S03.E13: Hemlock

[Athena]

When a debt collector is murdered, Holmes and Watson try to narrow down the suspect pool from thousands of consumers who owed the victim money. Meanwhile, Watson’s relationship with Andrew progresses when he asks her to meet his father for the first time.

 

[shapeshifter]

I am vicariously thrilled to see Clyde painting. But I'm not sure I agree with Sherlock that Clyde likes it.

Love that Sherlock purloined the portrait.

IRL Joan would be wise to stick with her boyfriend if she wants to have one--but maybe she doesn't.

Oh, crap. And now he's dead? Is Jessica Fletcher in the neighborhood?

[stealinghome]

What the hell was that ending??????

 

I was all set to say that this was a really solid case-of-the-week/post-Kitty's-departure episode that I really enjoyed and that seemed to get Sherlock and Watson back into their old dynamic a bit with Watson coming back to the brownstone, and then that ending happened! Wtf???

 

Man, if you value your health, don't date Joan....

Edited February 6, 2015 by stealinghome

[AimingforYoko]

Man Joan, that's a little extreme just to get out of having to dump Andrew. I kid, I kid.

I do enjoy bored Sherlock. His down time is almost as interesting as the cases.

[fauntleroy]

Who was that woman Joan bumped into with the coffee? Using slo-mo you can get a good look at her face. Never saw her before.

 

Good case tonight.

[portia7]

The bumper is the one who dropped the poison in the coffee, no?

[fauntleroy]

The bumper is the one who dropped the poison in the coffee, no?

 

Yes I think that's the thing. The skim milk latte was meant for Joan.

 

(Edit: Though thinking about it, would have been tricky for the bumper to be sure which was which and poison the right one.)

Edited February 6, 2015 by fauntleroy

[Actionmage]

 Poor Andrew!

 

Clyde! Name-drops for Ms. Hudson and The Nose!  Bell saying he wouldn't move in and Sherlock's reply! Gregson too.

 

Sherlock's downtime was fun. The mention of Philip and their history was a happy surprise. I am also enjoying Sherlock facing Everybody's prices for information.

 

Joan was correct, the portrait was creepy. As was the finding of brain matter.

 

I kind of felt for the clueless Mrs. Despite how you drift apart, finding out that a man you loved is dead has to be a shock.

 

Yes, next week looks very intense and Joan is going to be on fire!

Edited February 6, 2015 by Actionmage

[shapeshifter]

...I kind of felt for the clueless Mrs. Despite how you drift apart, finding out that a man you loved is dead has to be a shock....

Plus she had wrongly accused him of having an affair when he was just trying to be a good guy while supporting her in the style to which she had become accustomed.

[thuganomics85]

Clyde!  Long time, no see, my friend.  Of course, Sherlock has him paint in order to kill time.  Then again, considering some paintings I've seen, I think there probably is a market out there for it.  Clyde needs to open a gallery!

 

Well, I was all set to say this was a solid enough "case of the week" episode, but that ending sure did change that opinion.  Poor Andrew.  He totally looks dead, and the last words he heard was Joan telling him that they were through.  But, yeah, since it came from her coffee, I'm sure she was the target.  And, I totally think it came from whoever she bumped into, when she was getting their drinks.  I wonder where they are going with this.

 

Bored Sherlock was hilarious.  I kind of liked the idea of him getting a roommate (or flatmate, as he called it.)  Too bad Joan said that no one from his support group, because I would have so loved it to be Alfredo.  They could kill time finding new ways to break into security systems, when he's not off doing cases.

 

Now, I really want to know what Sherlock did, that made Phil Simms loyal enough to give him one of his Superbowl rings.  Something bad must have gone down...

Edited February 6, 2015 by thuganomics85

[possibilities]

I hate how they made Joan seem like such a dummy all episode, just following Sherlock around asking him questions to provide an avenue for exposition for the audience, and going out of her way to not know what certain words mean. And it wasn't fixed by having her notice the change in eyeglass frames, making Sherlock seem out of it since that's the sort of thing he'd likely notice himself.

 

Other than that, a solid episode.

