Elementary Review: Uncanny Valley of the Dolls (Season 6 Episode 16)

An, um, unusual witness offers a surprising amount of help on Elementary Season 6 Episode 16, “Uncanny Valley of the Dolls.”

Quirky crime dramas certainly like a good nontraditional witness. From secret cameras to animals, we’ve even had plenty of non-human perspectives. Still, I don’t think I’ve seen cops rely on a sex doll yet.

Among other things, we get quite the intimate peek into how this world has progressed beyond an inflatable human being. Let’s just say the technology has advanced quite a lot.

After one of the more uncomfortable interviews we’ve seen (and on this show, that’s saying something,) the case progresses relatively normally.

…Or a least it does until we get to the topic of teleportation. On that, we learn quite a lot, too. Now I know I never want to be teleported, lest my body be literally destroyed.

There are, however, a number of incredibly intriguing possibilities. There are also some that are incredibly alarming. There, of course, is our motive.

Where our previous case deescalated, veering from the traditional crime drama format, this one is decidedly more traditional, at least where sex dolls and teleportation are concerned. The drama continues to ramp up.

When a man goes missing, apparently taken by government officials, our team engages in a little persuasion/blackmail. We see the return of the government official played by Tony Plana, who you may remember from earlier in the season.

Given the photos the police have on him (diapers are involved,) he quickly agrees to offer his aid. It doesn’t help all that much, though. The sex doll’s help is still more influential.

Outside of his continued aid with investigations, Bell is running into a few problems. It’s a good thing he might be feeling a bit warm towards Sherlock right now, because a relationship with him often spells trouble.

In this case, though, I have no real sympathy for the person our consulting detective has aggrieved. It’s one thing to be annoyed by the man’s habits and comments. It’s another to take that out on someone else.

To make matters worse, a professor whose class Marcus needs to take holds the mere fact of Sherlock’s continued employment against him. Would he prefer they not solve these cases for the sake of his pride?

Thankfully, Bell doesn’t blame Sherlock personally beyond making his displeasure clear. Perhaps more alarming is Sherlock’s response—he tells Joan he wants to offer a genuine apology.

There, our member of Scotland Yard makes himself look worse. Sherlock has feared a drug addled insult of unforgivable nature. Yet all he dd was solve a case and take a rising star’s opportunity.

Yes, the implications have a wider impact, but his grudge is not at all warranted enough to take out on Bell. I feel more for some of our murder suspects than I do for him.

Needless to say, Sherlock’s desire for repentance quickly dissipates. So he offers the man a new job—and seals the deal with a little blackmail of his own. He is still Sherlock Holmes, after all.

So Bell, with a new professor, gets into his class. Sherlock is proving his friendship in many ways during what might be their last few weeks working together.

He also sets the doll up to play a prank on his friend, and only does that after taking her home for some reprogramming (of a strictly technology nature). Again, this is still Sherlock Holmes, after all.

 

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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