1.23.2016

Television: Elementary, "Murder Ex Machina"

In which we get a lesson on the politics of sanctions and war profiteering.

To be honest, I didn't much follow the guts of the story, which was something about a very rich Russian and how people were supplying weapons in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The result was some murders, the key being that men in a car found they could not control the car because the car had been hacked and someone else was driving it remotely.

I knew whodunnit the minute we met him on screen; there's a particular style of delivery that comes from the person who is ultimately guilty for which I'm not sure whether to blame the actor or director. Either way it's a dead giveaway. I tuned out the bulk of the episode at that point, just waiting for my "called it!" moment.

And, yes, I got my moment.

The rest of the show was about, oh, who makes money if this deal does or doesn't go through, who profits from this death, etc. Very valid questions when it comes to a murder investigation but not all that riveting.

Meanwhile, Sherlock's father (who I've taken to calling "Dracula Daddy" because that's kind of what he looks and acts like) comes to ask Joan to dinner. There is a terrible moment of, But she already slept with the brother; they won't throw in the dad, too, will they? Too soap opera by far. But it turns out Morland wants Joan's help in banking his blood in case of future emergencies. (See? Dracula.) After doing some digging of her own, Joan deduces Morland was the target of a shooting that left one woman dead but failed to kill him. It seems he's worried someone may make another attempt to kill him. And based on the previews for next week, it may be that Morland believes Sherlock is the one behind it. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

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