[Delwyn]

Watson: "That's very kind of you to say." AHAHA!

[sinkwriter]

 

I do enjoy bored Sherlock. His down time is almost as interesting as the cases.

 

Oh man, between having Clyde paint (and saying "he loves it," LOL) and all the ways Sherlock kept trying to talk cases because he was so bored, I could not stop laughing. I thought for a moment he might be bothering the food delivery person or something, but then the camera view switched and he had been talking to his single stick dummy. Heeee. A lot of humor in this episode, and great Joan-and-Sherlock banter. I also loved Marcus telling Sherlock that he wouldn't be his new roommate. (I don't blame him one bit; Sherlock would drive him insane.) 

 

I also liked how Sherlock had "couture" waiting for Joan, in case she ever needed it. Very cute.

 

About ten minutes before the episode finished, I said to myself, "I'm enjoying this episode, but I really can't figure out why they're calling it 'Hemlock'." And then the final scene occurred and I said, "Ohhhh, right." Poor Andrew. That was awful.

[basil]

Man, if you value your health, don't date Joan....

I can't bring it to mind right away, but there used to be a show that, whoever the protaganist fell in love with was guaranteed to be dead within a couple episodes. It was long enough ago that that's all I can remember, but we always used to joke about it.

 

Though thinking about it, would have been tricky for the bumper to be sure which was which and poison the right one.

 

Not to mention, most places in nyc like that serve their beverages with lids. I can handwave that. They also usually write the names on the cups, so presumably the assassin could see the names. However, if just one sip of Joan's latte killed Andrew, though, let's hope Joan doesn't follow up her CPR with mouth to mouth. That's potent stuff.

 

Of course, Sherlock has [Clyde] paint in order to kill time.  Then again, considering some paintings I've seen, I think there probably is a market out there for it.

 

Well, there really is an elephant that paints and his/her paintings go for a pretty penny.

 

Watson: "That's very kind of you to say." AHAHA!

You beat me to it. Lui's delivery was brilliant, but Sherlock truly meant it as a compliment. These writers excel at dialogue. I've never thought much of their cases, but it's never bothered me because the dialogue and performances are so wonderful.

 

eta: the poisoner also might have poisoned both cups, just to be safe.

Edited February 6, 2015 by basil

[Minneapple]

Great ep, really had that old school vibe until the end. Loved Sherlock telling Joan she could brain a guy and Joan being all, "That's very kind of you." Also Sherlock telling the receptionist she could get back to her life of tedium and petty deception. And Bell telling Sherlock he wouldn't be his roommate and Sherlock saying he hadn't asked. Oh, and Gregson giving Sherlock and Joan the side-eye when the guy said they stole his portrait.

there used to be a show that, whoever the protaganist fell in love with was guaranteed to be dead within a couple episodes.

The Sam Winchester thread on the old Supernatural board at TWoP was called "Sam Winchester: Sleep with him and DIE!"

[basil]

The Sam Winchester thread on the old Supernatural board at TWoP was called "Sam Winchester: Sleep with him and DIE!"

LOL, no, I never saw Supernatural, but that's hilarious, it's a much older show than that. Bonanza, maybe? I know Little Joe's wife was killed, but I think many of the Cartwright boys' girlfriends may as well have been wearing red shirts.

 

I hate how they made Joan seem like such a dummy all episode, just following Sherlock around asking him questions to provide an avenue for exposition for the audience, and going out of her way to not know what certain words mean.

I have a pretty remarkable vocabulary (if I do say so myself), but between JLM's accent and the ambient noise, I couldn't even make out the first word, much less what it meant. That said, I really don't like the way they writers are screwing around with Joan. I have gone on about it at length on other threads, so I won't repeat any of it here, but I am in agreement with you. A tiny bit of it can be attributed to character growth, but the bulk of it is just lazy writing.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I love that Sherlock has Clyde paint and that he thinks it's soothing for both of them.

 

This week I realized that I would be a horrible detective because I am not willing to lie down on dirty floors to look for brain matter or lick an envelope to see what the stain is.

