Elementary review – 1×14: ‘The Deductionist’

We get a double dose of Elementary this week as the show gets the coveted post-Super Bowl time slot. Does the series capitalize on this tremendous opportunity to entice new viewers to get on board?

Let’s bitch it out.

Big surprise that the answer is a big fat NO. ‘The Deductionist’ doesn’t deliver on promises of being ‘Elementary on steroids’ as the episode fails to present anything particularly interesting or new. Though not completely falling into its tired procedural formula (since we actually know who the killer is from the very beginning!), there isn’t anything noteworthy for us poor saps who have been with the series from day one.

The bad blood between Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn) and Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) that we saw in ‘The Red Team‘ is practically non-existent, as Holmes continues to push the borders of arrogance as he demonstrates his know-it-all-ness. After mere seconds, Holmes has already pieced together and casually narrates what went down during the mass murder in the OR. Of course, this is old news to us since we already saw much of the carnage in the cold open – but I suppose new viewers who aren’t familiar with Holmes are meant to find his uncanny ability to quickly deduce impressive.

This issue is the main failing of the episode: it caters primarily to new viewers in a vain attempt to boost subsequent ratings. The opening scene in which two buxom prostitutes tease one another while Holmes watches while strapped (shirtless) to a chair is clearly meant to titillate Super Bowl viewers. This is followed quickly by the mass murder complete with slit throats and shots to the head. Gratuitous sex and violence – aren’t we past this narrow-minded notion of what attracts viewers?

I didn’t expect that we would get any carryover from the game-changing episode “M.” (aka the moment when Elementary finally grew up) but I was hoping for an innovative, interesting case. I will admit, the premise of a serial killer going on a spree because he was wrongly profiled has some interesting potential, but ultimately the execution of the whole storyline is sloppy at best. How anti-climactic is the final standoff between Holmes and Ennis (Terry Kinney)? I’m sorry, but tuning a radio over a cellphone led to the undoing of this menacing serial killer?! Come on!

Let’s hope that Elementary swiftly returns to the promise it exhibited after “M.” and hasn’t fallen back into its rut of one mediocre episode after another.

Other Observations:

• The episode’s saving grace is the developing friendship between Watson (Lucy Liu) and Holmes. The antagonism that initially marked their relationship has finally dissipated, and the two are developing a shorthand that’s believable between friends who are more comfortable with one another.
• Although the tedious “pornography shot in the apartment” storyline is likely another tactic to entice new viewers, at least it demonstrates that Watson has progressed in her deductive capabilities.
• I’ve never personally written anything in blood, but there seems to be an inordinate amount of drippage whenever anyone does (see also: The Following)
• The hospital attack on Kathryn Drummond (Kari Matchett) is truly laughable. Are we really meant to believe that an invalid who is confined to bed rest can overtake a top FBI agent? Preposterous and insulting.
• Further to that, give Detective Bell (Jon Michael Hill) another award for being the worst Detective ever for allowing Drummond to be attacked on his watch.

What did you think viewers? Was this episode worthy of the prime post-Super Bowl spotlight? Do you think the show capitalized on its potential? Will any of you ever look at a spatula the same way again? Sound off in our comments section below.

Elementary returns to its usual Thursday at 10pm EST timeslot on CBS