Elementary Season 7 Episode 9 Review: On the Scent

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As often happened, one case can go in a multitude of directions.

That occurred again on Elementary Season 7 Episode 9.

As Sherlock, Joan, and Marcus shed suspect after suspect, the case of the week took a weird turn, which is a specialty on Elementary.

Searching for a Serial Killer -- Tall - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

This one went from the return of an erratic serial killer to a squabble with a gallery owner to a drug deal gone bad to a lover's quarrel to a dognapping.

Since none of the motives for murder really stood up, the dognapping was a much-needed new direction.

Breakthrough Evidence - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

The Ghost of Brooklyn was such a timely modern boogeyman. 

There was no Ghost, just a man with a sweating condition who accidentally contaminated swabs with his DNA while working at the factory that produces the swabs.

Related: Elementary Season 7 Episode 8 Review: Miss Understood

Once the Ghost was disproven and the DNA evidence dismissed, cops were able to solve the murders by examing more logical suspects.

Sherlock and Joan quickly found too many suspects in Caroline's murder.

There was the gallery owner who mock-feuded with Caroline to drive up interest in her pieces.

Caught Unaware - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

Then there was the neighbor with whom she got into a screaming match over the noisy half-dozen dogs that she was fostering.

But the argumentative neighbor said Caroline was attracting the wrong kind of people to her home and that she was a drug dealer, which turned out to be true.

Finally, Caroline's lover Diana admitted that she saw somebody dressed such as Caroline leading away one of her dogs, Ollie.

Things got intriguing then, especially after they found out about Ollie's stellar past as a pot-sniffing police dog.

It was hard to believe someone would kill a woman just so he could snatch her dog.

Trying to Reconnect - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

And what exactly do you do with a retired police dog?

Sherlock and Joan came up with the idea that a cartel would use Ollie to improve their drug-shipping methods.

Or maybe the drug kingpin just wants to get the drug-sniffing dog way from his seller, to avoid unnecessarily revealing of her status.

But the theories went out the window when Ollie was found wandering around a railyard.

With several million in pot stolen from a train car, it's obvious that Ollie's role was to find the marijuana for the killer.

Hearing the Story Again - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

Now it was just a matter of finding said killer. Whoever it was had inside information, knowing what was shipping from where.

Yes, it was a stretch to find out that the loser arrested for stolen cell phones earlier was the mastermind behind the murder and dognapping and that he was the brother of the druglord's lawyer.

Related: 21 Characters Who Work Way Too Hard

Isn't that convenient?

So a woman was dead just so the killer could take her dog for a spin.

After a couple of episodes away, Odin Reichenbach was back again.

Mapping It Out - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

Joan had located a murder in traffic near Phoenix which she felt may have been set up by Odin.

Then Sherlock paid her discovery little mind, telling her to leave it for the NSA to investigate.

Joan has been with Sherlock long enough that she can tell when he's up to something, and this was one of those cases.

She noticed that he had failed to forward her findings to NSA Agent McNally, which annoyed her after the work she had put into it.

So Joan confronted him, telling him that she can tell when he's lying.

Making a Point - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

Sherlock did the right thing and spilled everything, and in an unusual change of pace, wanted to talk to Joan about her feelings.

Since they were right in the middle of a case, she wisely tabled that discussion for later.

Sherlock has to remember that Joan is his partner, not his protege anymore, and needs to give her all the information he has so she can make an informed decision about any situation.

It was good to hear that Sherlock hadn't given up, but rather farmed out the investigation to a different intelligence-gathering organization, the SAS.

He performed the proper act of atonement, turning over the burner phone that any SAS call would come in on so that Joan will now be on the cutting edge of the investigation.

Distracted Sherlock - Elementary Season 7 Episode 9

It was enlightening to watch Odin and his assistant go over the various assassinations that he had set in motion, sounding for all the world just like any other business deal.

The fact that Odin is aware on Joan's Phoenix investigation can't be a good thing. It will be interesting to see what the fallout is from that.

Related: Get CBS All Access via Amazon Channels for Hit Shows, Exclusive Originals & Live TV! 

Maybe Sherlock will also turn to Morland for help since his father is used to moving in the rarified circles that Odin inhabits. Sherlock is out of his element to a large degree.

The showdown with Odin has to come sooner rather than later, with only four episodes left.

That would allow for a fitting conclusion to Elementary's seven-season run.

To catch up on the Odin sage, watch Elementary online

Is Joan in trouble now?

What other moves should Sherlock make?

Which characters would you like to visit?

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On the Scent Review

Editor Rating: 4.3 / 5.0
  • 4.3 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0 (7 Votes)

Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.

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Elementary Season 7 Episode 9 Quotes

Do you realize you have a tell when you lie?

Joan [to Sherlock]

You can call off the Ghost hunt, Captain.

Sherlock [to Gregson]