Elementary: The One That Got Away

January 30, 2015 1:25 PM - Season 3, Episode 12

Sherlock and Joan increase their efforts to determine the relationship between Del Gruner and the deaths of a young lady who was abused and branded and a man involved with sex trafficking, while Kitty begins to unravel due to the imminent threat to her safety. The origin of Sherlock and Kitty’s relationship is revealed in a series of flashbacks.
posted by filthy light thief (6 comments total)

Loved the flashbacks. I'm looking forward to rewatching this season someday to see how the beginning will play now that I have those last scenes in my head -- I didn't particularly like Kitty at first. Partly because I missed the old Sherlock+Joan dynamic, but partly I think it was because the show introduced her through Joan's first impression.

But I'm glad that the writers chose to save showing us the meeting of Sherlock and Kitty only as book-ended by their parting, it made both scenes so much more powerful than if they'd tried to show the flashbacks earlier.
posted by oh yeah! at 8:00 PM on January 30, 2015 [4 favorites]

Indeed, and it was interesting to see Sherlock first call someone his friend, and then cry. I rather like the growth of Sherlock, and also of Joan. Kitty grew on me, too, and the flashbacks further bolstered that.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:55 PM on January 31, 2015

I thought it was a really well-constructed episode, one of the strongest of the season, although now I'm a bit at sea about where they're gonna go from here, since the Kitty plot seems to now be wrapped up and we're only halfway through the season. I was definitely expecting Kitty to be around the whole time.
posted by soundguy99 at 5:41 PM on January 31, 2015

I wasn't expecting to be quite so invested in Sherlock and Kitty's relationship, but I was really moved by it and by Kitty's journey in this episode. This show frequently has a relentless and clear-eyed sort of kindness for its characters that was in full display in this episode: the narrative neither condemned nor glorified Kitty for her choice in revenge, it simply presented it with compassion. And Sherlock extended the exact sort of kindness and love Kitty needed in that moment by telling her no matter what she did, he would still consider her a friend. Then when Kitty called Sherlock at the end, her goodbye and platonic declaration of love was a heartbreakingly perfect response to Sherlock's unconditional support: "Do you know what I haven't said to anyone in a really long time? I love you. Isn't that the saddest thing?" I mean, just ouch. Combined with the flashbacks to their early relationship showing how they sort of saved each other, it all ended up being really affecting in an understated way.

It's a shame that Elementary isn't the sort of show that will ever garner awards, because Jonny Lee Miller's performance as Sherlock is remarkable. His body language in the warehouse with Kitty was full of simultaneous discomfort and intensity, even as everything about his voice and face showed his total sincerity. The way JLM plays Sherlock's vulnerability and woundedness makes his honest declarations like the one to Kitty hit hard, and I find it so impressive. And Ophelia Lovibond was great too, showing the toll facing her rapist took. The way she just started shaking as soon as she heard Gruner's voice was heartbreaking.

Elementary is absolutely selling the growth of Sherlock in episodes like this where three seasons' worth of character development pay off. The show may never have the most exciting or interesting mysteries, or the flash of BBC's Sherlock, but its careful character work and nuanced depiction of recovery make it invaluable to me.
posted by yasaman at 10:35 AM on February 6, 2015 [6 favorites]

I never thought I would be sad to see Kitty go. She definitely grew on me and those flashback scenes were heartbreaking.
posted by Julnyes at 9:25 AM on February 17, 2015 [1 favorite]

i've been so slow to take to this season. i really hated kitty at first - but partly I think it was because the show introduced her through Joan's first impression. and now i realize - this is exactly it. i was watching kitty from joan's point of view. i'm going to totally rewatch this season, and maybe the whole dang show to just get back to this episode again.

i admit i was losing faith in the creators. i referred to kitty as "scrappy doo" at every opportunity. i hated the drama tv kludgey way they dealt with her sexual assault background, a topic too close to my heart - i hated the way they moved sherlock's recovery stories to sexual assault group stuff. it made it hard for me to watch elementary as escapism. i also resented kitty for distracting from the joan/sherlock relationship.

but this episode. fuck. it was so good and so well constructed and so honest and true in a really weird way. i'm in tears. it's a strangely impactful show. so, yeah, might have to rewatch at least this season so i don't mentally turn off when kitty is on screen. i never thought i'd be so sad to see her go...
posted by nadawi at 4:37 PM on March 1, 2015 [1 favorite]