Elementary "Solve for X" Episode - Review

A man gets mugged and is attacked. The mugger hears a shooting in progress and soon becomes the next victim.

Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) visits the grave to pay her respects to Gerald Castoro, the patient mistakenly killed by her in a surgical operation. She runs into his son, Joey Castoro (Jeremy Jordan), who tries to get some funds from Joan to help his plans of buying a bar.

Felix Soto, a math tutor is found shot. He was working on the P vs NP problem and was probably only weeks from solving this classical mathematical problem. Holmes' investigation leads to a Tanya Barrett (Lynn Collins). Holmes deduces that Cyril Nauer is the working partner of Felix.. He too has been killed within an hour of Felix's murder.

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All clues point to a certain suspect. But is everything what it seems or is there more than what meets the eye?

Check out the episode for the solution.

Canonical References

1. Miller's Holmes asking Detective Bell if he learnt his observation skills from him - John Watson makes this statement in The Sign of the Four: “More than once during the years that I had lived with him in Baker Street I had observed that a small vanity underlay my companion's quiet and didactic manner.”

2. Miller's Holmes using his sense of smell to deduce that Cam phosphor is present on the walls and about Joan's meetings with Joey Castoro - The Canonical Holmes has an acute sense of smell.

3. Miller's Holmes showing knowledge of the chemicals used to write the mathematical equation on the walls - In A Study in Scarlet, Dr Watson states that Holmes has “Profound” knowledge in Chemistry. Stamford also describes Sherlock Holmes as a “first-class chemist”.

4. Joan finding a bare chested stranger solving mathematical equations in their apartment and Miller's Holmes is seen doing push-ups at 2 am - John Watson mentions about Holmes 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.”

5. Miller's Holmes comments that Joan has quite a "Victorian" attitude about having partly naked men in their apartment - A reference to the values and mores of the era during which the original stories were written.

6. Miller's Holmes using handwriting analysis to determine that there were 2 men who wrote the equation - Sherlock Holmes uses handwriting analysis to deduce that 2 men wrote the message in The Adventure of the Reigate Puzzle. Holmes uses handwriting analysis in other cases too.

7. Miller's Holmes deducing that the dog is a Boston Terrier - In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sherlock Holmes deduces that Dr James Mortimer is “the possessor of a favourite dog, which I should describe roughly as being larger than a terrier and smaller than a mastiff.”

8. Miller's Holmes states: “I am an expert on poisons, Watson” - Dr Watson documents Holmes' knowledge in A Study in Scarlet: “Well up in belladonna, opium, and poisons generally.”

The mystery component was good. Miller gave a much better performance in this episode.

Lucy Liu, as always, is good as Joan.

Lynn Collins makes an attractive mathematician, a throwback to the female characters in Bond movies.

A good episode. Hoping that the show maintains the quality.

Trivia

The song "Sea of Air" by Portugal. The Man is played in the episode.

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CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode # 1 "Step Nine" - Review

 

A private ceremony of Warren Pendry in London, England is interrupted by Gareth Lestrade (Sean Pertwee).

Back in NY, Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) is on the pursuit of a criminal by following his pigeon (Don't ask).  Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) gets to flex her martial arts skills on the unsuspecting fellow and ensures his arrest.

Soon, Sherlock and Joan are off to London to help Lestrade, who has gone into hiding.

Sherlock and Joan arrive at 221 B and are surprised to find that Mycroft Holmes (Rhys Ifans) currently resides there, after inheriting it from their father.

Sherlock has slept with Mycroft's fiance to prove her materialistic intentions to their family fortune and this causes a rift between the brothers.

Mycroft seems to be taking a strong interest in Joan, which Sherlock takes to be the former's ploy to get even with his brother.

I recommend the readers to check out the episode to find out the resolution.

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Canonical References

1. Sherlock's statement about Gareth Lestrade: “He was the best of the bad bunch” - Holmes remarks about Lestrade in The Hound of the Baskervilles: “He is the best of the professionals...”

