!['Elementary' Recap: Season 5 Finale — [Spoiler] Is Sick](https://tvline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/gelman_vlada_final_v3.jpg?w=250&h=250&crop=1)
Elementary fans, how thankful are you for the show’s renewal after Sunday’s finale cliffhanger, which left Sherlock possibly facing his own mortality?
The puzzle begins with the P.I. trying to recount what’s inside a wrapped box, one of many stored in a trunk. Curious. The intrigue grows as the mystery woman from Sherlock’s past continues to resurface throughout the episode, never quite revealing exactly what she wants. At one point, she shows up at the brownstone and says she loves Sherlock and wants to help him. Why won’t he tell Joan about her, she wonders?
“This is your last chance, Sherlock,” she warns. “Do the right thing. Do what needs to be done. Or you’ll never see me again.”
Later, she calls Sherlock, who brings up the text message she supposedly sent to the authorities, and this is when I start to get a very strong hunch that I know where this is going.
“Everything that’s coming, you’re going to have to deal with it on your own,” the mystery woman declares before setting a blaze. Sherlock realizes that she’s trapped in the fire inside his home, so he busts through a door in hopes of rescuing her. But it’s really the P.I. who needs the rescuing. As the hour concludes, Sherlock is seen sitting in a medical waiting room.
“Why do you look like my mother?” he asks the woman, who replies, “I’m a part of you that wants you to get better. Who else would I look like?” Then he’s taken inside for a brain scan (to look for a tumor?), while Joan discovers the mess back at the brownstone.
Speaking of the partners, Sherlock and Joan’s relationship takes a hit when he gets so distracted by his visions, Joan wonders if he’s using again. When he misses Shinwell’s memorial service, a hurt Joan exclaims, “I needed you, and you haven’t been there.”
Elsewhere, the war between SBK and its biggest rival gang, run by Halcon (guest star Jon Huertas), gets heated in the streets, causing Joan to take drastic measures. Titus agrees to fess up to being SBK’s leader — and to give up all those who committed crimes in its name — in exchange for immunity. But when Joan discovers that he was the one responsible for killing Halcon’s sister, she makes a deal of her own with Halcon. If he hands over his sister’s body, allowing her to collect the DNA evidence she needs, Joan promises he can do what he wants with Titus once he’s in prison. But that’s not the end of the arrangement. After Titus is cuffed, Halcon tells Joan, “This doesn’t conclude our business.” So it seems she now owes him a favor, which can’t be good.
Elementary fans, what did you think of the season ender? Grade it via the poll below, then hit the comments to back up your pick!
When does Halcon tell Joan “This doesn’t conclude our business”??
Yeah, I missed that too.
Oh good. I thought it was just me.
The recapper must’ve seen a scene that we didn’t get
I hope so because I thought I was losing my memory as well as Sherlock.
I missed that one, too. I realize the show was a few minutes delayed, so maybe in a last-minute scene? But I don’t think so.
Nope, I watched it through to the 11 pm news…
that didnt happen in the episode i saw. and i went back to look for it (recorded)
Is the mystery woman a relative- perhaps his memory of a lost sister or his mother??
She’s in his mind…a projection of his mother. He asks her at the end “why do you look like my mother?”
.
When the doctor comes out for him, she’s not there, he’s sitting alone.
I agree with you Southern Ken, she’s a part of his mind that wants to get help, represented by his mother. I also agree with Taren63 further down this post, who was annoyed with Joan, whose concern with Shinwell caused her to think the worst of Sherlock and miss something important.
That is the question? Hmmm????
Is Elementary going to be a mid-season replacement? Or is it a full sixth season?
Mid-season. 13 episodes. :(
13 Episode order so probably mid season replacement for whatever new show does not make it to a back 9. Sadly that probably means next season will be the last.
Damn, I was so pleased that it was renewed that I didn’t even read the episode count. :(
Glad it was renewed, pissed that it is a mid-season replacement, and wondering how shows like Blue Bloods, Madam Secretary, and Hawaii Five-O keep getting picked up for a full season! No offense to the fans of these shows but Elementary has two fantastic leads, two wonderful supporting actors, excellent guest stars, and well written stories. I just don’t get it.
