What I’m Watching: Elementary

Elementary: Season 1, Episode 12 “M.” (B+)

This episode got off to a violent start with Vinnie Jones’ mysterious killer draining all the blood of some poor victim, and it was refreshing to see Sherlock take such an active interest in a case. Of course, it was actually because he was set on torturing and murdering, in his own words, the man who killed his beloved Irene. Jones’ M was fascinating enough, and the notion of there being another mastermind villain capable of the same horrific murders is extremely compelling. It’s also a brilliant way to introduce one of the most notorious nemeses for the detective, whose role, as portrayed by Jared Harris, in “Sherlock Holmes 2” was definitely terrific. Sherlock’s calculated plan to follow and then abduct M, which led to a subsequent stabbing and his confession, was definitely riveting to watch, but I also liked seeing how Captain Gregson was, more than anything, annoyed about Sherlock’s refusal to consult him and determination to take matters into his own hands. On a lighter note, it was sweet to see both Watson and Sherlock expressing how they’re going to miss working together, and Watson had a smart idea in trying to convince Sherlock’s father that he still needed her to be there for him. The fact that he wasn’t interested and she lied to Sherlock, telling him that he had approved her request to stay on as his companion, is an interesting move and one that he’ll likely deduce sooner or later. Let’s just hope they keep things platonic since this couple wouldn’t work well on a romantic basis.