Elementary: Just A Regular Irregular

November 15, 2014 7:50 AM - Season 3, Episode 3

When shirtless number cruncher Harlan Emple (Rich Sommers) comes across the body of a large man in mothballs, it's clear a maths game has become deadly. Sherlock, Watson and Winter work together apart to solve this case, and Joan brings Kitty in on her private case to figure out what a wealthy building flipper sees in a particularly run-down building.

The under-story is a further effort for Sherlock to classify his relationships, and learn about dealing with people. Kitty also accepts to attend a support group.

posted by filthy light thief (7 comments total)

I'm really a terrible one for comparing media on the fly. The Den of Geeks review reminded me of that:

In any other Sherlock Holmes adaptation, a tangle of maths-based murders potentially masterminded by an anonymous genius known as “Mo” would lead us straight to Moriarty’s door. Not Elementary.

Then again, Mo Shellshocker is a pretty un-Moriarty handle, even in terms of Moriarty trying to be un-Moriarty.

I rather liked the return of Harlan, and I may be warming to Kitty, but we'll see.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:29 PM on November 15, 2014 [2 favorites]

I don't know if I'm warming to Kitty, exactly, but her story is developing in somewhat different directions than I suspected it might, in a good way.

I like how they haven't just abandoned Sherlock's history as an addict or Joan's past as a treatment counselor, but have integrated those into the Kitty story line.

The under-story of Sherlock learning something about himself and how he relates to people was really the main point of the maths mystery, which was otherwise kind of bland.

I'm increasingly doubtful that Kitty is some kind of bad-guy or MI6 plant.

I still don't trust Joan's boyfriend whatshisname.
posted by soundguy99 at 5:54 PM on November 15, 2014

At least Joan's boyfriend is keeping her adequately sexed.
posted by Bonzai at 7:34 PM on November 15, 2014 [5 favorites]

On a personal note, the itch I get when UK people say "maths" instead of "math" was out of control after watching this episode. I felt really stranges. And weirds. And peculiars.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:31 AM on November 16, 2014 [2 favorites]

I was worried about the last shot lingering on Joan's face at the support group meeting, combined with her boyfriend who seems so light and easily replaceable, that I'm hoping they are not going to have Joan as a secret survivor of rape becoming a plot point. I mean, the show is doing a pretty good job so far with Kitty as a survivor - Bell's casual touch at the crime scene making her flinch and Bell immediately adjusting himself to accomodate her (how awesome are Bell and Joan as platonic respectful colleagues?) - but I worry about the show misstepping when Joan has become one of the best women characters on tv.

Okay, and now I want the Alicia Florrick/Joan Watson crossover of MY DREAMS.
posted by viggorlijah at 12:36 AM on November 17, 2014 [1 favorite]

I still can't say I am on board with Kitty, but her story is going better minus the weird jealousy angle.

Sherlock trying to quantify his relationship with Joan and Kitty via 1950's gender norms was amusing and so was Joan's immediate shut down of that idea.
posted by Julnyes at 12:44 PM on November 17, 2014 [1 favorite]

At least Joan's boyfriend is keeping her adequately sexed.

I wonder how she'll react when she discovers that he works for the ISI.
posted by homunculus at 6:36 PM on November 17, 2014