 

I hate how they made Joan seem like such a dummy all episode, just following Sherlock around asking him questions to provide an avenue for exposition for the audience, and going out of her way to not know what certain words mean.

I noticed this and got really annoyed with it. It's one thing to have Joan and Sherlock exposition through a conversation, but they made her look like an idiot this week.

 

Sherlock: The postmark on this envelope is from Long Island City. I licked the stain on the outside of this envelope so I know that we are looking for an El Salvadoran restaurant.

[cut to Joan and Sherlock in front of an El Salvadoran restaurant in Long Island City]

Joan: So what are we doing here?

 

I mean, seriously.

[Trini]

Come on.  :(

I knew Joan and Andrew weren't going to last forever,  but did they have to murder him??

 

Other than that major downer, the episode was good.

[GaT]

I loved when Joan came over & Sherlock asked her why & she said she was just there to punch him. And then she did. I laughed at that.

 

The ending caught me completely by surprise. It looks like they want us to think that it was Joan's coffee that was poisoned, but it was Andrew's name on the cup, so I think it's going to turn out that he was supposed to be the victim. Interesting that they chose to name this episode "Hemlock"

[basil]

Sherlock: The postmark on this envelope is from Long Island City. I licked the stain on the outside of this envelope so I know that we are looking for an El Salvadoran restaurant.

[cut to Joan and Sherlock in front of an El Salvadoran restaurant in Long Island City]

Joan: So what are we doing here?

I mean, seriously.

To be fair, Joan asked "So, what are we looking for, signs of Stephen?". She was asking for specifics. Still, pretty "beef-witted" as Sherlock called "people". Speaking of, to revisit the word that Sherlock used to pejoratively describe "people" that Joan didn't understand sounded like "crastulant". I listened several times and it sounded like they both said the same word. I cannot find such a word. The closest I could come was "crassulant", meaning "obese" or "crapulant", meaning "very drunk".

 

It looks like they want us to think that it was Joan's coffee that was poisoned, but it was Andrew's name on the cup, so I think it's going to turn out that he was supposed to be the victim. Interesting that they chose to name this episode "Hemlock"

I hadn't noticed that, but if that's true, it makes no sense. I'd have to watch again, but I'm pretty sure Andrew only took one sip - the one from what he recognised as Joan's. He didn't drink any of his and Joan didn't drink anything at all - and as clever as the title is (Sherlock/Hemlock), if the recounting of Socrates' death is to believed, Andrew would have taken quite some time to die were he poisoned by hemlock.

[Ganache]

I agreed with the posts here -- they made Joan incredibly dumb this episode, which is a bit of a downer since she really came into her own through her development from protégé to partner.  And while I really like Kitty, I missed the S1 and S2 banter between Joan and Sherlock that this episode brings back.

 

Despite the incredibly surprising ending, it makes a lot of sense -- why this episode's called "Hemlock", and the reappearance of Elana March next episode in "The Female of the Species".  I really liked how they worked it in too.  Elana's the only one so far to carry enough of a grudge to want Joan dead personally (RE: she wanted her dead as serendipitous collateral damage with the magnetic bullets in the elevator), she employed a hitwoman (she seems to prefer employing women), and Joan's suitably distracted by having to break up with Andrew that she fails to notice the woman dropping hemlock into her cup, ends up giving her own by mistake, and is too nervous to sip from her cup even after Andrew realises the switch.  Plus, hemlock's apparently really potent so the tiny sip resulting in Andrew's (apparent) death makes a lot of sense.

 

Hopefully Joan won't have to carry the idiot ball next episode, even if her role will probably be reduced like that episode where she got kidnapped (her directorial debut) since she is (if I remember correctly) directing her second episode of Elementary with "The Female of the Species".  Which also explains why Sherlock's partnering up with Bell.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Athena
Added spoiler tags for next episode

[GaT]

I hadn't noticed that, but if that's true, it makes no sense. I'd have to watch again, but I'm pretty sure Andrew only took one sip - the one from what he recognised as Joan's. He didn't drink any of his and Joan didn't drink anything at all - and as clever as the title is (Sherlock/Hemlock), if the recounting of Socrates' death is to believed, Andrew would have taken quite some time to die were he poisoned by hemlock.

