Showing posts with label Chris Bauer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Bauer. Show all posts

Friday, November 22, 2013

CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode # 9 "On the Line" - Review

Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson in CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode 9 On the Line

Samantha Wabash, a young woman commits suicide on the Brookyln bridge. Samantha has been accusing Lucas Bundsch (Troy Garity), of abducting and killing her sister, Allie Wabash.

Lucas offers to take a polygraph test to prove his innocence in the death of Samantha. Miller's Holmes observes Lucas and is convinced that while he may not have murdered Samantha, he did murder Allie.

Detective Gerry Coventry (Chris Bauer), who investigated the death of Allie Wabash in 2007, is dismissive of Sherlock's attempts to re-open the case and strongly believes that Lucas was not the killer.

Lucas pays a visit to Sherlock and Joan at their brownstone, after being given their address by Gerry. Sherlock and Joan become even more sure that not only did Lucas kill Allie, but several other women as well.

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Sherlock and Joan discover that Denise Todd (Rachel Alana Handler) and Kathy Spalding (Kate Cullen Roberts) were two other victims of a serial killer. Joan and Detective Bell talk to Tim Spalding (Eric Sheffer Stevens), still hopeful that Kathy will return someday.

Lucas continues to taunt Holmes by texting him the location of his latest victim, Jenna Lombard (Dillan Arrick).

Aidan Quinn as Captain Tommy Gregson in CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode 9 On the Line

I recommend the viewers to check out the episode to find out the resolution to the mystery.

Canonical References

1. Samantha uses a dumbbell to sink the murder weapon - In The Valley of Fear, Sherlock Holmes dumbbell was used to dispose of evidence. He states: “When water is near and a weight is missing it is not a very far-fetched supposition that something has been sunk in the water.”
2. Samantha faking her suicide as a murder to implicate Lucas Bundsch - This is quite similar to the main plot of The Problem of Thor Bridge.
3. Elementary Holmes expressing his views of hoping to check out a crime scene before “evidence is trampled” - This reminded me of A Study in Scarlet, in which Sherlock Holmes vents his frustration at Inspector Gregson over the improper handling of the crime scene: “If a herd of buffaloes had passed along there could not be a greater mess.”
4. Miller's Holmes notices a distinctly chemical sea breeze scent after shaking hands with Lucas Bundsch - Sherlock Holmes states in The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier: “I have, as my friend Watson may have remarked, an abnormally acute set of senses, and a faint but incisive scent was apparent.”

Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson in CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode 9 On the Line

5. Miller's Holmes refers to Detective Coventry as “Detective Hip Flask” - In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Inspector Lestrade uses his brandy-flask to help revive Sir Henry Baskerville after he is attacked by the titular hound.
6. Miller's Sherlock states to Joan after lifting her wallet during the taxi ride: “It is a mere reminder that however skilled you know me to be at deducing how crimes are committed, I am every bit as adept at committing them itself” - Sherlock Holmes tells John Watson in The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton: “You know, Watson, I don’t mind confessing to you that I have always had an idea that I would have made a highly efficient criminal. This is the chance of my lifetime in that direction.”
7. Elementary Holmes deducing the location of the abducted victim based on the plans of the building - Sherlock Holmes solves The Case of the Norwood Builder by deducing that Jonas Oldacre is hiding in his own house.
8. Elementary Sherlock picking the lock to the secret hiding place in the climax - Sherlock Holmes explains to John Watson about his tools in The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton: “This is a first-class, up-to-date burgling kit, with nickel-plated jemmy, diamond-tipped glass-cutter, adaptable keys, and every modern improvement which the march of civilization demands.”

Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes in CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode 9 On the Line

This is one of the best episodes in a long time. Troy Garity is hands down the best guest star in the second season (so far). His exchanges with Miller's Holmes, in the brownstone and later at his place of business were very good.

Miller's Holmes commenting that the walls of the brownstone are thin and that they don't hold back blood curdling screams was reminiscent of the characteristic dry humor of the Canonical Holmes.

It would be great if the show writers continue to give us more episodes like this, where Miller gets a chance at playing a credible version of Sherlock Holmes.
 
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Image Source: CBS 

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