Elementary Review: Reichenbach Falls (Season 7 Episode 12)

Elementary Season 7 Episode 12 “Reichenbach Falls,” is everything we might expect from both its name and its status as the penultimate episode of the series.

Well, so much for Morland’s death being an excuse to flip the script and give Sherlock a smooth path to victory after loss.

A rapid train ride of an episode brings us to where so many other versions of the Holmes story have—Sherlock and his ultimate enemy in a one-on-one battle, ending in a plunge that leaves our hero presumed dead.

If you’ve read or watched any version, it shouldn’t really be a spoiler to say that, of course, he’s actually very much alive. We get that confirmation in the final seconds of the episode, and all I want now is to see what follows.

That isn’t to say this episode is filler by any means. We see tables turn as Reichenbach becomes desperate, or at least pretends to be when caught. We see more evidence of the love these characters have for each other that make Sherlock’s “fate” hurt, even when we know the truth.

Still, I can only hope that the series will end with a return, giving Joan and everyone else a respite from their grief. I can also only hope it’s not one they have to wait years for.

We’re presented with several intriguing dynamics during the episode, particularly in the way Reichenbach starts to give up his own game. He’s a good actor, pushing that to the limit in the bridge confrontation, but that doesn’t mean he’s undefeatable.

Then there’s the manner of Morland’s demise, the vehicle that fuels most of the episode’s choices. We never technically see his body before he’s blown up. Still, while that may intentionally fuel suspicion, I still can’t imagine we’ll see more than one family member return from the “dead.”

On that note, despite Sherlock’s grief being the motivation I’ve expected it to, the pace of the episode means we don’t get as much time for him to fully explore the very mixed feelings he’s always had toward his father.

He reminds Joan and us that his father was far from perfect, but also of why the loss means so much. It doesn’t really play out beyond that, but I hope there will be time along with everything else in the very last installment of the show.

The biggest question of the episode, though, is the one that will likely be the centerpiece of the finale, and that has inspired all sorts of creative solutions from other Holmeses. How does our Sherlock survive?

Plunging off a bridge into water is simple enough to pull off, or so crime shows have taught me. Appearing to be shot is more difficult, even if it happens just out of direct sight of seasoned detectives and a dedicated best friend.

There are other questions to surround this plot: will we see Sherlock jump back into his old life; will Joan, Bell, and Gregson understand the deception; will there be enough time for justice, etc? I hope the answer to all these examples is yes—at least enough to give us closure.

I’d still like to see one adaption not follow this plot quite so much to the letter, but here we are. There’s one hour left and a lot of ground to cover. Our characters deserve to come back from this and get their happy ending.

I do draw hope from the finale’s title: “Their Final Bow”. That is, “their” bow instead of just “his”. That suggests unity, even as “final” make me nervous. Keep your fingers crossed when we meet for the final time. 

 

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Elementary airs Thursdays at 10/9 on CBS.

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