Both this week and in the Elementary season 3 finale, Sherlock’s sobriety sponsor Alfredo will be at the center of the story. Take some time to reacquaint yourself with him here!
Season 3 is drawing to a close and the stakes are building for a finale that will once again be personal to Sherlock Holmes. First, as this week’s episode will also strive to do, we must lay the ground work. “Under My Skin” will send Sherlock and Joan on a manhunt for a murderer, but Sherlock will keep one foot in the brownstone as he stumbles across some information about his sponsor, Alfredo, that may test their relationship.
For a procedural show, Elementary makes use of their teaser openings to provide enough information for casual viewers to catch onto the continuity running between characters and plot lines. But for loyal fans, these may not be enough.
Check out our brief guide to Alfredo Llamosa followed by a more in depth look below!
From the moment we meet Alfredo in season 1, episode 8, “The Long Fuse,” he connects with both Joan and Sherlock in a way that folds him into their sober companion-client relationship with ease. Sherlock initially chose Alfredo on the basis that Joan would never go for someone who turned his criminal past into a profitable future. Someone took a chance on Alfredo when he stepped into the program and Alfredo wants to take that same chance on Sherlock. When Alfredo arrives at the brownstone, Sherlock expects to turn his prospective sponsor away, but accepts his offer of sponsorship realizing that Watson’s term as companion is nearing an end. Plus, Alfredo brought an unpickable car lock as an offering.
As the show progresses and Joan turns from sober companion to partner, Alfredo’s duties expand. Sherlock’s relationship with Alfredo flourishes as Alfredo quickly gets Sherlock to participate in talks about his recovery in exchange for attempts at breaking into the cars he works on. He helps train Joan in the art of hot wiring cars and helps take shifts during stakeouts. Alfredo is not one to let Sherlock’s bad moods pass and instead forces him to face them head on. Where Joan lets Sherlock come to her, Alfredo pushes Sherlock to get to his problems faster.
An important moment for a sponsor and sponsee arrives when Sherlock approaches his one year sober anniversary. However, Sherlock anticipates the day with the same glee one would walk into a root canal with. Alfredo is hard on him, trying to emphasize the importance of the program and what it means to a group larger than himself. Whether Sherlock likes it or not his sobriety is something that means a great deal to people other than himself. As Alfredo puts it, “You know, I know it is hard, but one of these days, you’ve got to get over yourself.”
Alfredo continues to be one of Sherlock’s great confidants and instigators. When Sherlock goes to Alfredo he is met with patience. When he goes against Alfredo, however, he is greeted with motion sensor car alarms placed throughout the brownstone.
The fun and games may end in this week’s episode, “Under My Skin,” when Sherlock stumbles upon something from Alfredo’s past that will “strain their relationship.” But this is only a minor blip on the radar as Elementary gets closer to the season 3 finale. In the final episode, Alfredo’s disappearance will consume the attention of Joan and Sherlock who fear that an abduction, or at worst, a relapse are the reason for his absence.
Watch Elementary season 3, episode 21, “Under My Skin,” Thursday, April 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.