- Title: Elementary – A Study in Charlotte
- wiki: link
Elementary continues to make interesting choices when putting their own spin on characters and stories created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. With “Hounded” the show tackles likely the most famous case of Sherlock Holmes‘ (Jonny Lee Miller) career: “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” Like Sherlock, Elementary chooses a modern interpretation on the story by having the hound itself be something completely unexpected. The story here begins with the death of a jogger, chased by a malevolent glowing giant dog into traffic. When the only other heir (Tom Everett Scott) to the vast Baskerville estate begins being haunted by the same creature Holmes and Watson (Lucy Liu) are on the case.
As with the original story, there’s a bit of gaslighting going on. The episode actually reveals the truth about the hound (a robotic contraption created to inspire panic in its victim) fairly early leaving plenty of time for Holmes and Watson to smoke out their killer through a bit of subterfuge. Once the trap is sprung the detectives nab their killer and put an end to the attacks on the Baskerville clan. I think Elementary‘s take on the story is actually slightly better than Sherlock‘s as this hound is far more memorable.
Despite tackling one of the more complex Holmes’ stories, “Hounded” leaves plenty of time for its B-story featuring Sherlock’s growing worry with the NYPD’s M.E. Dr. Eugene Hawes (Jordan Gelber) who has begun self-medicating following the bombing of the morgue that left a friend dead and nearly cost the man his life. It’s not often we see Holmes truly open up to someone other than Watson but the established friendship with Hawes proves to be the perfect opportunity to do so as the concerned detective shares his own experience with drugs hoping to stop his friend from following the same downward spiral. I’m hoping we haven’t seen the last of Hawes, but if so the show gives him a great final episode.
