Monday, November 24, 2014

Elementary - Bella


Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) accepts a case to look into the theft of an artificial intelligence known as "Bella." More interested in the software itself, and disproving it as legitimate A.I., Holmes passes off most of the legwork involving the theft and eventual murder of one of Bella's creators to Kitty (Ophelia Lovibond) and Watson (Lucy Liu) while he becomes obsessed with testing the machine.

In an episode that includes the possibility of an artificial intelligence killing its creator, "Bella" showcases the obsessive-compulsive side of Holmes becoming locked on a side project only tangentially related to the case he has been hired to solve. Witnessing this for the first time Kitty enlists Watson for help, although Kitty is equally surprised at Watson's reaction to allow Holmes' madness to continue.

"Bella" is of interest not only for the computer program which Holmes can never quite disprove is true artificial intelligence but because the episode ends with Holmes outplayed leaving a murderer free after the consulting detective's bluff of blackmail is called. Unable to take down a killer or disprove Bella is a fake, Holmes' fails in both his goals this week ending the episode on a melancholy note.

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