Elementary Review: The Price of Admission (Season 7 Episode 3)
On Elementary Season 7 Episode 3, “The Price of Admission,” international relations lead to murder and personal relations lead to blackmail.
Sure enough, Sherlock and Joan are here to stay, and all it takes is a conversation on Sherlock’s part. Or, at least, that’s how it seems for the majority of the episode.
At least the solution we get works, even if only because the show provides a long standing plot device for convenience: Morland Holmes. A man who doesn’t shy away from crime is a good person to use to sweep it under the rug.
It does still ring of something that comes far too easily. The police don’t even know Sherlock’s name when he first arrives—he must tell them to arrest him. It seems too good to be true, and, sure enough, it is.
It takes most of the episodes to get to why, our time dedicated instead to a case of international relations, conflict, and assassins that all winds up with a man crushed beneath a giant art piece.
The plot gets a bit too espionage-y (totally real term,) but it does allow for plot twists, twisted motives, and all the other twisty things we’ve come to expect, including forcing a confession by threatening someone’s life.
As to this, though: not that I can’t see Sherlock tracking down an assassin at risk to his own life, or seeing any moral objective to turning him against his accomplice to get them both locked up, but why not just set up a fake attack instead?
True, it is possible that everything is pretend, but Joan and Sherlock’s conversation afterward suggests otherwise. Does he really need to get a rise this way? I feel like we have plenty of drama to spare already.
Speaking of life and death situations, it’s frustrating that we get only the briefest mentions of Captain Gregson in this episode, considering he was such a central focus last time. We know he’s stable, but that’s all we get. I’m still almost certain they won’t kill him.
On the bright side, we do get some sweet moments between Sherlock and Joan in a sign they may be returning to normalcy in their own relationship as well as the show. Sherlock finding yet another absurd way to rouse Joan from sleep soon after confirms this.
It’s not all good news, though. As hinted, Sherlock’s simple plan to make everything bad go away backfires through the cop he tries to manipulate. Shame that blackmail works both ways.
With the threat that Joan could find herself right back under the lens of suspicion if Sherlock makes one wrong move, we’re in a place of limbo. They’re both safe for now, but the fact that might not last means it probably won’t.
Also, while we haven’t seen yet what will happen next, I think there’s a significant chance that Sherlock won’t tell Joan what happens in this final scene, and that this too will come back to bite him. Will our return to normal be short-lived?
What did you think of this episode of Elementary? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Elementary airs Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS.
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Caitlin Wyneken
Caitlin is an elder millennial with an only slightly unhealthy dedication to a random selection of TV shows, from PBS Masterpiece dramas to some of the less popular series on popular networks. Outside of screen time, she's dedicated to the public sector and worthy nonprofits, working to make a difference in the world outside of media.