‘Elementary’ episode 5 review: Introducing the angel of death

Five episodes in to “Elementary,” it is clear at this point what sort of show this is going to be. Every week, Sherlock Holmes and Watson are going to face a difficult case; and then, they are going to find a way to solve it. This is not going to be a show that changes the way you think about television, but it is a fun way to spend an hour every week and relish in some good television.

The latest episode provided a solid mystery, in particular since the “killer” this week was someone who actually engaged in something that many regard to be a moral quagmire: the issue of euthanasia. Someone was out offing patients who were on the brink of dying anyway, and was doing it while being detected by anyone. Those of you who watched this case already know what happens, so why go through every step of it? This was ultimately a fairly rewarding case of the week, as there were some twists in the story that continued the show’s tradition of throwing us off of the scent.

What is really worth talking here instead is something that has us worried about this show on an extreme level: the carelessness. Despite some smart writing for Sherlock, most of the writing for the police characters is still subpar. In addition to that, there was one scene involving Sherlock and Watson drinking coffee while discussing the case, even though it was obvious that there was no coffee in either of their cups. What happened here? The little things take you out of the world of a show, and a new series cannot afford little things like that.

“Elementary” is a solid show anchored by a great actor in Jonny Lee Miller; all it needs to do now is work on some of the finer details.