I thought he drank from the cup with his name on it & then said it was skim milk, I think they screwed up the order & made his with skim milk, or they just put the wrong name on the cup. If it was the person who bumped into Joan, how else would she know whose drink was whose besides the name on the cup? If it wasn't in the cup, then I think that points to him being the intended victim even more. I deleted the episode, so I can't check the recording.

[Andrew Wiggin]

 

 

The ending caught me completely by surprise. It looks like they want us to think that it was Joan's coffee that was poisoned, but it was Andrew's name on the cup, so I think it's going to turn out that he was supposed to be the victim. Interesting that they chose to name this episode "Hemlock"

He took only a Sip from Joans Coffee and gave it right back to here with  the Comment that she gave him the wrong Cup and he didnt touch his Coffee with his Name on it so it looks like the Poisen was ment for Joan.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Andrew Wiggin

[GaT]

He took only a Sip from Joans Coffee and gave it right back to here with  the Comment that she gave him the wrong Cup and he didnt touch his Coffee with his Name on it so it looks like the Poisen was ment for Joan.

Hmm, I wish I didn't delete it, I thought he drank from the cup with his name.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I've always been the one to put the lid on. Don't they usually serve lidless, so you can add stuff to it?

Most of the coffee places I've been to serve the cups with the lids on (probably to ensure that you don't slosh hot coffee all over yourself) so if you want to add sugar or other stuff, you have to take the lid off.

Edited February 6, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Tarasme]

Aaaahhh! Thank you thank you thank you thank you Powers that Be for allowing Sherlock to miss a razor for an ep. Scruffy Sherlock in no way resembles to Serial Killer-esque Sherlock. It's amazing how much some facial hair softens JLM's manner to make him approachable rather than scary.

 

And- poor Andrew.

[Primetimer]

Watson and Holmes are just getting back in their regular swing when murder gets personal (again).

Read the story

[ae2]

"Oh, Sherlock. Why don't you use that big, smart brain of yours to explain to me how debt collector's work!"

 

"You see, young lady. If a debt collector can buy $10,000 worth of debt from another company for $1,000, and they are able to collect $5,000 of that, it gives them a profit of...?"

 

"Oh, Sherlock. I don't have a big brain like yours. Can't I use a calculator? Oh, hm, hee, haw. Let me use my fingers. Oh, it's $4,000!"

 

"Great job, little Joanie!"

 

"Do I get a gold star for my amazing math skills? You taught me that word 'amazing', do I get another for using it in a sentence?"

 

Otherwise, it was a decent episode. My biggest problem with it is...

 

we JUST got done with a big character arc where a serial rapist bad guy was out to get one of our heroes, can't we have some regular episodes before we have some other big baddie that is intimately involved with the good guys? I mean, if the only way that you are able to pull on our emotional strings is by having bad guys specifically target Sherlock and the gang then you just need to give up.

 

There are only so many times a person can handle the "this guy has a beef with one of our main characters" or the "a main character just happens across a big ugly homicide" or the "a person that just happens to know a main character has this juicy missing persons case."

[mocga]

I'm calling a bait and switch here. We are getting a new villain and its Andrew's father! He was just a little too odd in the dinner scene, there were a lot of other ways to bring Watson to the conclusion she needed to dump Andrew, and its the kind of tricksy thing I have come to expect from this show.

[ajsnaves]

When she grabs the coffees, she grabs hers in her right hand, and Andrew's in her left.  It looks like she hands him the correct cup when she sits down, but then the camera angle switches, and we see her hand him the cup in her right hand. It was definitely Joan's  (Or John's as they called her) cup that he took a drink from.

[basiltherat]

Maybe we're thinking too much about whose coffee is whose --- if someone is out to punish Joan, killing either her or her boyfriend will be punishing enough.  It's a win for whoever the big bad is.

[gesundheit]

The actor she bumped into in the coffee shop was definitely a familiar actor, so I was immediately curious.

