Thursday, March 5, 2015

E3:16. Jubal Early versus Mr. Elementary! Hooray!

Watson's basement lair has lighting that does her no favors.

Mr. Elementary is doing ridiculous Salvador Dali experiments to make himself smarter, the way a very stupid person would try to make their self smarter.

Weird sad cello music is playing over the soundtrack as Mr. Elementary experiences self-doubt and is plagued by the suspicion that he killed someone without knowing it. Mr. Elementary takes a beating on the street, almost like he wants it.

This is one of the TV episodes where the protagonist is well off his game, for whatever strange reason. Mr. Elementary actually interviews a witness by offering his hand to have the bones broken with a wrench in exchange for answers. There's something a little sick and wrong with this episode, in the direction, in the camera-work, in that weird, sad cello music.

And yet, whenever an actor named Richard Brooks shows up on the screen, speaking in a particularly distinctive character-actor voice, I'm finding myself filled with delight.

The final episode of the cult favorite space opera, Firefly, was called "Objects in Space," and it featured a marvelous character named Jubal Early. And Jubal Early was played by one Richard Brooks.

Mr. Elementary is being pathetic, loser-y and as much not Sherlock Holmes as he's ever been this week. T'were Richard Brooks actually portraying Jubal Early and not Detective Demps, this would be Elementary's last episode, as Jubal would have easily killed the wretch. He's the kind of fellow that would have made a worthy adversary to the real Sherlock Holmes.

Side note: Culver's claims their tartar sauce is a 40-year-old family recipe. When I was in high school, I figured out you could make tartar sauce our of mayonnaise and pickle relish . . . which makes my combo an over 40-year-old family recipe, at this point. Suddenly I am not as impressed.

And just as I'm getting more interested in Culver's commercials than Elementary, Jubal Early is back and dragging Mr. Elementary off to Alliance prison. Oh, River Tam, where are you when I need you?

Well, for a few moments tonight, Elementary reminded me of a good hour of television I saw once. So if it can't remind me of Sherlock Holmes, I suppose I'll take that.



3 comments:

  1. You realize there's probably a fanfic for that by now. ^__^

    I first encountered Mr. Brooks back in the last century, in a show called G vs E, so seeing him in Firefly was hi-larious.

    I don't know if reading your reviews before seeing the episodes improves them for me, but it does give me a giggle picturing what your describing. So thanks for that. :-)

    Korina

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  2. The guitar player, Joan's client LOL!, who stole her musical tune and composed a jingle out of it? I want this case solved! The rest of the show was pure trash - Mr. Elementary a is dark and an ugly person, too messed up for me. Where is the gentleman Holmes I know - the one that appreciates theater and classical music - and only did drugs when he was bored. Enough already, I must go regurgitate from my mind what I just wasted 45 minutes watching. Who stole that damn rotten tune?!!

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  3. I hate it when you are right.

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