How the Relationship between Fraser and Vecchio mirrors that of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.
I was recently watching a documentary on Sherlock Holmes and it talked about how he and Doctor Watson were the basis for all partnership shows which have come after and I began thinking that possibly Due South comes the closest to matching the characteristics of the Holmes/Watson partnership.
In this slight essay, I will be referring to the Sir ( Read more... )
Oh yes I did like that one. And Watson can't refuse, and I think Holmes knows that. Fraser does tend to be a bit more...subtle seems the wrong word. It's couched in politeness and relies on Ray's guilt rather than Holmes relying on Watson's curiousity. It's ultimately the same effect but different approaches.
Very true. Though Watson I think would have found a practice somewhere, like he does when he gets married.
Yes he would have become just a GP. And would have made a decent living at it no doubt.
When Doyle wrote about Watson's marriage he never intended to do anything more with the characters I believe it was meant to be a one off.
Yes. 'The Sign of Four' was the second novella published after 'A Study in Scarlet'. Conan-Doyle never intended any more. SiS is set in 1881 I think and SoF is set in I think 1887 or 1888. I do wonder why he put such a large gap in. Interestingly they weren't that old when they met. If we go go by the dates they suggest Watson was bron in 1852 and Holmes in 1853 then they were in their late twenties when they met and Warson marries mid-thirties. So the idea of the bachelor lifestyle at that age does fit.
And yes most cases were mentioned as pre-marriage. Then there are ones with no clear date.
And Holmes canon is notoriously difficult with Watson's travelling war wound one example among many.
It would be interesting to know if it was something they'd thought of when the character was conceived but which hadn't gotten around to addressing or if it was just something the writers added so that people wouldn't get any slashy ideas about the characters. As in, Vecchio likes women, see he was married.
One theory I heard was that Ray was going to be mentioned as being divorced way back in the pilot but with the hints of Frannie's divorce as well it was left out. Still they waited until season 2 before it was mentioned whuich does seem a bit of a 'look Ray is straight' kind of manovuer. Then again we get a lot more look they are heterosexual hints for both Fraser and Ray in S2 with Fraser/Thatcher and Ray's dalliance with St Laurant as ongoing plotlines. Makes you wonder.
In fact I've read an essay in which she was cited as one of the reasons for Holmes' decision in the Final Problem, which I can certainly see. Holmes had been reliant on Watson as pretty much his only companion for a number of years and then with his marriage pretty much his only friend in the world doesn't see him for weeks/months on end whilst he's building up his practice. It would've been a very lonely existence for him, so no wonder he would want to escape from it even if there wasn't a threat to his life.
It would not surprise me. Clearly Holmes coped pre-Watson but then you can never miss what you never had? One wonders if Conan-Doyle was trying to distance himself from his creation by seperating his narrator from his other protagonist. By the time of the final prblem he was fed up with Holmes so I wonder if that's why he seperated Watson from him more, even if we don't see that seperation in canon in the same way. He knew Holmes through Watson and without that contact he was seperating form Holmes too.
One of the points I forgot to add was that in later years after Holmes retires to Sussex they also drift apart and rarely see each other which is somewhat sad
Yes. I admit I never bought the retiring to Sussex idea (just as I never bought the Ray abandoning Fraser in COTW idea) and it is sad. Is it the Lions Mane story which is Holmes POV? That seems to lack something without Watson.
Yay fanfic.
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I think most people tend to use the idea that Holmes was born in 1854 due to a line in The Last Bow which says Holmes was in his 60th year and Watson's birth usually is cited as being 1852 making him a tad older. Oddly enough whenever we see them in canon they tend to be at the older end of the spectrum, usually in their 40s or 50s, which they would have been during their last cases. I'd like to see a series which follows canon whereby they start off in their twenties with the Study in Scarlet and goes right through till the end. I'm doubtful that will happen though, as even if they could find someone willing to commit to it (the way David Suchet has done with Poirot), with the smoking ban I'm not even sure they'd still be able to film it. And I find it difficult to imagine Holmes without his pipe.