2. Sherlock points out that Mycroft Holmes has neither energy nor ambition. Sherlock further states to Joan that Mycroft is lazy. - Sherlock Holmes mentions about Mycroft in The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter: “But he has no ambition and no energy. He will not even go out of his way to verify his own solutions, and would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right. ”

3. Sherlock never mentioning his brother to Joan – Dr Watson states in The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter: “During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Sherlock Holmes I had never heard him refer to his relations, and hardly ever to his own early life... had come to believe that he was an orphan with no relatives living; but one day, to my very great surprise, he began to talk to me about his brother.”

4. Miller's Holmes more than once points out how Gareth Lestrade takes credit for his work. In the ending scenes, Joan also mentions about Lestrade calling Holmes' bluff about not claiming credit to the case – Sherlock Holmes often takes cases for the sake of mental simulation and is always happy to pass on the credit to the official force.

5. The character of DCI Hopkins is a possible nod to Inspector Stanley Hopkins

6. Miller's Holmes refers to 221 B being full of odd experiments, texts in different languages and articles from previous criminal cases - Dr Watson states in The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual: “Our chambers were always full of chemicals and of criminal relics which had a way of wandering into unlikely positions, and of turning up in the butter-dish or in even less desirable places.”

7. Miller's Holmes leaving 221 B to check out his theory to find Lestrade, while Joan stays back due to jet lag – Sherlock Holmes often works continuously on cases, skipping food and sleep.

 

8. Miller's Holmes mentions about working with Lestrade on the Norwood Builder case – Direct reference to The Case of the Norwood Builder

9. Mycroft speaking French and Sherlock saying “Bon appetit” to Joan – Sherlock Holmes mentions in The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter: “But, none the less, my turn that way is in my veins, and may have come with my grandmother, who was the sister of Vernet, the French artist. ”

10. Mycroft mentions about Miller's Holmes never making his bed, after sleeping in it – John Watson mentions about Holmes 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.”

11. Mycroft remarking that Miller's Holmes does not have friends – Sherlock Holmes says to John Watson in The Five Orange Pips: “"Except yourself I have none,...”

12. Miller's Holmes passes off Joan Watson as a top home security expert to confirm his theory – Sherlock Holmes is prone to using Social Engineering tricks in many cases

13. Miller's Holmes deduces that acetone was used to get rid of the murder weapon – In A Study in Scarlet, Dr Watson states that Holmes has “Profound” knowledge in Chemistry. Stamford also describes Sherlock Holmes as a “first-class chemist”.
 

14. Miller's Holmes takes help from a certain Langdale Pike – Direct reference to the character of the same name, described by John Watson in The Adventure of the Three Gables: “I saw no more of Holmes during the day, but I could well imagine how he spent it, for Langdale Pike was his human book of reference upon all matters of social scandal. …. Holmes discreetly helped Langdale to knowledge, and on occasion was helped in turn.”

15. Miller's Holmes picks the lock to enter Nicholas Ginn's apartment – Sherlock Holmes is an expert in picking locks

16. In his televised interview, Inspector Gareth Lestrade quotes the classic Sherlock Holmes quote from The Sign of the Four: “...when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? ”

17. Mycroft Holmes refers to the US as “the colonies”. - Possible reference to Sherlock's description of Mycroft Holmes in The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans: “You would also be right in a sense if you said that occasionally he IS the British government ”

18. “Art in the blood, Watson. Takes the strangest forms” - Sherlock Holmes states in The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter: “Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms.”

Coming to the performances, Lucy Liu's Watson continues to be the best part of the show. 

Miller continues his usual routine of grimacing and pouting. This is one of the least enjoyable versions of the iconic detective.

Rhys Ifans makes a fleeting impression as Mycroft. He is no longer the British Government, but a wealthy businessman, who owns restaurants. May be, he will be revealed to be in the service of the British Government in the future.

Sean Pertwee's Lestrade is a letdown. Similar to the changes to Miller's Holmes, Gareth Lestrade is miles away from the Canonical version. Perhaps, we will get to see a better Lestrade in the future episodes, if he does return.

I liked the resolution to the mystery. Elementary has not had this level of quality for a long time.

Trivia

1. The song "London Calling" by The Clash is used in the episode.
2. The song "Hello" by Oasis can be heard, when Miller's Holmes visits Scotland Yard
3. The song "The Village" by Tunng is played in the final scenes between Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes

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