Returning for its fourth season in early November is CBS's Elementary, with what could be the crime drama's most interesting season yet.
Series creator Robert Doherty pens the episode, titled "The Past is Parent", which is directed by John Polson. The title is an obvious hint of what is to come in the episode, and indeed the season, but plenty occurs before the next chapter reveals itself.
Following the events of the dramatic third season finale in which we witnessed Sherlock Holmes viciously assault Oscar Rankin and succumb to a fix of heroin. Season four begins in a bedroom somewhere in the city a few days later where a brutal double murder was committed in 1927, where Sherlock and a couple of friends are vividly re-enacting the crime scene. Concerned about a possible incarceration for the assault he committed, Holmes is trying to keep himself busy and solve the cold case in the little time he has left.
Justice is like an orgasm; it can never come too late.
In the Brownstone, Joan Watson continues consulting with the NYPD while Holmes is on leave. The pair don't have their usual vibe with Watson convinced Holmes' father is on his way while Holmes himself doesn't want a bar of it. A concerned Captain Thomas Gregson calls by the Brownstone with food, concerned about the wellbeing of his famed consultant while admitting the outlook for Holmes' future with the department, and indeed his freedom, isn't that good.
Elementary isn't Elementary without a weekly case, and the case in this premiere is a pretty good one at that. On the way to a meeting for addicts, Holmes is approached by one Jonathan Bloom, a man with a sizable criminal past. He confesses killing two women to Holmes, but denied killing his wife despite being the obvious suspect. Shortly after telling Holmes where the bodies of the two women were, he pulls a gun and shoots himself in the head. Spurred on by a desire to return to good terms with the NYPD, Holmes takes the case, despite significant reservations from Watson.A bad man let his brains out for some fresh air. What else is there to discuss?
This episode produces several powerful moments between the two lead characters. Naturally, Holmes had already analysed the probable locations in which he would be sent to to serve his jail time, but despite their fall from grace with the NYPD, Holmes constantly advocates for Watson to ensure she is not also admonished as a result of his actions.
When it comes to what we do, the only thing that matters to me is our partnership.
It's not until the final moments of Elementary's premiere that we lay eyes on Morland Holmes, played by guest star John Noble. The scene is a thing of beauty, and is written wonderfully. Noble is the perfect fit for the role.
That's just about all I'll let you in on for the upcoming season premiere of Elementary, other than to say Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu are as good as ever in an episode which surely signals a change in course for the series. Check out the press release here and promotional photos here. As usual, jump in the comments below to share your thoughts, and if you have a question about the premiere I might be able to answer it!
Elementary' Season 4 Premiere, "The Past is Parent", airs November 5, 10|9c, on CBS.