And Holmes canon is notoriously difficult with Watson's travelling war wound
Watson's war wound is quite an easy one. I read somewhere that shrapnel used to break apart quite easily back then so part of it could have went into his shoulder and part into his leg.
I admit I never bought the retiring to Sussex idea
Well going off the Doyle story "How Watson Learned the Trick" Holmes was born in Surrey, I'm not entirely sure if that's near Sussex but if it is, it could explain why Holmes would retire there and if so would bring another similarity between Fraser and Holmes.
Is it the Lions Mane story which is Holmes POV?
It's supposed to be though there are some theories that it wasn't written by Holmes.
That seems to lack something without Watson.
I think he had another companion in it, which would bring in comparisons with the situation with Kowalski. i.e. Ray/Watson being replaced by another Ray/Stackhurst.
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Yes. It could be 1853 or 1854. I think details in The Gloria Scott suggested the 1853 date but either way Holmes is younger (just as Fraser could be born in 1961 or 1962 and is younger than Ray Vecchio).
Oddly enough whenever we see them in canon they tend to be at the older end of the spectrum, usually in their 40s or 50s, which they would have been during their last cases. I'd like to see a series which follows canon whereby they start off in their twenties with the Study in Scarlet and goes right through till the end.
Yes the BBC did the Hound of the Baskervilles a few years ago with younger actors (I think they were in their 30's) but the adaptation changed important details and I didn't enjoy it as I was too busy picking holes in it ;-) But I would love to see someone follow canon right through. A Study in Scarlet seems neglected in terms of filmed canon. It would be an undertaking but it would be very nice to see the progression.
Watson's war wound is quite an easy one. I read somewhere that shrapnel used to break apart quite easily back then so part of it could have went into his shoulder and part into his leg.
Ah that does indeed make sense.
Well going off the Doyle story "How Watson Learned the Trick" Holmes was born in Surrey, I'm not entirely sure if that's near Sussex but if it is, it could explain why Holmes would retire there and if so would bring another similarity between Fraser and Holmes.
It's not too far apart. I don't think Surrey as coastline but imagine generally it would be similar.
It's supposed to be though there are some theories that it wasn't written by Holmes.
I just went through and checked The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier is another Holmes POV. I do like the beginning in which he praises Watson and points out how useful he is. The date given for that story is January 1903 and Holmes says Watson has deserted him for a wife (doesn't say again) and this was the one selfish action he did. Which is interesting. I do wonder about Watson marrying a second time, that doesn't seem to quite fit, though it may explain why the two of them drifted apart.
It's supposed to be though there are some theories that it wasn't written by Holmes
I could go with those theories.
I think he had another companion in it, which would bring in comparisons with the situation with Kowalski. i.e. Ray/Watson being replaced by another Ray/Stackhurst.
Oh yes. Very interesting that.
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If it's the one that had Holmes acting OOC and shooting up in the middle of a case (possibly even taking the wrong drug) and had Richard E Grant in it, then I've seen it. I think it would have worked better if they'd let Richard E Grant play Holmes. He certainly would've looked more like the character than the actor they had playing him.
A Study in Scarlet seems neglected in terms of filmed canon.
I think there may be two versions of it. There was a version with Peter Cushing were they missed out all of the first meeting bits and there was also a version with Ronald Howard, who was playing Holmes in his 30s which showed Holmes and Watson's first meeting. That series also made out that Holmes wasn't a very good violinist and had Watson cringing every time Holmes started playing it.
I just went through and checked The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier is another Holmes POV.
I had a feeling there were two that were supposed to be from Holmes POV, I think they both have question marks over whether they were written by Holmes. The Mary Russell books play about with it a bit, but I won't spoil you.
Still they waited until season 2 before it was mentioned whuich does seem a bit of a 'look Ray is straight' kind of manovuer.
