'want to see some more?' 'oh, God, yes'
The best possible compliment I think I can give 'A Study in Pink', the first epsiode of the Stephen Moffat Sherlock Holmes reboot, is that it's pretty much like watching 'The Empty Child'/'The Doctor Dances', only instead of Jack, Rose, and the Doctor, it's Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I should have kept a tally of how many times it made me cackle so loudly that I was afraid it might wake drmoonpants, who is sleeping all the way at the other end of the apartment.
To wit: perfect. It dealt well with two conflicting impulses I have about Holmes/Watson, those being the one where I know I shouldn't want it and the one where I kind of want it anyway. The good compromise the show strikes is that everyone else assumes it's true (and is 100% okay with it), Watson is ever-ready to deny it and seems perplexed when no one believes him, and Holmes thinks it's fun to poke fun at Watson about it -- when, that is, he notices at all. Not only is that a good setup for the occasional joke, but it deals with the gay elephant that appears in the room when you drag Holmes and Watson into the modern world. Those close male friendships and flatmatery don't generate a tenth of the anxiety in 1910 that they do in 2010, and trying to move the story forward into the modern era while addressing the possible implications of that relationship only as much as Doyle himself did (i.e., not at all) would just serve to make obvious the fact, yes, their arrangement is somewhat gay.
But at the same time, I'm glad that it's a peripheral issue, and that only a tiny bit of the show's time is spent having their relationship misinterpreted. If anything, Watson seems to be most put out by the suggestion that he would have the poor judgment to date this lunatic, gender notwithstanding. It's much more fun to watch Watson, in the throes of his amazement, develop a great big crush on Holmes' brain, and it's twice as fun to watch Holmes revel in the attention and proper respect for his gift. Make that the crux of their relationship, and have the occasional restaurant owner put a candle on their table because it's more romantic, and I'll clap my hands together like a happy baby seal.
Also, apparently Watson has a lesbian sister? So that's awesome. Plus, it explains his general reaction to the suggestion that he might be Holmes' boyfriend, as my sisters are always quick to correct any implication that they might be lesbians, not because they're offended, but because it's just not factual. Extra points, too, that she's ruined her relationship by her drinking, because Lesbians Have Problems Too.
To conclude, why is there not more right now???? I need more ridiculous British joy in my life, dagnabbit.
To wit: perfect. It dealt well with two conflicting impulses I have about Holmes/Watson, those being the one where I know I shouldn't want it and the one where I kind of want it anyway. The good compromise the show strikes is that everyone else assumes it's true (and is 100% okay with it), Watson is ever-ready to deny it and seems perplexed when no one believes him, and Holmes thinks it's fun to poke fun at Watson about it -- when, that is, he notices at all. Not only is that a good setup for the occasional joke, but it deals with the gay elephant that appears in the room when you drag Holmes and Watson into the modern world. Those close male friendships and flatmatery don't generate a tenth of the anxiety in 1910 that they do in 2010, and trying to move the story forward into the modern era while addressing the possible implications of that relationship only as much as Doyle himself did (i.e., not at all) would just serve to make obvious the fact, yes, their arrangement is somewhat gay.
But at the same time, I'm glad that it's a peripheral issue, and that only a tiny bit of the show's time is spent having their relationship misinterpreted. If anything, Watson seems to be most put out by the suggestion that he would have the poor judgment to date this lunatic, gender notwithstanding. It's much more fun to watch Watson, in the throes of his amazement, develop a great big crush on Holmes' brain, and it's twice as fun to watch Holmes revel in the attention and proper respect for his gift. Make that the crux of their relationship, and have the occasional restaurant owner put a candle on their table because it's more romantic, and I'll clap my hands together like a happy baby seal.
Also, apparently Watson has a lesbian sister? So that's awesome. Plus, it explains his general reaction to the suggestion that he might be Holmes' boyfriend, as my sisters are always quick to correct any implication that they might be lesbians, not because they're offended, but because it's just not factual. Extra points, too, that she's ruined her relationship by her drinking, because Lesbians Have Problems Too.
To conclude, why is there not more right now???? I need more ridiculous British joy in my life, dagnabbit.