Elementary Review: Bits and Pieces (Season 6 Episode 5)

Sherlock’s struggles lead to an entirely different problem with “baggage” on Elementary Season 6 Episode 5, “Bits and Pieces.”

This isn’t exactly the first time Sherlock’s been under suspicion due to his own very questionable behavior. Yet I must admit that bringing home a human head in a bag is, if nothing else, a new take on the angle.

The good news is: unlike what the promo for this episode has us believe, there’s very little debate as to whether Sherlock has killed and beheaded a man. The bad news is: that doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods.

You can’t really expect too much when you bring home a body part and have no memory of how it happened. Still, with Sherlock’s mental issues on the back burner the past few episodes, this incident is a jarring reminder of their implications, including a more direct threat to his work.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen this level of tension between Sherlock and Gregson. When these two butt heads, it’s generally more about Sherlock lying about his troubles than the troubles themselves. That’s very true here.

Still, we’re entering a new dynamic of trust—or the lack thereof.  Between that and Sherlock’s own doubts, it seems we’ll only be delving deeper into this arc.

Assuming we do in fact see Sherlock keeping in touch with two separate therapists (I’m not exactly holding my breath), that whole “could get worse before it gets better” element will probably hold very true.

While we’re on the topic of Sherlock’s ongoing personal issues, we also get another visit from his new friend. You know, the one who may well be a murderer.

It certainly doesn’t help matters that the guy is going to meetings on his own, talking about special projects and his own expectations. What exactly does he have planned? I’m not sure I want to know.

The case itself, once we’re past that whole “triggered by the discovery of body parts” thing, progresses pretty smoothly for one that involves deadly diseases. At least no hazmat suits are needed.

Following the usual string of red herrings and dubious motives, we again get a quick progression to arrest of a previously random person. It’s standard crime drama fare, even if it does lead to some disconnect with the final result.

The good news is, Elementary still manages to put some unique twists on this angle. Body preservation and pandemic diseases could probably make for two separate episodes, but when you start with decapitation, you have to keep things dramatic.

Still, I’m in this season—and the show in general— far more for the personal storylines that for the cases of the week. We get no mention of Joan’s interest in adoption here, but I hope it comes back into the works soon.

Other Notes

• That was a nice treadmill setup. Can I have that?
• Especially with said tension between Sherlock and his official boss, it’s nice to see Bell sticking up for the man he once only grudgingly accepted
• You know Sherlock, you can just tell people you have a head in a bag instead of making them look for themselves.

What did you think of this episode of Elementary? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Elementary airs Mondays at 10/9c on CBS.

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