Elementary: How to Get a Head (6x15)

It's always hilarious to me when a show like Elementary has a recognizable guest star playing a small role, because inevitably, they're playing the murderer!

Cons:

Well, kind of what I just said. The villain was pretty transparent from the first second, which was a bummer. And the case itself was slightly too random. The occult aspect was pretty much just a red herring, which is what Sherlock said at the beginning of the episode, so I'm not sure why I'm surprised. I guess maybe because it felt like the obvious solution, and I was waiting for some sort of surprise twist. Not a bad case of the week, but nothing too great either.

Pros:

The subplot is where all the meat is at, as always. I want to start, though, by discussing my favorite thing about the show, which is the relationship between Joan and Sherlock. I'm obsessed with the way this show details their domestic intimacy, the way they fill space in each other's lives and accommodate each other's routines. Sherlock isn't so good at it, but it's fun to watch him fail. These two often work in seamless harmony, but they also often squabble like siblings forced to share a bedroom. There's a great moment where Sherlock sees a detective leaving the brownstone in the morning, and then accosts Joan in her bedroom, accusing her of "returning to the scene of the crime." He's snippy with her, angry that she'd have sex with a guy they were considering as a replacement for Bell. Joan says she's not going to call Sherlock every time she has sex, and Sherlock replies that she shouldn't worry about inconveniencing him, it's just one phone call every three years. Ha!

The reason I adore this kind of petty nonsense is because in a far inferior show, Sherlock's annoyance would be a front for jealousy. He'd be angry that Joan was sleeping with someone, he'd be awkward about it, he'd be pining. Here, that's so not even remotely what's going on. I'm coming to realize that this is the first show I've ever seen where the man and woman team-up that forms the core of the show's relationship is not only not romantic, but will never be romantic. This isn't some long will-they-won't-they, like The Mentalist or The X-Files. I actually trust that Joan and Sherlock will stay platonic, and there is no part of me that wants anything more than that.

Sorry for that tangent. The subplot is about Bell, actually. Sherlock and Joan find someone they think would be a good replacement. Gregson looks into her, and ultimately decides against her. She's a great detective, but she's... "creative." Gregson knows that Sherlock and Joan need a mediating force, someone to pull them back, not someone who will run with their own creative impulses. Bell was the perfect match, and they need to find someone else who has that synergy. The episode ends with Bell and Sherlock heading out to get something to eat, and Sherlock telling Bell, quite frankly, that he's going to miss him.

Bell and Sherlock's friendship is even more understated than Joan and Sherlock's. They have less screen-time, less focus, and I tend to think about their dynamic a little less often. But then something like this happens, and it makes me realize all the more how much I'll miss Bell if he really does leave. I'm always begging for more screen time for Bell and Gregson, so I'm glad to see it start to happen a bit this season. Gregson tells Sherlock that if they can't find someone good to replace Bell, then the relationship between the precinct and Sherlock and Joan might not last. That's a depressing thought, since I know how much Gregson wants this all to work.

Also, I just want to point out again how awesome Johnny Lee Miller is at playing this character. He tells Bell that he'll miss him, in the same matter-of-fact tone that he used a few episodes back to tell Joan that he'd lay down his life for her. He says it like he's making a simple statement of fact, nothing to get worked up over. I love that delivery, and I love that even though he says it like it's no big deal, Bell knows him well enough to understand the weight of that admission. Their friendship is amazing!

There's another episode of Elementary on tonight, to make up for CBS changing its schedule around a while back, so I'll be back with another review tomorrow!

8/10