CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode # 13 "All in the Family" - Review

Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) solve the mystery behind a string of thefts in a museum. This is however not the main case, but just an appetizer.

Detective Marcus Bell (Jon Michael Hill), currently working for the Demographics Unit, discovers the corpse of a decapitated man.

Sherlock and Joan are brought on as consultants by Captain Thomas Gregson (Aidan Quinn). Bell has still not forgiven Sherlock for the career changing injury in Episode # 10 “Tremors”.

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Joan is able to identify the dead man as a member of the mafia. Joan has been brought up in the Queens and has been interested in the ways and dealings of the underworld.

Sherlock's investigation leads him to believe that the government could be involved in the murder. Sherlock also volunteers to work for the Demographics department, as he believes he can find a way to patch up with Detective Bell.

Sherlock and Joan zero in on an suspect, who denies any involvement. He too is killed in a explosion because of a planted bomb in his car.

Captain Gregson is concerned that this might trigger a gang war and urges the consulting detectives to catch the killer as soon as possible.

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

Canonical References

1. Joan is startled by the explosion and is informed by Elementary Holmes that he is conducting a controlled explosion inside their brownstone apartment - Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes states in The Adventure of the Dying Detective: “His incredible untidiness, his addiction to music at strange hours, his occasional revolver practice within doors, his weird and often malodorous scientific experiments, and the atmosphere of violence and danger which hung around him made him the very worst tenant in London.”

This was an OK episode.

The one interesting aspect was the revelation about Joan Watson's childhood interest in the underworld. Still, that is something that I would ideally associate with Holmes himself.

Trivia

The song “On the Other Side” by The Rocketboys can be heard in the closing scenes of Detective Marcus Bell sitting in the NYPD and nodding at Miller's Holmes.

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CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode # 10 "Tremors" - Review

Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) is being questioned by Cassandra Walker (Elizabeth Marvel) for the life threatening injury to Detective Marcus Bell (Jon Michael Hill).

The episode goes back and forth between present and the past events that have led to the current predicament faced by Holmes and Joan Watson (Lucy Liu).

Captain Tom Gregson (Aidan Quinn) was delivering a lecture when Silas Cole (Zachary Booth), a schizophrenic young man walks in claiming that he is a Knight who has killed his Queen.

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Sherlock Holmes talks down Silas and he is apprehended by the NYPD. Sherlock, Joan and Bell soon discover the corpse of Silas' “Queen”, Rada Hollingsworth in her apartment. 

Meanwhile, in the present, Dr. Gretchen Primler (Angel Desai) informs Joan that Detective Bell is on his way to recovery. Sherlock and Joan continue their investigation and interrogate Dr. Phineaus Hobbs (Jordan Lage) about Rada Hollingsworth.

James Dylan (Danny Mastrogiorgio) is the suspect in Rada's death. When Joan takes the stand, Sherlock himself questions her about their methods.

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

Canonical References

1. The judge asking Elementary Holmes to spare the flourishes and Joan talking about coloring the lines - Holmes often chides Dr John Watson for embellishing his accounts of their exploits - From The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier: "....since I have often had occasion to point out to him how superficial are his own accounts and to accuse him of pandering to popular taste instead of confining himself rigidly to facts and figures.”

2. Elementary Sherlock observing that Cassandra Walker keeps a bust on Ben Judas on her day planner - This reminded me of the plot of The Adventure of the Six Napoleons

3. Miller's Sherlock Holmes showing sound knowledge of the law - Dr John Watson mentions in A Study in Scarlet that Sherlock Holmes “has a good practical knowledge of British law.”

4.Captain Gregson scolding Miller's Sherlock for being so brazen in showing his contempt for the proceedings since he thinks they are beneath him - Dr Watson states about Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Empty House: “Three years had certainly not smoothed the asperities of his temper or his impatience with a less active intelligence than his own.”