I will gladly take 13 episode seasons of any shows if they can be presented weekly without 3 months hiatus or perpetual delays for the first part of their run due to sports or other longer running than allotted time specials being shown previous to the time slot.
This is what damaged this show for me this past season along with many others.
Shorter seasons are now a very common thing, as long as the storytelling stays strong I will be happy to watch 5 more seasons of Elementary 13 episode at a time.
Hopefully this Shinwell arc is finally over with. I realize I don’t speak for everyone, but I never got invested in his story, and my least favorite episodes this season were the ones where Shinwell took center stage. And this episode in particular really annoyed me with how Joan is so obsessed with Shinwell that she of all people missed the warning signs with Sherlock and just assumed he was using again. I’ve never enjoyed watching how Joan seemed to think of Shinwell as some kind of saintly figure instead of a criminal out for revenge against those that hurt him. Hopefully this is over with the end of the season, and the show will move on to more interesting stories. As I said, I know I don’t speak for everyone, so your mileage may vary.
I agree. Also I hate cliffhangers, rather cliche and unneeded in today’s TV.
that was actually the most interesting part for me, Shinwell was almost like the dark side of Sherlock (notice same number of letters in the name and starting with the same letter) that Joan was essentially battling to save whilst the good side (sherlock himself) struggled to maintain balance. when Sherlock went against his ethics and destroyed evidence it was almost like he was torn in two, his darker side being portrayed by Shinwell, willing to go to any means to achieve “justice” whilst Holmes took on the lighter aspects of his personality.
Interesting analysis Dave, thanks for making me see Shinwell in a different way.
I really liked the actor who played Shinwell and his interaction with Joan, but it never made sense that he could interact with them without the gang finding out and it getting messy (although it looks like they found a way to tie it up in a big bow tonight). But I’m really glad that story arc is over, and I hope that the final season will deal with Joan’s family issues and that we see John Noble again.
Dave — I, too, appreciate your thought-provoking analysis of Shinwell.
I’m glad the Shinwell part is over, but now I want more of Jon Huertas because this role is SO different from Castle.
taran63 — you spoke for me!
I agree @taran63. Joan was almost obsessed with him and that whole “Shinwell was my friend” and “he wasn’t going to get away with anything”, after showing Sherlock his written confession, scene was too much! So all someone needs to do is write a confession and you consider them a friend again? He beat the crap out of someone you consider a friend but that’s okay because the ends justify the means? Maybe she is in denial because she couldn’t save Shinwell and didn’t want to admit that she failed.
Joan’s feeling about Shinwell have been complicated from the very beginning. I think that, for Joan, Shinwell got the miracle that the patient she lost didn’t. She saved a gang-banger who was guilty of crimes, including murder. She lost a patient who had never hurt anyone in what should have been a fairly easy surgery. Mixed up doesn’t even BEGIN to cover it. However, as for her treatment of Sherlock, I think that the penny finally dropped when she saw the mess he left behind. And it wouldn’t surprise me if Sherlock’s problem’s weren’t actually caused by Shinwell’s attack.
Thinking on that, when I realized that Sherlock was having a problem, I instantly thought it must have something to do with the beating he took. Remember shortly after how he was staring into a mirror and stated it was “just a scratch”. He began acting different from that point. I wouldn’t be surprised if one had something to do with the other.
Agree with the Shinwell comments. Never liked the character. Really like the show and I also agree that the late times due to televised sporting events did not help.
So glad Elementary has been renewed. I get crazy when I tape it and the time runs out… near want to get physical with the TV. What a find to be able to go to tvline and get the whole story. Usually I don’t like to read the spoilers.
What was on Sherlocks brain scan? There had to be something there. The build up was too intense. Can anyone tell?
Not showing it, yet. The MRI takes images in layers, so it had barely started on his brain.
The initial scan only shows the overall view of the brain, orbits and sinuses. I did note a previous fracture of the nose and a deviated septum, but I did not see a tumor. MRI and CT scans utilize “slices” of images within the brain to find abnormalities. I’m not certain that was even “Sherlock’ s” scan because his nose is quite symmetrical in appearance. The question that remains with me is if Sherlock sustained a brain injury in the fight with Shinwell? I guess the answers will become apparent next season.
