"Elementary" took its sweet time to give a face to Sherlock's father, Morland, even though his presence has been felt since the first season. His arrival in New York complicated things with Sherlock and has proven to be both a bane and a blessing. But is their relationship bad enough to cause the detective to try and kill his father?

A trailer for episode 10 of "Elementary" season 4 certainly suggests as much. The teaser clip starts with Morland (John Noble) telling Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) he was positive he had a certain statue removed. Watson (Lucy Liu) is then seen informing Sherlock that someone tried to kill his father. The detective walks in on Watson on the floor with a lot of pictures, apparently working on a case. Sherlock tells her they're looking for "a needle in a haystack," probably referring to the number of people who would want Morland dead. This is followed by a montage of scenes that shows Sherlock talking to someone in an elevator and reminding him that they have met before, Watson tending to a hurt Sherlock and the detective apparently on the search for something. The clip ends with Sherlock asking his father if he believes that he was the one who tried to kill him. Morland, sitting in a chair, is unreadable.

While the short trailer gives fans a sneak peek into the state of Sherlock and Morland's relationship in the upcoming episode, "Alma Matters," the synopsis hints at so much more. The suggestion that Sherlock might have attempted to kill his father aside, it appears that whatever goodwill the father and son had established is moot as Holmes and Watson learn that Morland has a secret that endangers them all. Holmes and Watson also look into "two murders that are connected to a for-profit college and its illegal recruitment practices."

The dynamics between Morland and Sherlock and Morland and Watson are no doubt fascinating. But it might not be enough to bring the show's numbers up and save it from cancellation. It has been reported that "Elementary's" numbers have consistently gone down every season, which indicates that this may well be the show's penultimate season.