Sherlock series three, writing round-up, Sherlock Remix

[innie_darling]

Hi, everybody!

I was asked by a friend what I thought of the new series of Sherlock, and it ended up being so long that I thought I might as well post it.

Comments

[ourdramaqueen]

I think by the start of TEH Sherlock had regressed due to being alone for two years, but did you notice how nervous he was as soon as he actually saw John in the restaurant? The disguise was a on-the-spot decision, something to give him a little buffer, if you will, and as soon as John saw him, Sherlock was completely out of his depth. He doesn't do emotions, or not very well, so he tried deflecting with humour - ill-conceived as it was - I guess partially because he and John always were able to laugh at inappropriate stuff.

And the thing with the bomb - I think until he went into his mind palace, he honestly didn't know/remember how to diffuse it, and thought they would die. He also knew that John wasn't good at expressing feelings, and that there were still things that he needed to say to Sherlock - and what better opportunity than when you think you'll die? So after he'd turned it off, he acted as if the bomb was still a threat. I don't think he was aiming for the "best and wisest" speech per se, but just provided a space for whatever John needed to get off his chest. And I guess on some level John realized that, hence him laughing along with Sherlock in the end.

The Moriarty/Sherlock bit was rather ridiculous, but I didn't feel it was maliciously making fun of fans, more like a friendly wink and nudge to the fandom and the copious amounts of slash that's out there. The Empty Hearse Club with Anderson, of all people, leading it... Ha!

I really liked the episodes so far (not saying they're flawless*, but the sometimes extremely negative reactions by some fans honestly baffle me), and still love both Sherlock and John, and Mary is awesome! I expect HLV, in contrast, to be rather dark, and not boding well for Mary+1...

*The date discrepancy between wedding invitation and blog, as well as no hint of what the consequences were for Sally irk me too.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I agree with you: I think that Sherlock had gone backwards a bit and was desperately trying to deny both John's grief and his own sense of guilt, and that led to very bad behavior. I don't excuse it, but I can understand it.

[innie_darling]

I think the lack of a clear answer as to HOW Sherlock did it unsettled the episode too much - not only did it obscure the fact that the WHY was left pretty much unanswered, but it didn't give a consistent PoV for the episode, meaning that Sherlock's behavior wasn't condemned but rather applauded or adored.

[innie_darling]

I did see Sherlock being nervous in the restaurant, but I can't cut him slack for it - he's just said to Mycroft that John could not possibly have had a life in his (Sherlock's) absence (as if John were just hanging around in stasis, waiting for a dead man to return to life), he's gleeful that he has such an upscale setting for the reunion, and he's very conspicuously smirky as he makes his preparations (stealing the accessories, etc.). The disguise is from ACD, but there was no need for Sherlock to interrupt what was clearly a private and important moment for John.

he tried deflecting with humour - ill-conceived as it was - I guess partially because he and John always were able to laugh at inappropriate stuff. I take your point - it's a good one - but I would ask: why does he need to stage a reunion in public at all? To put it another way, what is he "deflecting" (as you put it) from?

And the thing with the bomb - I think until he went into his mind palace, he honestly didn't know/remember how to diffuse it, and thought they would die. He also knew that John wasn't good at expressing feelings, and that there were still things that he needed to say to Sherlock - and what better opportunity than when you think you'll die? So after he'd turned it off, he acted as if the bomb was still a threat. I don't think he was aiming for the "best and wisest" speech per se, but just provided a space for whatever John needed to get off his chest.
I didn't see anything in that scene that indicated that Sherlock was thinking of John's emotional health at that moment. I can buy that he got stuck trying to figure out how to defuse the bomb. What I can't buy is that Sherlock found it acceptable - let alone therapeutic - to allow John, who's been through war and the supposed suicide of his best friend and is still carrying the scars from both, to believe that they will be dying in a matter of moments. John's confession of caring still felt absolutely forced, and it didn't help that Sherlock started laughing at him. That laughter was, to my mind, the cruelest thing Sherlock's done, and it has a lot of competition.

I didn't feel it was maliciously making fun of fans, more like a friendly wink and nudge to the fandom and the copious amounts of slash that's out there. The Empty Hearse Club with Anderson, of all people, leading it... Ha!
I know I have a low tolerance for fanservice in canon, and I'm squeamish about official creators taking over/alluding to fannish work. In this case, especially so, since, as I said in my post, WE the fans did the work that the official creators evidently felt was beneath them.

I am glad that you've enjoyed these two episodes, and I wish I could enjoy them more. I do very much like Mary and what she's brought to the show, and my dissatisfaction with BC's Sherlock started when "Scandal" aired. At the end of the day, for me, it's all about Martin Freeman and his John Watson.