S04.E10: Alma Matters

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Elementary airs on Wednesdays in Canada so beware if you don't want to be spoiled!

 

Holmes' tentative reconciliation with his father suffers a setback when Holmes and Watson discover Morland has been keeping a secret that threatens all of their safety. Also, Holmes and Watson investigate two murders connected to a for-profit college and its illegal recruitment practices.

[Tara Ariano]

Holmes' relationship with his father suffers a setback when he discovers Morland has been keeping a secret that threatens their safety. Meanwhile, Sherlock and Watson investigate two murders linked to a college and its illegal recruitment practices.

[AimingforYoko]

Slowly, slowly giving Morland shades. He's morally dubious, but it looks like he's not a murderer. I wonder how long they're going to drag out this mystery? 'Til the end of the season?

As to the main mystery, the tension wasn't in whodunit, it was how they were going to prove Tate Donovan did it. Another good way around the guest star rule.

[MisterGlass]

I'm not surprised Elementary took a few shots at for-profit colleges - they have plenty in common with the usual villains.

 

The stand out scenes in this were the moments between Morland and Sherlock.  John Noble manages to go from confidence to humility to regret in such a short space of time.  Morland is still so perfectly gray, but it comes through clearly that he has real feelings.

 

I was cracking up at Sherlock passive-agressively squeezing out the honey.  Every time they cut back to him it was a little lower and he just kept gripping it tighter.  Such a waste, but so funny.

[whatsatool]

I'm not surprised Elementary took a few shots at for-profit colleges - they have plenty in common with the usual villains.

The stand out scenes in this were the moments between Morland and Sherlock. John Noble manages to go from confidence to humility to regret in such a short space of time. Morland is still so perfectly gray, but it comes through clearly that he has real feelings.

I was cracking up at Sherlock passive-agressively squeezing out the honey. Every time they cut back to him it was a little lower and he just kept gripping it tighter. Such a waste, but so funny.

This series just keeps getting better and better. After a slow tedious start, this season is on fire.

[tennisgurl]

I work in higher education, so the stuff about for profit colleges was really interesting to me. And its tailor made for this show. Tate Donovan really does play smug asshole quite wonderfully. 

 

I still have no idea what is going on with Moreland. He think he is genuine about wanting to reconnect with Sherlock, but I feel like there is still more to this story. John Noble is doing great stuff with this part. 

[Actionmage]

I was cracking up at Sherlock passive-agressively squeezing out the honey.  Every time they cut back to him it was a little lower and he just kept gripping it tighter.  Such a waste, but so funny.

 

I was hoping there was French toast or something equally delicious that was out of camera shot and getting the honey. Why waste, right? Plus, crew need to eat too.

 

I liked how Sherlock wasn't a big fan of deal-cutting and he so disdainfully explained that the wife's nephew made a deal and ratted out, obstensibly, family.  It kept to the theme, imo.

 

I also rather enjoyed Sherlock's final piece of evidence, shutting the folder on Sherlock-as-Morland's-suspect: "You are still alive."  Insulted Sherlock can be wonderful to watch Sherlock. Unfortunately, the actual killer framed Sherlock. Now they are in trouble.

[possibilities]

I thought Morland knew that risking Sherlock's life and/or reputation would ensure that Sherlock solved the case, thus protecting Morland. Any other approach, like directly asking for Sherlock's help, would risk Sherlock saying no.

[GaT]

The scene between Sherlock & Morland when we found out that Morland thought Sherlock was trying to murder him was fantastic. More stuff like that please.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Sherlock squeezing the entire honey bear into the sink was hilarious. I know he saw it as being practical (because Morland would not be coming over and therefore the honey wouldn't be used) but I loved how petty he was being.

 

I also loved that Sherlock was so insulted that his father thought that he would be careless enough to be seen before committing a murder.

 

For profit colleges are the devil, so I was totally fine with the show doing an episode about how terrible they are. But of course Jimmy Cooper was the one behind the murders!

[Primetimer]

Also, Morland learns there is a pain worse than getting shot in the gut.

