionately.

[selenak]

I liked Joan calling it Operation Covered In Glory, too. :)

[lilacsigil]

Yes! The story where the male partner gets fired or leaves due to his own actions and the female partner voluntarily gets dragged down with him is a common one. In this case, though, they've done three seasons of hard work showing that working with Sherlock really is professionally and personally fulfilling for Joan, regardless of what Sherlock has done, so for once it absolutely made sense.

[likeadeuce]

I was pleased with this episode and interested in where it is going. Joan's 'that's still going on?' when Sherlock mentioned Moriarty was great.