If they believe they are writing the characters so gay that they have to drop in a “look Ray is straight” gimmick why drop in the line about the ex wife, why not just write them less slashy. The ex-wife thing isn’t going to stop people from thinking the character is less gay if they already do. Gay people have at times married the opposite sex in order to conceal being gay or other reasons. So it seems less likely someone will say oh he was married therefore he can’t be gay, they’re probably more likely to say, hmm why did he get divorced.
It would not surprise me. Clearly Holmes coped pre-Watson but then you can never miss what you never had?
That’s very true. In a way it’s almost cruel of Watson to cut himself off so completely from his friend when he’d been so much a part of Holmes’ day to day life.
Ray/Watson being replaced by another Ray/Stackhurst.
Oh yes. Very interesting that.
That could also apply to the Granada TV series as well. They replaced David Burke with Edward Hardwicke, and I for one never noticed that Watson had changed. Of course I was only a child at the time, though obviously not a very observant one:)
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That would be the one, drive me nuts. I've often thought Richard E Grant wouldn't have made a bad Holmes.
I think there may be two versions of it.
I didn't think there were many and certainly not one that stands out as a decent adaptation particularly.
they’re probably more likely to say, hmm why did he get divorced.
True. Could be they suddenly felt the need to drop in that backstory. One wonders if DM was part of the reason after-all Angie is played by his own real life wife so he might have liked the whole ex-wife idea.
That’s very true. In a way it’s almost cruel of Watson to cut himself off so completely from his friend when he’d been so much a part of Holmes’ day to day life.
It is. I wonder why he did it. He's so loyal in all other aspects.
That could also apply to the Granada TV series as well. They replaced David Burke with Edward Hardwicke, and I for one never noticed that Watson had changed. Of course I was only a child at the time, though obviously not a very observant one:)
I never noticed either but like you I was a kid at the time ;-) I admit I think I preferred Edward Hardwicke but only because he did more from what I recall.
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It wasn't really much of a part though. I think she was only in the one episode and only a few scenes at that.
I wonder why he did it. He's so loyal in all other aspects.
It may not have been have been intentional, I suppose the setting up of his practice would take a lot of work and perhaps time got away from him. On the other hand, he could have been upset that Holmes didn't attend his wedding or possibly a case of Holmes and his wife not getting on with each other and he didn't want to upset the new Mrs.
I admit I think I preferred Edward Hardwicke but only because he did more from what I recall.
Edward Hardwicke is the one I seemed to be most familiar with, but I'm not sure I have a favourite Watson.
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True and they did have a small child at the time.
t may not have been have been intentional, I suppose the setting up of his practice would take a lot of work and perhaps time got away from him. On the other hand, he could have been upset that Holmes didn't attend his wedding or possibly a case of Holmes and his wife not getting on with each other and he didn't want to upset the new Mrs.
I think unintentional would make sense. I happened to find some of the case book of Sherlock Holmes on an old video yesterday and in that there was the suggestion Watson was swamped by his practice in that.
It would be a shame if Watson picked a wife who didn't like Holmes.
Edward Hardwicke is the one I seemed to be most familiar with, but I'm not sure I have a favourite Watson.
Yes I'm most familiar with him.
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It was rather strange the way they did it in the Granada series, as although they didn't do the marriage they still seemed to have Watson appear to have moved out of Baker Street in the later ones. I mean why have him not get married and then move him out anyway? As for the practice, he was supposed to have sold it when he moved back with Holmes, but yet they had him working at a practice throughout all the series.
It would be a shame if Watson picked a wife who didn't like Holmes.
It would indeed.
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Yes they ignored the wife in the earlier ones and yet eventually they ended up with the same effect. They could have followed canon in that respect.
but yet they had him working at a practice throughout all the series.
This is true and it's rather odd really. I suppose it gave them the opportunity to be a nbit more liberal with canon - where's Watson? oh at his practice but still a very busy man.
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