Read the story

[Clanstarling]

I was so sure that the carrot for the murderers was their loans being paid off, and their "stick" was the safety of their families. The first murderer's empathy for the second one seemed stronger than "yeah he can get his loans paid off", and the his daughter's big scrape from from falling at the amusement park  was proof of  their ability/intent to harm - to get him to confess to the second murder. Add to the mix the Interpol guy whose family Morland threatened, albeit as a bluff. I also thought his reaction to Sherlock was more of a fear for his family than an "I think you tried to kill your father." Of course, IIRC, Morland was the one who said that was the cause of his reaction. And trying to mend fences with his son or not, he's still shady.

 

Regardless, I really enjoyed this episode. Just twisty enough, and the scenes with Sherlock and Morland were gold.

 

I too, loved him squeezing the honey out instead of just throwing it in the trash. Mostly because that's the kind of over the top gesture I tend to make.

Edited January 29, 2016 by clanstarling

[iMonrey]

 

Sherlock squeezing the entire honey bear into the sink was hilarious. I know he saw it as being practical (because Morland would not be coming over and therefore the honey wouldn't be used) but I loved how petty he was being.

 

I have to confess I was distracted by this scene because for the first few shots it didn't seem like the bottle was getting any emptier no matter how much he squeezed out, then it was down to about 3/4 full all of a sudden then about 2/3 full. I kept looking at it for continuity and missed the dialogue so I had to rewind it and watch it again. 

[fauntleroy]

I wasn't keen on the way this case was wrapped up. There was too much exposition at the end with everybody standing around while Sherlock and Joan took turns spelling it out for us. I couldn't keep up. Did they even show the nephew?

 

Also noticed honey bear continuity. Wasting food on TV show is a cliche, wish they wouldn't do it.

[Trey]

I have to confess I was distracted by this scene because for the first few shots it didn't seem like the bottle was getting any emptier no matter how much he squeezed out, then it was down to about 3/4 full all of a sudden then about 2/3 full. I kept looking at it for continuity and missed the dialogue so I had to rewind it and watch it again. 

 

I got the feeling that there were multiple bottles of honey and he was squeezing them out in succession.

 

I don't like seeing good food wasted either.  Maybe it was just honey coloured water.

 

 

Did they even show the nephew?

 

They showed a picture of him but I don't believe he was there in person.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Trey

[basiltherat]

Moreland, thy name is enigma!

Also, why does Chez Sherlock have common honey bears when Sherlock KEEPS BEES!?!?

[dargosmydaddy]

 

Also, why does Chez Sherlock have common honey bears when Sherlock KEEPS BEES!?!?

I kind of figured Moreland was not worthy of Sherlock's bees' honey...

 

I was puzzled more by the fact that Sherlock seemed to be bleeding, if not profusely, at least rather heavily from his arm, yet Joan's first aid was focused entirely on his only scratched (and lipsticked) face.

[sinkwriter]

From the recap:

 

 

Bell makes a nice ride-along for Watson this week, drily shading bad guys left and right. Jon Michael Hill is good in an interview room.

 

I especially loved how - after the thief had pointed a finger gun at Bell to quite rudely demonstrate the murderer's style, and as the camera panned to the other side of the interrogation room glass - we see Joan, but we still hear Bell talking: 

 

"First of all, get that hand out of my face..."

 

LOL. It's the little touches like that one that entertain me so much. I was thinking it, so I was delighted when he actually said it. Yay for Bell.

[thuganomics85]

Man, I know for profit colleges can be pretty damn shady, but this one certainly takes the cake!  Then again, having it run by Tate Donovan is a pretty big anvil.  Another case of the recognizable face doing it, but I'm fine with it since Tate excels at these types of roles.

 

Unless he's lying, it looks like Morland really didn't kill his predecessor, but just pretends he did in order to build up his scary reputation.  I think he's telling the truth.  While he clearly is devious and probably isn't a nice person, I just don't see them making him flat-out evil.  Not sure what to make of the whole someone trying to kill him plot, but I'm looking forward to seeing how Sherlock (and hopefully Joan too) got about trying to find out who is after him.  And John Noble continues to shine; especially when he is opposite of Johnny Lee Miller.

 

Of course, Sherlock would totally be into sex with a woman who roughs him up to the point that blood is split.  Equally unsurprising is Joan not be shocked by it, because I'm sure Sherlock has lost any ability to shock her at this point in the series. 

[MaryHedwig]

"First of all, get that hand out of my face..."  LOL. It's the little touches like that one that entertain me so much. I was thinking it, so I was delighted when he actually said it. Yay for Bell.

