Elementary Review: Nobody Lives Forever (Season 6 Episode 9)

Elementary Season 6 Episode 9, “Nobody Lives Forever,” starts with a troubling proposal and a stomach-turning murder. It ends with a stunning and tragic revelation.

So, um, before you sit down to enjoy a pre-bedtime snack while watching this episode of Elementary, you should probably know that you’ll see a man partially consumed by rats in the opening scenes. You’re welcome.

No, thankfully, we are not now investigating a case of rabid demon rats. The poor rodents just eat the only food source available to them. Still, the motive does press the realms of believability.

I love the name “Galahad Institute”, and I totally believe someone would pursue a scientific path to eventual eternal life in humans by starting with rats. Still, it’s kind of a long way to go for a couple gross-out gags.

Maybe it’s just the discussion of older people trying to stay young by consuming blood donated by teenagers that gets to me. Specifically, the implication that this happens in real life, too. Again, not the best episode to watch while eating.

In the end, rats, blood, and eternal life are all there for show. Usual red herrings aside, the motive is money, one of the most typical ones in the world. I do feel sorry for the father learning about his murderous son.

Yet even with all its unpleasant components, this murder plays second fiddle to the personal story of the week. And to think I started out simply being happy to see Alfredo again…

Given that Alfredo asks Sherlock, consulting detective for the NYPD, to steal $100,000 in his name, his resistance should be completely normal. But because this is Sherlock, his problem is not with the commission of theft, but with the reason for doing so.

In hindsight, the slightly odd nature of Sherlock’s vehemence toward helping Alfredo’s brother (Sherlock blames him for starting Alfredo on a troubled path) should be immediately suspect. Even Joan notes that he could refuse to help and move on.

Soon enough, we learn that Sherlock’s feelings are really tied to his own towards Mycroft. It’s the first time in a while his brother has been mentioned, and the man himself never appears on-screen. That may be a sign, too.

Sherlock has held grudges before and has let those grudges affect his perspective on unrelated matters. I love that this Sherlock adaptation lets Joan be so skilled at prying into that and making her partner face himself.

Joan presses the matter of forgiveness, and Sherlock gets Alfredo his money—legally!—before deciding to make contact with Mycroft. Only then does he learn that he’s ten months too late.

Killing Mycroft Holmes is a jarring enough move by itself. Doing so offscreen, though an announcement he’s actually been dead for nearly a year, is heartbreakingly new twist.

It is possible that Mycroft is faking his death again. But Joan directly suggests this and Sherlock directly denies it. Besides, we’ve already taken that route with both him and Irene Adler.

Unless and until we hear otherwise, I’m assuming Mycroft truly is dead, taken by a medical complication related to his cured leukemia. We could see him again in flashback, but this might be the only way he’ll ever reappear.

Like Sherlock’s health and Joan’s path to adoption, this development will have major effects. If nothing else, this Sherlock, more emotional that the versions in some adaptations, will certainly feel grief and likely a lot of guilt. We’re nearly as unprepared for it as he is.

 

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Elementary airs Mondays at 10/9c on CBS.

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