I'm in favor of any reason to get John Noble back on TV.

That's why it was great that Sherlock's father Morland, played by Noble, came to visit on Elementary Season 6 Episode 10.

Walter Bishop on Fringe is my favorite of Noble's roles, but Morland is right up there. He does villains equally well.

Morland hasn't been seen since Elementary Season 4 Episode 24. That was when he took over the criminal network formerly run by Jamie Moriarty to protect Sherlock and Joan.

I figured that criminal mastermind that he is, Morland would have been already aware of Mycroft's death. But apparently not, as Sherlock ended up breaking the news to Morland.

That was what brought Morland to New York, to visit with his remaining, and implied lesser, son, Sherlock. Mycroft was set to inherit Morland's fortune and give the eulogy at his funeral, which should tell you where Sherlock stands in his father's estimation.

Related: Elementary Season 6 Episode 9 Review: Nobody Lives Forever

Theirs is not a great relationship. It should tell you all that you need to know when Sherlock is the warm and fuzzy one of the pair.

With Mycroft gone, seemingly for good, it would be natural for Sherlock and Morland to attempt to mend their tenuous relationship.

It certainly didn't help when Sherlock rebuffed Morland's belated effort to leave him an inheritance. But being in the right place at the right time did enable Sherlock to determine that a man was stalking his father.

Not any man, but a skilled assassin, who Sherlock tracked down to grill. But Borozan took a header out the window before Sherlock could discover the name of his employer.

Morland didn't seem all that surprised he was being tailed. That comes with the job, I suppose.

Then he foreshadowed the next blast from the past to appear, in this case, Moriarty, who wants her syndicate back.

Related: Watch Elementary Online: Season 6 Episode 9

I applaud the return of Moriarty, or at least her menace. Moriarty is the greatest antagonist in the Holmes canon.

I have no problem with the Morland-Moriarty arc lasting for several episodes, although I doubt I'll get that. Michael has been a fun addition to the cast, but these two are operatic.

Do Sherlock and Morland come out in a better place afterward? One can only hope.

The case of the week was an enjoyable diversion as well. Was the body about to be mummified part of a forgery ring, or was this victim something separate altogether?

Once again, it was possible to use the old dictum that the most recognizable TV actor did it, Dylan Baker in this case. That doesn't mean there weren't a lot of twists and turns to get to that point.

It's also fascinating when Elementary veers off into the obscure, a realm in which Sherlock lives. This episode, we got he double-barrel geekery of forgeries in both antiquities and art.

Related: 13 Notable Male Roles Rewritten as Amazing Women

There was not just a killer but a forger to locate as well. Actually, make that a killer, the person who contracted the hit and the forger.

Blaine definitely won the award for dumbest assassin skilled with historical weaponry. He's probably still waiting for his deal. Just as well he took the gate early.

I'm still wondering how Venetto knew how to recruit the Theban's pet assassin. I guess they all ran in the same circles, as that's somewhat plausible. Then it didn't take much for Venetto to take out the Theban when he was out walking his dog.

Poor Captain Gregson. He finally supplies an expert, and it turns out that expert was actually a forger.

I felt worst for Jasper Wells. Not only did he lose his daughter, but also his special sideline was outed. I guess Misha got her wish in death, although it remains to be seen if Jasper's art will ever be appreciated on its own merits.

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

As always, there were funky one-scene characters, such as Misha's former girlfriend, who can identify painters by their brush strokes. That was too many years of college well spent. That must be like identifying guitarists by their chords.

Sherlock must be past his post-concussion syndrome since I don't remember that being mentioned. Joan's baby quest at least came up in passing.

Which recurring characters remain to be worked into a storyline this season?

To catch up on Sherlock's hard year, watch Elementary online.

How long did it take you to solve this complicated case? Does Morland have some devious plan, or is he just a target for Moriarty? Will Moriarty herself appear, or just more underlings? Comment below.

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