I loved that scene as well. I did wonder afterwards though it Bell's real-life counterpart would have said that. The prep is revealing very valuable information at some cost (and benefit) to himself, was it really the right time to teach the prep manners?  After all, that finger gun was not loaded, still it made for great television.

 

Along those lines, I wondered about the scene where Bell was talking to the child in the bedroom. Did he ask permission to do that or did he just see the child on the way to the bathroom or the front door? Why was there a female cop with them?  Is that the procedure when a male cop is talking to a little girl? Was she not a cop at all but a social worker? Did Bell get permission from the mother to speak to the daughter?  Shouldn't the mother had been present? The girl was a cutey, wasn't she?

 

Edited January 31, 2016 by MaryHedwig

[jhlipton]

From the recap:

Elementary Takes On The Greatest Evil Of Them All: Student Loans

 

For-profit prisons out-rank for-profit schools and the student loan industry.  But both are pretty high on the Eeeeevil scale.

[Vermicious Knid]

I think the writers have forgotten about the bees. Or the last few New York winters have killed them off.

 

ITT Tech has been back in the news just lately after a whistleblower complaint was unsealed detailing these exact kind of abuses:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/davidhalperin/blockbuster-lawsuit-claim_b_9040584.html

[sinkwriter]

 

I did wonder afterwards though it Bell's real-life counterpart would have said that. The prep is revealing very valuable information at some cost (and benefit) to himself, is was it really the right time to teach the prep manners?  After all, that finger gun was not loaded, still it made for great television.

 

From what I recall the killer didn't point the gun that closely (muzzle to nose). There was some space between them (not a lot, but some). So I think it was because the guy seemed to be doing it on purpose, pushing his hand as close as possible to Bell's face. It was getting too close, and I think Bell felt the guy was trying to antagonize him and decided to tell him to knock it off.

[Badsamaritan]

I loved that scene as well. I did wonder afterwards though it Bell's real-life counterpart would have said that. The prep is revealing very valuable information at some cost (and benefit) to himself, is was it really the right time to teach the prep manners? After all, that finger gun was not loaded, still it made for great television.

Along those lines, I wondered about the scene where Bell was talking to the child in the bedroom. Did he ask permission to do that or did he just see the child on the way to the bathroom or the front door? Why was there a female cop with them? Is that the procedure when a male cop is talking to a little girl? Was she not a cop at all but a social worker? Did Bell get permission from the mother to speak to the daughter? Shouldn't the mother had been present? The girl was a cutey, wasn't she?

I'm guessing they had a search warrant, and once it was determined a child was present, an officer would be charged with keeping an eye on her. I'm also assuming he asked permission to speak with the little girl and the wife agreed.

I too loved Bell's offscreen 'Get your hand out of my face'. And I know Sherlock would throw a hissy fit but I still low key ship Bell and Joan, I don't even care.

Morland, you magnificent bastard. I do believe that was a sigh of relief that Sherlock is gonna find out who tried to kill him. Yeah, yeah, he's personally affronted, whatever Sherlock. You were surprised when daddy Holmes showed up, I see you.

I think this may be the ongoing mystery for the rest of the season. Pure spec - Moriarty is behind the attempt, in some misguided delusion that she's 'helping' Sherlock by removing someone she thinks he despises. But it wouldn't make sense that she would try to frame Sherlock, never that. I just have this feeling it may be someone we've seen or heard about. Anyway, very nice episode with lots of good little character moments.

[theatremouse]

I think this may be the ongoing mystery for the rest of the season. Pure spec - Moriarty is behind the attempt, in some misguided delusion that she's 'helping' Sherlock by removing someone she thinks he despises. But it wouldn't make sense that she would try to frame Sherlock, never that. I just have this feeling it may be someone we've seen or heard about.

This episode actually made me think it's going to end up being Mycroft, what with all the suspecting a son biz, and how book-Mycroft is Very Powerful Playing Geopolitical Chess whatevers; given Morland's established character here as also soft of manuevernig six steps ahead to impact bigger goings on, but For the Good of His Money, made me suspicious of the juxtaposition, even though the show-Mycroft hasn't yet been implicated as quite the powerful dude (yet?) I'm otherwise used to. Could be leaning in that direction though. Edited January 31, 2016 by theatremouse

[MaryHedwig]

Pure spec - Moriarty is behind the attempt, in some misguided delusion that she's 'helping' Sherlock by removing someone she thinks he despises.

