Review: Elementary 02 x 09 – On The Line
Reviewed by Liz Giorgi
Being Geek Chic For The Baker Street Babes
Not every cop loves Holmes and Watson. And why would they? They are constantly solving their cases or identifying problems in their investigations. I’ve always wondered what every other cop thought about their work and this week we get a clue. The contempt Holmes has for incompetence is always bubbling beneath the surface as he roams the halls of the NYPD. And it turns out that contempt the other cops have for Holmes and Watson working in their space is equally intense. This case is the proof that the relationship between the NYPD and our favorite consulting detectives is not always a rosy one.
In the opening moments of this episode, a woman kills herself and tries to frame a man named Lucas Bundsch. Sherlock figures out quickly that she in fact committed suicide and her attempts to frame the killer were based on a more terrifying back story. This woman believed he tortured, raped and murdered her sister years earlier. It turns out, she was right and by proving her death was by suicide, Sherlock’s sense of justice is now on the line. It may not be perfect, but justice is justice when it comes to Holmes, so even though Lucas didn’t kills this woman, he needs to be brought to justice.
What happens between Sherlock and this serial killer in the coming hours can be described as a very dangerous dance. These are two very smart men both trying to best the other. After some time, Sherlock figures out that Bundsch isn’t just a killer, he’s also a catfish. He had been creating identities online and trolling in support groups to keep tabs on his victims’ loved ones. It’s a real creepy revelation and is the ultimate sign of evil to Holmes. It enrages him and the result is Holmes aggressively punching Lucas Bundsch. And while the temporary relief of physically assaulting the man may have made Holmes feel better, it also resulted in Bundsch filing a restraining order against Holmes and Watson. The aftermath means Sherlock is off the case and that’s literally the worst thing that could happen to Sherlock Holmes. How will justice be served?
That’s the thing about psychopaths, they can’t help themselves. Bundsch is a devoted killer and he’s enjoying the chase, so he tips Holmes off about his next crime by texting him the address of his victim. With no recourse and no choices, Sherlock has a new plan – he’s going to frame Bundsch. This is why Watson is so key to this series. She’s just as much a detective as she is a moral compass. She keeps Holmes walking within the confines of the law, so true justice can be served.
Watson also serves as a social compass and this week, she’s trying to convince Holmes to tread lightly around the other cops. There was a drawing of Watson and Holmes defecating on a NYPD Badge on the bulletin board and while her feelings may not be hurt, Watson is concerned they won’t be able to do their work effectively without any other cops on their team. Holmes is more worried about solving crimes than making friends. But is there a middle ground? In this case, there isn’t. It takes Holmes’s revelation that the recording studio is smaller than the floor plans suggest for Holmes to find and release two of Bundsch’s victims. In the end, solving the crime is all that matters.
But what does it take to solve a crime? Attention and effort. Never niceness. This is the code Sherlock lives by and he’s not going to change. To thine ownself be true, Watson.
Liz Giorgi is the Baker Street Babes’ Elementary Guru and runs the fantastic nerdy blog Being Geek Chic. You can find her former reviews of Elementary here on her site.
She’s a social media and web strategist who currently works for a communications consulting firm in Minneapolis. She’s also a contributor for Apartment Therapy andThe Mary Sue.
You can contact her at elizabeth@beinggeekchic.com and follow her on Twitter @lizgiorgi
