Television: Elementary, "Tremors"

Holmes is in trouble. An administrative hearing is being held because he "screwed up" and now a police officer is in the hospital.

The story, then, is told in a number of flashbacks as the plot is extracted from Holmes via questioning. A schizophrenic young man referring to himself as "the knight" enters the precinct and says he was forced to kill "the queen." He brings with him a bloody coat and a shotgun.

Turns out the would-be knight's name is Silas Cole. But where is this queen of his? By visiting Silas' home they determine (through magazine labels) her name is Rodda Hollingsworth and find her address. She's dead, from a shot to the chest that obliterated her heart. This convinces Holmes that Silas wasn't the one to kill her because a knight—one who had claimed he had killed his queen to "save her soul"—wouldn't kill in such a fashion.

At this point Watson enters the courtroom to fetch Gregson and it is revealed that Bell is the officer in the hospital.

And after a recess, Holmes tries to make nice with the examining attorney Ms. Walker.

Going back to the case, it turns out Hollingsworth had cancer and was paying for treatment through a viatical (meaning she surrendered her life insurance money in return for a monthly payment) managed by one James Dylan. Who besides being a sleaze is on parole. But has an alibi for the time Hollingsworth was killed. (To be clear, the reason he would want her dead is because the longer she lived, the less profitable for him and the viatical.)

Through some medical chatter regarding potassium and the natural buildup of such after a person dies, Holmes and Watson work out that Hollingsworth was actually killed by potassium chloride. Silas is innocent; in his schizophrenic state he is incapable of such premeditated murder. (But then . . . Did he shoot her? After she was dead? I thought Holmes had said a knight would not shoot his queen in the heart . . . Maybe we're coming to that.)

And what does any of this have to do with Bell being in the hospital? Who the hell knows.

Home after a day on the stand, Holmes makes Yorkshire puddings. And throws them away. Then he and Watson argue about whether the end justifies the means. That is, whether it's okay to break the law in the greater service of justice.

Then it is Watson's turn on the stand. She relates how she and Holmes examined the remains of Hollingsworth. It appears Hollingsworth had an enlarged heart. Turns out the experimental drug Hollingsworth was taking might have caused this, and the side effect would have cost her doctor a great deal of money if the drug didn't make it to the next stage of trials. The doctor confesses to having murdered Hollingsworth. And shooting her.

And then . . .

While leaving the police station, James Dylan approaches Holmes, Watson and Bell. He's angry because he lost his job after Holmes and Watson visited his workplace. Worse, his parole officer cites him for violation and he's going back to jail. So! He decides he'll shoot Holmes first. Cuz if he's going to be put away anyway . . .

Except Bell jumps in front of the bullet.

So that's how we get to Bell being hospitalized.

There's some question, too, whether Bell will regain full use of his right arm.

Meanwhile, Holmes has thus far refused to visit Bell in hospital. So Watson gives him an earful about that.

The judge in the administrative hearing advises that Holmes and Watson, due to their flagrant disregard for the rules, should be terminated as consultants for the NYPD. The police commissioner then visits Bell to get his thoughts on whether Holmes and Watson are worth the trouble. Ball is in Bell's court.

And then Holmes does finally visit Bell to thank him, and to apologize as well for mishandling the James Dylan situation. Holmes offers Bell access to some of the best doctors, but Bell turns him down and walks away.

Yet it was Bell's good word that prompted the commissioner to disregard the judge's recommendation and keep Holmes and Watson on as consultants.

I enjoyed the change in structure this week. So many flashbacks could have been wearying, but they were handled well here. This was a nice change of pace. Though I kind of want to see more of this kid who thinks he's a knight. Can we have a show about him? Could be fun.