Elementary 1x11 Dirty Laundry

[oyceter]

Yay, CB and I are catching up again!

Spoilers

I am really enjoying this show, and given that people seem to be reacting more and more positively to later episodes, it is nice to not have to worry about being disappointed yet, especially re: unwanted -isms aspects. It's definitely not perfect, but it's such a relief to watch something that at least seems to be aware that -isms exist and attempts to counter them!

I especially love that even though Sherlock does his rude questioning and brilliant leaps of logic, the really important part of the case was Joan's. I was talking with some people about emotional work and how it's so often delegated to women and also not looked on as work, so it was especially nice to have the episode acknowledge this. (Also, yay more Bechdel test passing.) I love watching Joan working with people who are asking for help. Of course, the ultimate solving of the mystery still goes to Sherlock figuring out Chekhov's fountain pen, but it was still nice seeing Joan working.

I also love Gregson telling Joan that Sherlock is doing his temper tantrum thing, please handle him? Clearly this set of people respect Sherlock's deductive reasoning, but it doesn't mean they don't want to slap him.

And Sherlock's terrible attempts at asking for help and trying to reach out are kind of hilarious and also very "awwwwww" inducing. My favorite, of course, is his attempt to feed Joan via spaghetti in a cup. This is totally hitting my "does not understand many human interactions but makes odd attempts" narrative kink. His efforts at not showing need on his own part while trying to convince Joan to stay are terribly transparent, and I love Joan's matter-of-fact attitude in not reassuring him and letting him know she's already got another client in queue.

Btw, who has been posting on Elementary episodes? I know I missed a ton over the past few weeks...

Comments

[sanguinity]

Hm, my 1x11 thoughts are on tumblr:
In Defense of Detective Bell
from sobriety companion to...?

(My 1x12 thoughts are c&p'd to DW, under the Elementary tag.)

In general, yes, I am still more pleased than not with what the show has been doing. With some reservations about 1x12. (But you can read my 1x12 thoughts after you've seen it.)

[oyceter]

Ooo, thanks for the link! Hoping to catch up on more this weekend...

[meganbmoore]

I just caught up with (and posted on) all the episodes that aired since the holiday hiatus over the weekend. I loved Gregson's "Please control him!" too (I actually think an argument could be made-a lovingly joking one, mind you-that Joan is training Sherlock to be her personal valet). This episode's plot actually threw me for a loop because, just before I watched, I was reading some people's thoughts on The Americans, which is about Russians spies living as an average American family whose kids don't know their parents are Russian spies.

[oyceter]

Yay, more reviews, thanks! I had the same thought about The Americans when I was watching as well, even though I haven't even seen the show.

[liviapenn]

I've really been enjoying Elementary posts from yasaman, calvinahobbes, and selenak!

[oyceter]

Oooo, thanks for the pointers!

[vom_marlowe]

This show is currently my favorite show! I love Joan to pieces. She has such rock-bottom goodness to her, and I love the way she has a very powerful set of detective tools of her own. Emotional skills, empathy, it's just really satisfying to me how she and Sherlock work well together, different but both important. I find Sherlock's attempts to help Joan incredibly endearing, too.

[oyceter]

I was kind of wary of the show before I watched it, because the women paired with eccentric guy genius thing is done fairly often. But I really like how even though the emotional caretaking role falls on Joan, it's very obviously shown to be work and part of her job.

Also, I was thinking Joan's talk with the girl is so similar to what crisis counselors say.

[yasaman]

I've been posting episode reactions under under my Elementary tag.

A giant YES to your last paragraph. I so love Sherlock's transparent vulnerability and neediness, and the ways he does and doesn't deal with it. His various little "Joan, watch me be brilliant, being a consultant is so great, you are also quite tolerable and clever joan pls stay forever ;_____;" gestures are so endearing to me.

[oyceter]

Yay more reviews!

I love that he has now moved on from "Okay, you can listen to me deducing stuff, you're a bit better than a statue of a head" to "Okay, you can be my apprentice" to "Good work Joan how about consulting?"