Elementary: The Games Underfoot
December 11, 2015 6:38 PM - Season 4, Episode 5 - Subscribe
Holmes and Watson think an archeologist was murdered for what he found during an excavation in a local landfill; Sherlock and Alfredo's relationship hits a rough patch.
Yep, a good mystery-of-the-week episode, and great to see Alfredo.
(And Holmes feeling like he couldn't return to the same meetings as a relapsed addict felt very true to the character and his ego problems.)
As soon as they were saying maybe he was looking for something of value in the landfill, I thought "maybe it's 20,000 copies of Atari's ET video game." Glad I was right...
posted by mmoncur at 7:34 PM on December 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
(And Holmes feeling like he couldn't return to the same meetings as a relapsed addict felt very true to the character and his ego problems.)
As soon as they were saying maybe he was looking for something of value in the landfill, I thought "maybe it's 20,000 copies of Atari's ET video game." Glad I was right...
posted by mmoncur at 7:34 PM on December 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
So happy to see Alfredo again! Also so happy to see some fallout from Sherlock's relapse. I liked that Joan was visibly trying to keep herself from fretting or hovering with regard to Sherlock's meeting attendance and friendship with Alfredo, and that she did ultimately err on the side of giving them space. Joan basically solved the case this week while Sherlock dealt with his emotional shit, which was nice to see. I was also completely delighted by the scene where they play the video game together with Joan's gestures while backseat playing and then Sherlock's hilarious flopping around. It was just a lovely, lived-in scene of partnership.
One thing that consistently moves me about Elementary and Jonny Lee Miller's performance is how much focus they put on just how hard Sherlock tries to be a good person, to live well in the world. He can be rude and annoying and difficult, but when it matters, he always tries to do right by his friends. I'm hard-pressed to think of any other male character on TV right now whose moments of character development are so frequently about making and affirming emotional connections with other people. It is, I think, key to the show's quiet...tenderness, is the only word I can come up with.
posted by yasaman at 7:40 PM on December 11, 2015 [13 favorites]
One thing that consistently moves me about Elementary and Jonny Lee Miller's performance is how much focus they put on just how hard Sherlock tries to be a good person, to live well in the world. He can be rude and annoying and difficult, but when it matters, he always tries to do right by his friends. I'm hard-pressed to think of any other male character on TV right now whose moments of character development are so frequently about making and affirming emotional connections with other people. It is, I think, key to the show's quiet...tenderness, is the only word I can come up with.
posted by yasaman at 7:40 PM on December 11, 2015 [13 favorites]
I think there's a tribute to Miller for making it seem (or at least seem in my memory) that he's grown in character towards valuing people as friends, even when there is the loosest of personal connection. With Alfredo, Sherlock values him and wants to keep in touch with him, and it seems honest and genuine. Similarly, as yasaman pointed out, Lucy Liu continues to be great as Watson, human and quite competent beside Holmes.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:33 AM on December 18, 2015
posted by filthy light thief at 10:33 AM on December 18, 2015
As soon as they were saying maybe he was looking for something of value in the landfill, I thought "maybe it's 20,000 copies of Atari's ET video game." Glad I was right...
Me too. I think they could try a liiiiiiiittle harder than just scooping up ideas from documentaries or the first page of Reddit. I feel like most of the KAHRAZY INTERNETS plots are eye-rollingly obvious lately.
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:31 PM on March 14, 2016
Me too. I think they could try a liiiiiiiittle harder than just scooping up ideas from documentaries or the first page of Reddit. I feel like most of the KAHRAZY INTERNETS plots are eye-rollingly obvious lately.
posted by fiercecupcake at 1:31 PM on March 14, 2016
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posted by oh yeah! at 6:58 PM on December 11, 2015 [1 favorite]