5. Miller's Holmes remarking to Cassandra Walker: “Nothing on earth would make me reveal a secret of such nature” - Sherlock Holmes comments about Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Creeping Man: “Dr. Watson is the very soul of discretion”

6. Elementary Holmes explains about the use of potassium chloride as a poisoning agent - Dr John Watson lists Sherlock Holmes' knowledge in A Study in Scarlet: “Well up in belladonna, opium, and poisons generally.” and “Chemistry.—Profound.”

7. Miller's Sherlock commenting on how he and Joan provide free services to the state of NY - Sherlock Holmes often takes up cases for the intellectual challenge, without any monetary considerations

8. Elementary Sherlock Holmes lecturing to Joan Watson about the the world not being in black and white, but in shades of grey - Nice reference to Dr John Watson being the moral compass in Arthur Conan Doyle's stories

9. Elementary Sherlock practicing singlestick left handed on a dummy and also correcting Detective Bell's incorrect description of the craft - Dr John Watson states that Sherlock Holmes “is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman” in A Study in Scarlet

 

Guest star Frankie Faison as Judge Brewster O'Hare, has a spark in his eyes throughout and seems to be relishing every minute of his performance.

 

Elizabeth Marvel is adequate as Cassandra Walker. Clyde, the turtle makes a comeback for a very brief cameo. 

Jonny Lee Miller continues to show the characteristic dry humor of the Canonical Holmes. Miller's Sherlock also makes Yorkshire pudding, a nod to his British origins.

 

Lucy Liu seems half-hearted in her performance. 

The mystery component is OK. The episode impresses much more as an exploration of the methods and characteristic traits of Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson and how a modern society would perceive them. 

This is what Elementary has been claiming to be doing all along: a character driven drama focused on Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson.

After 33 attempts (episodes), they finally got it right. 

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CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode # 5 "Ancient History" - Review

The episode opens with the dead body of a man besides his battered up motorcycle. 

Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) is shopping with a friend, Jennifer Sayles (Danielle Nicolet) who is trying to track her acquaintance from a one night stand, Tony.

Sherlock refuses to take up Joan's "case" due to professional pride and instead takes  here to a mortuary for fresh cases. He comes across the corpse of Leo Banin (Dean Neistat), the aforementioned victim.

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Sherlock and Joan discover that Travis Hardwick (Wass Stevens) was being threatened by Leo. Sherlock tracks down Travis to a seedy motel.

And the episode just rambles on...

Canonical References

1. Elementary Holmes' statement: “The good thing about a wild goose chase is that there is a delicious goose to eat at the end of it.” - I was reminded of the Canonical story, The Case of the Blue Carbuncle.

2. Joan scolds Miller's Sherlock: “You have not left the house for a week”  - In A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes tells John Watson about himself: “I get in the dumps at times, and don't open my mouth for days on end. You must not think I am sulky when I do that. Just let me alone, and I'll soon be right.”

3. Elementary Sherlock Holmes listening to the taped video of the buzzing of bees in the background, as he tries to solve the case - In the story His Last Bow, Sherlock mentions he is writing a book on Bee Keeping entitled “Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with some Observations upon the Segregation of the Queen”.

4. Joan's line to the bartender: “It was a long shot” - In Silver Blaze, Sherlock Holmes tells Dr Watson: “A long shot, Watson, a very long shot,...”

5. Miller's Sherlock practicing his single stick skills on a dummy - In A Study in Scarlet, John Watson notes that Sherlock Holmes “Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman.”

Miller's Sherlock had some good moments in the episode and at the same time does some patently unSherlockian things as well.

The episode seems to be strongly inspired by the Canonical novel The Valley of Fear. Leo's wife, Lara Banin (Mia Barron) refusing to believe he was a killer and Leo having a good reputation in his neighborhood. Further, Leo's wife believing that he had a bad past and Leo running away from his gang and the gang having made an earlier attempt on Leo's life. Finally, the use of a motorcycle - the assassin uses a bicycle in The Valley of Fear.

Just like the previous episode "Dead Man's Switch" (based on The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton), this one falls flat too.

Better luck next time, CBS.

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