Elementary 2.13

[selenak]

In which the scriptwriters are either Scorsese or Coppola fans, and Marcus Bell makes a decision.



Given that episode 2.03, the one with the Snowden character, was the only one where Elementary genuinely made me angry, I started to sweat as soon as I realised the NSA was involved in this week's plot, but thankfully a) it was only in a minor way, and b) no NSA glorification or demonization of opponents of same took place. The "Demographics Unit" plot ended quicker than I thought it would, and also not in the way I was expecting, but given Elementary did so badly with the whistleblower in 2.03, it was probably better for the now to not tackle the whole profiling of suspected terrorists abuse potential and instead let the Vice Commissioner be brought down by a good old fashioned Mafia plot.

Otoh all the scenes with Marcus Bell & Holmes, and Bell & Watson were golden. It is like Holmes to go about a winning-Bell-back campaign without admitting as much, but as opposed to some other versions (the shade of Gregory House looms large), he's not obnoxious about it. And I like how the show made Bell's competence as a detective a key part of how he returns; it's why he discovers the newly painted barrel at the start and why, no matter his issues with Holmes, he can't ignore the possibility his boss might be corrupt, and has to check it out.

Lastly: Joan having had a fascination with Mafia figures as a girl: interesting. (And in a way a parallel to teenage Sherlock developing an interest (and a correspondance) with criminals.

Comments

[lilacsigil]

I loved Joan's Mafia fannishness in this episode! But it was definitely Bell's episode, and I really liked the way that, no matter where the information came from, he could not dismiss it and had to check things out himself.

[selenak]

A professional through and through, our Bell. *hearts him*

[monanotlisa]

I'd been half-expecting the Bell subplot to slink away quietly, or for them to reconcile too-quickly. This gives me hope for further developments!

[nenya_kanadka]

I loved the Bell plotline. It has the right mix of people of goodwill having different agendas, Sherlock not being forgiven too blithely for his fuckups, and the show caring enough about Bell as a core character to give him several arc episodes that let him develop a bit as a character and in the end brought him home to the fold. He was neither written out nor were his difficulties glossed over, and I liked that. Also yes, Bell & Watson was pretty genius.

Watson's childhood Mafia fannishness (she totally would have had the trading cards if they existed!) both gave her a knowledge base that Sherlock did not possess--besides her medical expertise, but like her medical knowledge it means they both have different strengths they can use together--and I felt it grounded her as a native of NYC more than she had been to date. It told us something of how she'd grown up.

Gregson as usual was great. And I felt a bit sorry for the commissioner, murderous intentions or not. Can see why he'd want to get out, though there must have been a better way.

[king_touchy]

I felt uneasy when Sherlock kept dogging Bell, demanding to be forgiven, but then Sherlock's other, and, I think stronger motive came out: he hated to watch Bell waste away and abandon his talents. That made sense and felt satisfying.