This episode actually made me think it's going to end up being Mycroft, what with all the suspecting a son biz,

Moriarty...Mycroft... Hell, I'm throwing in Kitty...God this is delicious fun!

[johntfs]

Moriarty...Mycroft... Hell, I'm throwing in Kitty...God this is delicious fun!

 

Two years previous Kitty was a near shut-in who wouldn't answer her door without a knife in her hand.  It's hard to see her traveling to Paris to whack a billionaire (who wasn't the man who raped and tortured her).  It's hard to see Mycroft doing it since he was under the oversight of MI-6.  I also tend to rule out Moriarty for the same reason I rule out Sherlock - Morland is still alive.

[theatremouse]

It's hard to see Mycroft doing it since he was under the oversight of MI-6.

I was suggesting "because of" not "despite".

[DeLurker]

Also, why does Chez Sherlock have common honey bears when Sherlock KEEPS BEES!?!?

Agreed that with the prior poster who suggested Morland is not worthy of Sherlock's bees, but I was a bit surprised at seeing the same honey bear that I have in my house being used for Papa Holmes.  Seems he would have gotten an upgrade from the Chez DeLurker brand.

 

I think the writers have forgotten about the bees. Or the last few New York winters have killed them off.

 

The former is plausible, but not the latter.  Clyde is sequestrated in the fridge so he can have proper seasons.  I don't believe Sherlock would be so careless with his bees.

[Ailianna]

Sherlock said something about it being special honey. I figured he might have some allergy that pollinated in the area so he can't have Sherlock's honey.

[orza]

Bees hibernate. too. Given everything we know about Sherlock, I doubt he would be willing to disturb his bees' hibernation for his father. And given how Sherlock feels about his father, simple grocery store honey is probably the best that he is willing to give.

[possibilities]

I took the "special honey" turning out to be everyday grocery store honey instead of truly special or home-harvested honey, to be a deliberate sarcasm, something Sherlock served his father as an insult. Morland surely dines on only the most expensive of everything, and his son serves him "nothing special"-- which he keeps on hand especially to (under)serve him. It's beneath Sherlock to serve it to anyone else besides the sink drain....

 

Honey is typically harvested before hibernation, and kept in storage for use year-round. I'm sure Sherlock either has some on hand for his truly respected guests, or else he allows the bees to keep it for their own purposes.

[MisterGlass]

I've seen a couple small batch, local honey producers sell using bear-shaped containers.  I've got one in my cabinet.  It's just such an iconic container, and people like it.

[johntfs]

I was suggesting "because of" not "despite".

Mycroft was infiltrating La Milieu and being a restauranteur/information clearing house.  Figure MI-6 has people to handle wet work that aren't doing other important stuff.  Plus, "Kill your father" is a bit of big ask that can easily go sideways.

 

Finally, as I recall, the attack happened while Sherlock was living in London either working for MI-6 or with Kitty, so Mycroft is somewhere else living under an assumed name in witness protection (unlikely to be sent to murder his own father)

[Kathira]

I've seen a couple small batch, local honey producers sell using bear-shaped containers.  I've got one in my cabinet.  It's just such an iconic container, and people like it.

 

Yes, a local nature center has hives and does a honey harvest festival every year. They use both the bear-shaped containers and regular jars and just put their own label on them. You can buy their honey straight out of the combs on harvest day. It's amazing. They'll give you a taste of the comb itself if you ask. Biting into it is like an explosion of golden summer in your mouth. 

 

I think it would be fun if they showed Sherlock harvesting his honey. It's true, bees hibernate over the winter, which makes it difficult to feature them on a show which is mostly set in the fall and winter to coincide with the airing schedule, but they could definitely show the harvest in a fall episode.

 

Overall, I thought this was a good ep. For-profit colleges are very evil and are in line with the show's emphasis on corporate evil-doers. And I love the way they are handling Morland and his relationship with both Sherlock and Joan. Hopefully they learned their lesson with Mycroft! 

Edited February 2, 2016 by Kathira

[jhlipton]

 It's hard to see Mycroft doing it since he was under the oversight of MI-6.  

 

Perhaps he was over the undersight of MI-6?

I'll show myself out.