Thank you. Very informative answer!
I don’t know why. Y programming cuts out the last miniute. Why does she And how does she start the fire and how does he get out
I think the last scene shows that the fire was in his mind and didn’t exist. But it was enough to make him finally go to a doctor to find out was wrong with him.
The woman seem to be a repressed memory, quite possibly his mother. Rmember, she said she was always close by him. And the fire was a metaphor for purging whatever is happening to his brain. The scene where Joan comes home to find he has trashed the room where the fire supposedly occured, speaks to the rage and frustration that finally forces him to face his illnesss and go get treatment.
I think that the woman was an hallucination which are common with brain tumours, there could also be something like Schizophrenia that runs in his family, his talking to his hallucinations could be him trying to assert control and repress the issue, which is why she said the she is from the part of him that wants to get better, whilst sherlock himself wants to bury it and continue doing things as he always has.
I doubt it’s schizophrenia, as onset is usually early 20’s and I’d say Sherlock is in his later 30’s. Also if they do try to go that route that would just be the nail in the coffin for the show. There are treatments to repress the symptoms but there is no cure and the treatments themselves would leave him incapable of functioning at such a high level of deduction. I think maybe it could be some kind of damage perhaps concussion from shinwell hitting him with the glass bottle.
The last scene was cut out because the show started late (about 3 minutes) — must have been a sporting event on prior to Madam Secretary and 60 Minutes. I learned my lesson on that one and have added an extra hour to my DVR for these shows.
You can watch the whole thing for free on the cbs website
Some of the words on the computer screen such as “location” and “thickness”, implied they were looking for a brain tumor.
This way meant as a reply to Brett. Not sure why it posted separately.
So very happy to hear Elementary has been renewed. I look forward to this show every week. I love the quirkiness of Sherlock & the level headedness of Watson & the way they interact. The news made my day.
Loved Jon Huertas in this role; so different from Castle! Hope he returns next season. I think the cast and crew did not expect renewal, so this could have served as a series finale, with a little tweaking (no; not THAT kind of tweaking! lol). I’m so glad it was renewed because it seems to get better each season.
Now, I’m left to wonder which of the handful of STDs is it? Sherlock is an English bloke; so, you know he doesn’t wear a raincoat.
Anyone notice that ever since Shinwell hit Sherlock over the head with that bottle, when he attacked him, that he has been having these visions of his mother? Also, looks like Joan is already on the same path as Detective Cortez! Making a deal with Halcon so that Titus will be dealt the justice he deserves in prison by Halcon’s people.
Good point. He beat the crap out of him. I forgot that. He could have a brain injury and -“it’s not a tumor!” lol
LMAO :-D
It’s sounds like it was terrific, but as usual our cable co. had a problem 1 hr. before……Any chance of a repeat showing? Please!!
It’s on cbs.com and does not require CBS all access so anyone can watch.
So happy to see Jon Huerta with a juicy role like this. I’ve missed him since “Castle” ended.
He’s also been on This is Us semi regularly. Not as interesting a character as his role on Castle, but still a good one.
I hated all things Shinwell, but BRAVO JOAN on getting that snake Tyus Wilcox. I have watched that Joan closer scene several times because she was so badass. Tyus was clever slime, but Joan was smarter and determined.
Hated the entire season. Lost interest with the mystery women. First bad season
We love Elementary and so does everyone we know, so it is frustrating to see how networks support inane shows and not something intelligent. Is anyone but me hoping joan and sherlock get together as more than just friends and partners? They have such chemistry…
No way!!!!!!
What’s wrong with you.
The relationship between Sherlock and John (original stories) is what the modern concept of bromance is based on. A bromance whilst maintaining that typically British stiff upper lip.
If you want Joan and Sherlock to get together, may I suggest watching some teen chick flick.
Maybe twilight movies or something.
Learn to respect and understand art for what it is. For what the creator is trying to say. Trying to portray.
Ofcourse, the beauty of art is that anyone can read it in any number of different ways. But do not try to advise the artist of taking his work down a path which he/she probably doesn’t intend.
