yours_truly | Elementary Catch-Up: 1x02

1x02 "While You Were Sleeping"

Oh heyyyyyy, Detective Bell. <3
Always much love for this credit sequence.
Uuuuuugh, I love Holmes the violinist. I can't remember whether his musicianship gets totally dropped after this or not. I don't remember it ever being brought up again before I dropped the show (circa season 4).
Joan is so earnest and so structured in these attempts to get to know Sherlock, and yet he balks every time. How do her attempts change style and manner over the rest of these early seasons?
This scene where Holmes recommends Hemdale to the guy from the case is just SUCH a good illustration of his empathy wrapped in awkward brusqueness.
The case in this episode is tighter than in the pilot. All the breakthroughs come from believable moments. I like the tension between the sisters. And the emotional beats for our regular characters are more consistent.
MIND THAT BIG HEART
"You always know it. If you didn't, it wouldn't be penance." This episode really brings the Sherlock that I have always loved from the original stories and from fic and from other adaptations. Creative. Impatient. Empathetic. Scarred. Intelligent.

1x03 "Child Predator"

Is this the first ~rude awakening~ for Watson? D'awwww.
When Sherlock thanks Joan for accommodating him, and he admits that he knows he's difficult, I just end up with hearts in my eyes. Self awareness! Her willingness to help him stay up not only helps them bond, but it's also an indication of her interest in detecting. And yet at the end of the episode, she still insists he get some sleep!
This is not a standout episode, but it is a solid one. Once again, the case is solved by reasonable observations and deductions.

1x04 "The Rat Race"

I love kidnap fic. I love kidnap stories.
(This Mark Ruffalo lookalike that Joan gets set up with, lol.)
"I loathe bankers. They rigged the roulette wheel of commerce, very nearly destroyed the world economy, and they still think if they wear suits they'll be treated like respectable folk instead of the crooks that they are." COMRADE SHERLOCK! REDISTRIBUTE THAT WEALTH!!!
marital records dot com lol (it redirects to CBS's website fyi)
JLM is honestly so good in this scene with Gregson

1x05 "Lesser Evils"

The way "I go where you go" starts off as an obligation, almost a threat in order to remind Sherlock someone is with him to monitor his behavior and sobriety, and later on turns into a statement of solidarity, just, ugh.
Joan and Carrie and their sapphic dalliance <3
David Harbour! I spent most of the episode trying to place him and finally had to look it up! S'up, Hopper.

1x06 "Flight Risk"

Yo it really feels like the writers have read Katie Forsythe what with this broken arm/abusive Daddy!Holmes backstory.
JLM's face at this first mention of Irene, I dieeeeeee

1x07 "One Way to Get Off"

Nnnnnnnnnot here for the implicit justification of law enforcement fabricating evidence. See! He was guilty! Good thing the coppers are looking out for us!

1x08 "The Long Fuse"

Alfredo is SUCH a fantastic addition to this show and such a good example of its ethos of adaptation. Translating the "bohemian lifestyle and habits" of the Victorian setting means that Elementary's Holmes is going to value anti-establishment people and opinions, associate with social outcasts, and have little respect for--well, respectability. Having a Black ex-con recovering addict as a sponsor is a good way to show how Sherlock lives into this. Ya girl has only seen a couple of BBC Sherlock episodes many many years ago, but I don't recall much effort made to interrogate class or respectability in that show, when really it should be a pretty upfront factor in any adaptation. Having the BBC's Sherlock be an asshole doesn't interrogate respectability--that's personality not politics. It's about what Holmes wears, with whom he associates, etc. I mean, this Sherlock is still living off daddy's money but at least it goes further in its attempt.