 

Agreed with those above who wonder why Joan had to be so dumb in this episode. Sometimes it's necessary to ask questions to make exposition feel more natural, but really: who the hell in the audience needed "debt collector" explained to them? "Huh? A credit card doesn't just keep the debt forever and ever???!! Why I never!"

 

Otherwise, fabulous episode, and excellent use of Clyde.

 

Also, c'mon recapper, don't threaten me with the good time of the "Joan is a lesbian" theory. I will get my hopes up too high. I don't deserve anything that wonderful.

Edited February 6, 2015 by gesundheit

[Blakeston]

Andrew definitely drank from Joan's cup. The cup he didn't sip from had his name on it.

To be fair, Joan asked "So, what are we looking for, signs of Stephen?". She was asking for specifics. Still, pretty "beef-witted" as Sherlock called "people". Speaking of, to revisit the word that Sherlock used to pejoratively describe "people" that Joan didn't understand sounded like "crastulant". I listened several times and it sounded like they both said the same word. I cannot find such a word. The closest I could come was "crassulant", meaning "obese" or "crapulant", meaning "very drunk".

Sherlock said crassulent. I think it fits with his character to think of most people as being fat and dumb (except in much more poetic language, of course.)

[stealinghome]

Agreed with those above who wonder why Joan had to be so dumb in this episode. Sometimes it's necessary to ask questions to make exposition feel more natural, but really: who the hell in the audience needed "debt collector" explained to them? "Huh? A credit card doesn't just keep the debt forever and ever???!! Why I never!"

To be fair, given the massive amount of people in this country who are in major credit card debt, it is, apparently, a concept that many people don't understand!

 

I did like that the writers lampshaded that conversation when Joan said dryly "People buy things they can't afford. I'm aware of the phenomenon" or something like that.

[Miss Dee]

They're in a rough spot. Whether Sherlock explains or Joan explains, some fans will be outraged that the other needed an explanation. To which the obvious solutions sounds like a 3rd person, and then fans get upset over the intrusion. Writers can never win.

[alias1]

When I read the review by Allison Lowe Huff I was surprised that she mentioned one of the things I wondered about, and that is if Kitty is coming back.  In the "previously on elementary" segment, they showed the part where Kitty left.  Usually those scenes set up something that is about to happen in the current episode.  I wondered if they showed Kitty just as some sort of closure, or if it meant something more.  Now I do wonder if this new plot has something to do with her.  I have no knowledge of anything, just thought it was strange they showed her at the beginning.   

Edited February 6, 2015 by SierraMist

[orza]

Showing Kitty was a reminder that she had left and served as the setup to the opening scenes showing Sherlock desperate to talk to someone, anyone, about cases.

[DrLar]

The lady that bumped Joan was clearly looking down on the cups, to pour the poison in the right one, I don't recognize the actress though, maybe she's a paid hitwoman, I freezed framed the cups on the table and I see that Joan put hers on Andrew's side.

I think this also shows how distracted was Joan in this episode, thinking about meeting Andrew's dad and then breaking up, lesson learned?

[Blakeston]

They're in a rough spot. Whether Sherlock explains or Joan explains, some fans will be outraged that the other needed an explanation. To which the obvious solutions sounds like a 3rd person, and then fans get upset over the intrusion. Writers can never win.

In this case, though, they could have just had Sherlock say, "After 180 days of being overdue, the accounts go to debt collectors" - rather than have him act like the concept of bringing in debt collectors is confusing..

And they could have skipped the part with, "So if they buy the debt for $1,000, and then collect $5,000, then they make a profit of $4,000."

[Helena Dax]

Come on.  :(

I knew Joan and Andrew weren't going to last forever,  but did they have to murder him??

 

Other than that major downer, the episode was good.

 

In canon, Watson's first wife died, so... I was expecting it, sort of.

 

I liked the episode. The mistery was a mess, tbh, but the funny things were hilarious. Bored Sherlock made me laugh several times. And then, Andrew died! When I saw that woman bumping into Joan I knew it meant trouble. Can't wait for next episode! (And I was so close to quit the show three weeks ago...)

[sinkwriter]

 

I knew Joan and Andrew weren't going to last forever,  but did they have to murder him??