Enjoy what is served.
No, no, no, no! Every show with a male & female lead has ALWAYS had some sexual tension, “will-they-or-won’t-they”, which ends up being the major focus of the entire show. I love that the two of them are friends / partners who obviously care about each other deeply, respect each other, and are great together, and they even live together, without the hackneyed obligatory romantic entanglement. If the writers ever make them a romantic couple, it will ruin one of the most unique things about the show.
I agree. It kinda worked that she fell for Mycroft. But keep these two PLATONIC. He’s already been in her room while she’s been asleep, scantily clothed and it hasn’t led to anything. Let’s keep it that way…..
My husband and I were asking each “Who is this woman who keeps showing up? Did we miss something?” I’m surprised we didn’t suspect that she was in his mind, as we both were big fans of the TV show Perception, where the main character was constantly having conversations with a woman who wasn’t there (the main character had schizophrenia, and I notice someone else has commented that Sherlock’s symptoms could indicate that).
Always have loved Elementary, and a big fan of Jonny Lee Miller. Having said that…can’t help but hope that if Sherlock has brain issues next season, he’ll start singing George Michael songs.
Ha, yes! That show was short lived, but so entertaining.
Ahh, yes…….Eli Stone. Loved that show.
Very good ending. It was good to see Jon Huertas from Castle again.
Looking at the MRI, it seemed that behind his nose there were a couple of broken bones and at least 1 or 2 hematoma, if that was even his MRI.
When Elementary was switched to Sunday and constantly pre-empted I knew it was going to be the end of the series – ie normal network behavior to try to ruin the ratings so they have a reason to cancel the show. I just found this show last year and hate they are doing this, it is one of the few good shows on TV.
How did Sherlock simply find the woman in his brownstone? Does he not have security monitors? Also, when Joan returned to the brownstone, wouldn’t she have smelled the fire damage? And when Sherlock was with the woman at a hospital, her hair wasn’t singed and appeared no worse for wear. I hadn’t been watching this season’s episodes to fully understand the end result.
Guy, you need to read the previous posts. The woman was a figment or possible hallucination of Sherlock’ s. There was no fire. It was a metaphor of Sherlock’ s illness. I didn’t realize this was the season finale until I read previous posts. I bought all the seasons on Amazon and I too didn’t see that interaction between Joan and Halcon on my episode. This is the only series I watch and will await its return at 20+ episodes or merely 13. Excellent writing and top tier actors.
Only something biological could weaken someone of such faculties. The fact that it’s his mother and not his father’s image tells me that with such obvious fear for his life and faculties, he would turn to the person who also had a problem with addiction and pain/loneliness. His mom…..
I agree Peter. I can’t help but think that this memory deficit was initially caused by the bottle Shinwell cracked over Sherlock’ s skull, which set an organic process in motion. The fact that the writers conjured up his mother’s image speaks volumes. I did read that John Noble was ill, but I don’t think that is the reason the writer’s left him out of the story arc. When Sherlock found out his mother was an addict, he connected the parallels within his life and understood her plight as well as his own.
Excellent writing thus far and my favorite season overall.
They ‘re getting a tad lazy. I have been a Sherlockian since i was a kid. Belonged to “The Baker Street irregulars”, London chapter, for a bit. I teach Theatre Arts/Cinema studies. What i want to see is a case of such international proportions that A) It would involve morland Holmes and Irene Adler/Moriarty. B) it would bring Mycroft out of MI6 Hiding. C) bring back Lestrade from London to help alongside Gregson as an Homage to the literary duo. The elements are there. I don’t know what they’re wanting for…..
Glad the show redeemed itself, use to be a fave, looking forward to another season.
While praising the excellent acting and writing this season, I also wanted to mention the top notch music in each episode. I’ve fallen in love with the group Barbarossa and noticed they played “Griptide” at the end of the finale. I’m not certain who is in charge of the music, but I am thankful for the exposure to beautiful songs I might have missed out on. Elementary is a class act all the way around. While I would like for the show to continue on for many more seasons, I suspect the series will close while on top, as it should. Nevertheless, I will be one of many who will be disappointed to see it end.