Sherlock - BBC

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Too late Eldo! My mind is already scarred by the image you put up- although I am getting over it by convincing myself John is a doctor and Sherlock was just in need of a rectal examination for purely medical reasons!

Norc wrote:dunno what 4chan is. But yeah. Tumblr is full of subtle and not so subtle porn. and it is very gayfriendly x

but hey, change of subject! I posted like three different things you guys could reply to and you choose porn.

source http://ivyblossom.tumblr.com/post/19122226386/there-are-lots-of-things-that-occur-to-me-far
There are lots of things that occur to me far later than they should. The thing about Mrs Hudson that I should have noticed but didn’t was the first one: I’m sure there will be a million more, because I am not particularly detail-oriented, to be honest. This is the second thing I just realized: Sherlock didn’t originally want John to be his assistant. He wanted Anderson to play that role.

Sherlock: Who’s on forensics?
Lestrade: Anderson.
Sherlock: Anderson won’t work with me.

Not Anderson is an idiot, but Anderson won’t work with me. Sherlock then proceeds to take John along with him to a crime scene, and is remarkably patient and accommodating with him. Why does he do that? Sherlock is neither patient nor accommodating as a general rule. When John deduces only the most obvious and basic details about Jennifer Wilson’s death, Sherlock isn’t scornful at all. Why does he do he behave this way?

Lestrade: He’s not your assistant.
Sherlock: I need an assistant!

We know he doesn’t bring John along for his own innate skills, because when John asks why he’s there, as they’re standing over Jennifer Wilson’s body, Sherlock says, “Proving a point.” He doesn’t really care what John has to offer to the investigation of the crime scene, that’s why he’s not bothered by John’s simple description of the cause of death. That wasn’t the point.

He’s trying to make Anderson jealous.

These two appear to have a tumultuous relationship; they must have argued over bodies before. Sherlock must respect Anderson’s abilities; why else would he want him as an assistant? So Sherlock wants to demonstrate, in the most childish way possible, that if Anderson won’t play ball, he will lock him out altogether. That’s the worst thing Sherlock can imagine: being tantalizingly close to the crime scene and his own dazzling deductions, but not be able to hear them or participate.

So Sherlock slams the door in Anderson’s face. It’s not because noting that Rache is a German word is dumb (It was something that passed through Sherlock’s mind as well, as we know); it’s becauseSherlock is proving his point.

I don’t need you. See? See me not needing you? How do you like that, Anderson? HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT? I can deduce the fact that you’re cheating on your wife with Sally, I know what you were doing last night. See? Aren’t I good? That’s how good I am. You want to be my assistant, Anderson, don’t you. You need to, because I’m dazzling and you need to watch me. If you ask really nicely I might let you act as my assistant next time. I just might.

Sherlock doesn’t realize at that point that the perfect assistant for him is John. Anderson won’t fire a bullet with the steadiest of hands through a window for him. Anderson won’t help him behave appropriately in social situations and smooth out the rough edges of his interactions. Anderson may admire Sherlock’s abilities, but he’d never say so out loud. Anderson will never love him. John’s arrival utterly alters the job description of “assistant” for Sherlock. We never hear the word “assistant” again, in fact (to my knowledge).

Sherlock’s reactions toward Anderson, and all the negative things he has to say about him thereafter, appear, in this light, to be more a reaction to Anderson’s rejection of Sherlock than any scornfulness about his abilities.

Sherlock has the emotional life of a nine year old.

http://ivyblossom.tumblr.com/post/18561947156/i-just-noticed-this-mrs-hudson-look-at-him
I just noticed this:

Mrs Hudson: Look at him, dashing about. My husband was just the same.
The first time I saw this, I understood her saying: Oh, that dashing about behaviour, I know it well, my husband was just like that. Which is slightly ominous, since we found out mere moments before that her husband was put to death in Florida (to her great relief).

But now I realize that’s not what she’s saying at all.

She doesn’t say: “My husband was just the same,” she says, “My husband was just the same.”

She’s saying, my husband and your boyfriend are quite similar, John! I’m sure we have lots more in common! Let me go get you a cup and tea and we can dish about the men in our lives, shall I?

Ironically all John is thinking at this moment is: I WANNA GO I WANNA GO I WANNA GO TOO THIS ISN’T FAIR SHERLOCK IS SO EXCITING I WANNA SEE THE DEAD LADY TOO OMG TAKE ME WITH YOU SHERLOCK TAKE ME TOO

I love this episode, I really really do. I think it’s genius. Moffat manages to keep Sherlock completely ambiguous on the question of Irene, allowing us to interpret it as we like. Personally, I think you can make a watertight argument that Sherlock is certainly not in love with Irene, but if you’re of a mind to argue the opposite, it would be pretty solid as well. I think that’s some skillful narrative construction, and a really generous space to leave the viewer. How many writers allow you to define something so critical to a character on your own terms, without their obvious direction? Generosity on that level in storytelling is rare and wonderful.

The best thing about this episode (to me) is John. In this scene he shows us, once again, that his primary concern is Sherlock and his feelings in all this. This scene in particular seems to demonstrate his lingering questions about whether Sherlock has had his heart broken before, and whether it’s been broken by Irene. It seems like this is one of those moments when he’d really like to just ask, and to talk him through it and be a good friend, but he can’t quite bring himself to do it. Clearly he hasn’t ever brought himself to ask, because they’re still talking at cross-purposes about Irene.

John is clearly madly curious about Sherlock’s love life. But he never asks. Why doesn’t he?

I absolutely love how John looks away when Sherlock asks why he would want to see Irene again. He smiles and looks down, as if he’s shy about the question. Why would I want to see her again? Because you loved her, didn’t you? Because a person wants to be with the people they love, Sherlock.

John’s not going to answer Sherlock’s question, because it’s embarrassing, isn’t it. It’s certainly a revealing question, and John doesn’t want to admit his assumptions. He wants to ask but he doesn’t want to be too forward about it. Sherlock is demanding that he be forward about it or say nothing at all. They don’t talk about this kind of thing, apparently. John doesn’t ask, and Sherlock doesn’t tell him.

Is he looking away because John feels like there should be a buffer of privacy around Sherlock he’s trying to protect? I mean, look at him: Sherlock seems pretty willing to answer John’s questions just there. He did ask: why would I want to see her again? I think if John had said, Aren’t you in love with her? Sherlock would have answered honestly. But John won’t do it. It is that it’s created this lovely little hesitancy in John that I really admire. He’ll ask Mrs Hudson about Sherlock’s love life, but he won’t ask Sherlock directly. That’s private, and he doesn’t want to overstep. Sherlock is naive in this particular way, would it be cruel to push him on it? That’s respect, curiosity, and affection all rolled together.

And as John looks away he seems…relieved. Relieved because Sherlock doesn’t appear to be in pain? Or is it because his relationship with Sherlock isn’t in danger? Even if you don’t want to deal with the slashy reading of this, if Sherlock were interested in taking up with a very wealthy woman, he surely wouldn’t need a flatmate anymore, and John is, at this point, entirely dependent on his relationship with Sherlock, both emotionally and financially. So that’s a serious issue for John to contend with, I’d think. Though of course John believes Irene is dead, so she isn’t a threat to their shared life. But still, he looks relieved, a little. Is that, oh, you’re alright, or is it oh, we’re alright?

Eldorion wrote:I feel bad for laughing, but that pool pic...