Elementary: An Infinite Capacity for Taking Pains (6x01)

Johnny Lee Miller continues to impress. Man, I missed this show.

Cons:

This isn't so much a problem with this episode, but more of a concern I have moving forward. Last season had a lot of great development and exploration of Joan's character. It makes perfect sense that she would drop everything to be there for Sherlock during this difficult time, but I do hope this doesn't mean we push Joan's character growth to the side. It would be a shame if all of the focus was on Sherlock once again, and we ignored the growing distance and problems between them. I want to say that I trust this show to balance everything out, but I've been disappointed in the past with what I viewed as wasted potential.

Pros:

The case of the week was just a case of the week, but what I liked about it was the same thing I always like about Elementary cases. It wasn't too insane. It was straight-forward, and one of the most logical suspects ends up being the killer. Sometimes you don't need twenty different twists and turns, you just need to show how good detective work and a couple of brilliant insights can crack the case. Sherlock pulls a regular Sherlock when he discovers that the deadbolt on the victim's door triggers a hidden camera (tangentially? I'd just like to say "ew"), and this leads to the case being cracked. But there's a lot of legwork required, and we see how Bell and Joan and Sherlock all work to make it happen.

Also - Grant Ward from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the murderous villain, which made me laugh. This dude is good at playing bland white guys who are secretly murdering creeps. I'm all for it.

As is always the case, the subplot is where the meat is. Joan is furious for Sherlock's crappy behavior lately, but she does an about-face and is very supportive once she learns that Sherlock is not well. Turns out, he's got brain damage because of the concussion he received from Shinwell. It's not necessarily permanent, but it is serious, and it's affecting Sherlock's ability to do his job. There is just so much to talk about with this, and it all centers around Johnny Lee Miller's incredible performance. He tries to handle the situation pragmatically, but he quickly falls apart as he contemplates his sobriety. He needs his work to keep him sober, and with this head injury, he might not be able to do his work. I don't know that we've ever seen Sherlock quite so scared and shaken, and it was hard to watch.

Joan is there for him, and it's adorable, and I loved their super awkward hug. Joan wraps her arms around Sherlock, and he just stands there and reminds her that his personality hasn't changed. I love that Joan feels able to take that kind of liberty with Sherlock, and that Sherlock, while perhaps not entirely comfortable, also understands the gesture for the support that it is. It's great that he just stands there and lets it happen. Later, we see that Joan has taken control of the situation and has started to implement some ideas for helping with Sherlock's recovery. She tells him that he's not going to go through this alone. I can't wait to see how that plays out.

Finally, Sherlock has made a new friend at a meeting. This guy, Michael, tells him that his sobriety is due in part to something Sherlock said once in a meeting, many years before, about how his work was the most important thing, and that in focusing on it, he can aid his recovery. Michael offers Sherlock his number if Sherlock ever needs to talk, and as the episode ends, we see Sherlock taking Michael up on that offer. Only to see the camera pan out, and show Michael hard at work in his own profession: burying a body in an unmarked grave in the woods. Dun dun dun... after the whole Jamie Moriarty fiasco, I can't believe Sherlock has gone and befriended another serial killer! Oh, who am I kidding? Of course he has. I'm very excited to see how this goes.

So... yeah! I'm glad this show is back, at long last! I suspect this might be Elementary's final season, and that's probably as it should be. Still, I'm glad to see Joan and Sherlock back at it again!

8.5/10