 

I guess (given how much she enjoys her independence, whether it's with or without a boyfriend) it would take a major event for Joan to come back to the brownstone, so... that'll do it. Poor Andrew. Horrific.

[basil]

we JUST got done with a big character arc where a serial rapist bad guy was out to get one of our heroes, can't we have some regular episodes before we have some other big baddie that is intimately involved with the good guys? I mean, if the only way that you are able to pull on our emotional strings is by having bad guys specifically target Sherlock and the gang then you just need to give up.

I understand your frustration - but this is Sherlock Holmes, internationally-known detective of NYC, Scotland Yard, and M-16. He's put a lot of people away. He's going to have enemies.

 

The Kitty arc wasn't even that long, and the big bad was in, what two of them?

 

Otherwise, it's just another procedural. 

 

Joan coming to the Brownstone purely to punch Sherlock in the arm and tell him he was right, was the best part of the episode for me. Just for a split second, it almost looked like JLM was going to break character and crack up.

 

 

Even money says there are out takes of exactly that. What a great scene. 

[dargosmydaddy]

I was expecting the absence of Kitty to mean a boring episode, but that was quite fun. Yay for Clyde and dry one liners.

 

I knew Andrew was a goner as soon as the woman bumped into Joan. And yeah, something about Andrew's father pinged as odd to me, too.

[DEM]

My problem with the poisoner theory is that Joan was looking down at the cups during that entire exchange.  I don't see how that could be handwaved away.

[sinkwriter]

 

My problem with the poisoner theory is that Joan was looking down at the cups during that entire exchange.  I don't see how that could be handwaved away.

 

I noticed that too. Which made me wonder if the person bumping into her was meant as a trick distraction, when really the poisoner had already slipped it in before Joan took the cups from the barista. If she was looking around the room and looking at Andrew (which for some reason I recall her doing, maybe in anticipation of having to have the tough conversation with him), she wouldn't have been paying attention to anyone lurking around or tampering with / switching the cups.

Edited February 6, 2015 by sinkwriter

[alias1]

I loved when Joan came back to the brownstone to punch Sherlock in the arm.  Not just for the punching, but for how animated she was when she realized she didn't want to be with Andrew.  It was like she was going to burst unless she let out her frustration.  It was a great scene for her.

[sinkwriter]

Sometimes we get closed off to our own emotions or we're too close to a subject to see it clearly (whether it's a good thing or a bad thing in our lives), and when we finally do see... it's like an explosion of "How didn't I see that before?? This is insane! Wow." I loved seeing that in Joan in that scene, how elevated and energized (and frustrated) she was. And I really liked that even someone who seems so put together can still question "What do I really want in life?" It's a question for all of us, and I like seeing her finally start to dig in and think about it. It's exciting. Really great scene.

[portia7]

Wouldn't it be odd if Andrew's pa is the one who hired the poisoner? I don't know why Mr Old Man would have wanted to poison Joan tho.

[shapeshifter]

I just rewatched the coffee bit:

• They are labeled correctly.
• There are no lids.
• The bumping woman is holding her hand up to her ear as if she's on a cell phone (excuse for bumping?) and looks a bit like Bitsie Tulloch.
• Joan accidentally pushes her cup towards Andrew and he takes a sip, declaring it to be skim milk (not his).
• Neither of them take another sip of either cup before he keels over.

So, the Hemlock poison was placed in the cup labeled Joan.

Plus she had wrongly accused him of having an affair when he was just trying to be a good guy while supporting her in the style to which she had become accustomed.

To be fair, they'd had a complete breakdown in communication, and he was staying out all night without telling her why. If my man was acting shady and not coming home until really late or not at all, I'd be suspicious as well.

Oh, yes, I would too. I just meant that she/I would still fee horrible about it.

[Mom x 3]

Wouldn't it be odd if Andrew's pa is the one who hired the poisoner? I don't know why Mr Old Man would have wanted to poison Joan tho.

That's what I was thinking.  What if he's involved with something that he wouldn't want found out by someone who is passionate about her detective work?  Marrying or even exclusively dating Andrew would likely have them cross paths quite a bit.