Monday, February 23, 2015

Tone Deaf

In Thursday's Elementary episode, Sherlock Holmes continues to be a huge hypocrite, lecturing everyone about how corporations and lawyers view people in purely financial terms. Yet he lives in the brownstone owned by his father, who is exactly the same kind of monstrous one-percenter he rails against daily. Worse is that it seems the writers are completely unaware of this contradictory shit; they act like Holmes's ranting is righteous anger. It's really discouraging to continue with a show that is so in denial about its main character. Holmes, when you forsake your trustfund and move out of the brownstone, and earn your damn living from private clients, then you can talk about the evils of capitalism without being a tone-deaf, idiot snob. You profit from that rich one-percent lifestyle every damn second of your life. And you had the nerve to despise Mycroft for having a job as a restauranteur! At least your brother earned his damn living instead of being a dependent on your father's money.

Anyway, as for Watson, she did indeed move into the brownstone, with a slight twist. They attempted to "fix" the situation by having Holmes talk about her emotional regression since Andrew's death, and Watson responding that there was nothing wrong with her seeking a safe place to call home. Then Watson decided to set up an office space for her in the basement, and she finally acknowledged that she was indeed going to take separate clients and not always be Holmes's detective buddy. I still think it's too little, and Watson didn't take back her words about how she didn't "deserve" to live a normal life. Fix this damn shit, writers.

One thing I will say about the villain of the episode, Dana Powell--I wish that was how they wrote the character of Moriarty, whether male or female. Just someone cold and calculating with a meticulous scheme, who wasn't obsessed with Holmes, and cared about money only. That's how to do old school Moriarty correctly, instead of as some Catwoman femme fatale. Moriarty should not be merged with Irene Adler at all. It's so wrong and cheapens both characters. Why should I put up with this, while the show completely drops the mystery of Holmes's father? It's just as awful as the Grantchester show being obsessed with its love triangle, to the detriment of the detective mysteries. I'm certainly never watching that show again.

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