The reason, why they choose Anderson as Sherlock's foil, when he reveiled the big solution, could've been, that this way it could be done quickly, without the emotional baggage, a John/Sherlock tete a tete would've carried. And can you picture John expressing disappointment, because the big solution was too pedestrian and full of logical holes, lol? He might have complained about many things, but not about that! So, it had to be Anderson.... until further notice.

I watched the whole darn thing again on a good stream by now...and I got the feeling, we have to make do with theory No 3, like it or not. In contrast to the other ones, it was too elaborately presented, and it covered a lot of ground. Like many of you, I had come to the conclusion, that Sherlock wasn't played by Moriarty and that he was the player instead. He wasn't making it up as he went along, since  a scenario with a spur of the moment solution would have been too unlikely. And the visuals of TRF do give clues hinting at a second sniper: so maybe that's the clue most fans missed. I was glad, that Moriarty's suicide was NOT anticipated or deliberately triggered by Sherlock, because that scenario seemed always ludicrous to me. I also like the idea with the 'good' sniper taking out the bad. Since Moriarty had used snipers before, it was logical to anticipate one. My hunch is now, that Mofftiss kept the solution close to what they had to film anyway: Evacuate the street and place an airbag on the ground, into which the actor or stuntman can jump. Throw some kind of dummy (the corpse is basically a dummy) on the ground in order to film the crash. That's exactly, how you would film a suicidal jump from a roof! Sherlock basically staged a Making Of. A film insider's solution. Since this couldn't possibly live up to the scrutinization of the long time expert fans, they invented Anderson and his fan club, and played the cheeky card. I didn't get the feeling, that Sherlock was a hallucination of Anderson. Anderson's disappointment, doubts and subsequent breakdown was mirroring our reactions: We lived so long with our elaborate theories, and had seen so many clues, real or imagined in TRF, that we don't want to believe in Moftiss' solution. The Anderson Fanclub device is rather clever and leaves the door open for all, who don't like that solution. Personally, I'm with Anderson whom I really started to like in that episode. I still hope, we will learn more. TRF was sooo el

Theory No 3 is a perfectly workable solution... but, besides having many holes, it's also the most boring one, at least IMO. Also Mofftiss kept saying, when we all speculated, that we were missing something, and no one had hit at the right solution. But the one, we were presented with yesterday was out there (with technical variations) right from the start. Has anyone noticed btw, that No 3 is simply the way, it was filmed? Keep the street clear with set people, let Sherlock jump on a huge pillow, throw a corpse or dummy down, so you can film the crash. Substitute the set workers with the homeless network and explain the missing pulse with the squash ball, and you have Theory No 3. Which could perfectly be, what Mofftis had in mind, when they conceived this, and when the avalange of theories flooded the net, they had to add a few ironical twists in order to keep everybody happy and guessing on forever. But, frankly, I expected, and still expect more from those brilliant writers. And, somehow I cannot believe, that they gave everything away in the first episode of the third season. At the moment I think, that ALL theories, which were presented so far, contain a kernel of the right solution, since each theory seem to explain something, but not everything. But then again, it's only evolving fiction. Maybe, they choose to cop out, because it just became to big to handle. In which case, we simply have to enjoy season 3 on it's own merit and forget the promises 'Reichenbach Fall' seemed to make. But I'm still hoping for a more satisfying explanation.

I belong to the fraction, who thinks, theres more to the roof top conversation than just psychological wrestling. Even, if Sherlock implies, that he might be as ruthless as Moriarty - so what? Moriarty tells him, that nothing, not even torture, will force the code out of him. Moriarty doesnt care for his own life and well being. He wants to win the game by absolutely forcing Sherlock to jump. His first mistake was to let Sherlock know, there IS a recall code. Firstly, this is of no great concern to him ('You talk big...'), but then he sees something or Sherlock conveys to him, that he understood the nature of the recall code. Jim says 'as long as you've got me, you don't have to die..., Well good luck with that!', before he kills himself. If the recall code really consists of biometrical data, which only a living body can give, Moriarty has, by killing himself, destroyed this code once and for all. Sherlock has to go through with the jump, and that was all that ever mattered to Jim. By killing himself he has won at least part of the game.
Biometrical data as code isnt really that far fetched. Its used in many areas nowadays; they even can be transmitted by smart phones. Whatever the details, the thought that Jim kills himself in order to destroy that code is a very elegant theory.
As to clues, which must possibly exist: MoGiss said ages ago, that everybody missed a vital clue, as to how Sherlock faked his death. But, what we are discussing here, has nothing to do with the fake. And the dialog on the roof gives hints , IMO. I'm not quite sold on shenanigan's theory, how Sherlock got Moriarty's identity by scanning his iris with the hidden camera. This seems too inaccurate, but to think of biometrics in connection with Moriarty's suicide has a lot of merits.

P.S: Iris encryption can be faked (spoofed, as the technical term is) with contact lenses, but there are more sophisticated programs, which can detect the spoof. So, if there is a possibility of biometrics being

I also favour the net at the moment. After all, it's a well proven method to get people off quickly from high buildings, it' not bulky, it can be set up quickly and then put away easily.

Irene, Sherlock jumps indeed like a parachutist, but I really cannot imagine, he planned to hit the ground. Yes, you can survive that, if you are VERY lucky and skilled, which Sherlock probably isn't. And count on his luck? This is Sherlock! He certainly has a better and safer plan into place! (That's one reason, by the way, why I don't believe into the trolley theory of the 'final problem ' tumblr. Too risky as well). Also the body, which hits the ground, does so in the wrong angle. If this is Sherlock, and I think, it must be him, something must have broken his fall. It can be something, which causes him to roll onto the ground immediately and which can be removed very quickly, maybe by throwing it onto the truck.It could be even a net, which was attached with two point at the truck's reilling. Then only two people were needed to hold it up.But that's very speculative, of course. Sherlock probably jumps like a parachuter to controll his fall better. Also, moving his limbs shows the observers, that this is not a dead body or a dummy. That should be good enough for the sniper.
As to what Sherlock planned for Moriarty, that's another can of worms, but Moriarty certainly would not have peered over the edge of the roof, since he could not have afforded to be spotted by someone. He probably would have been contend to see Sherlock jump as well.
I also do not believe into the body switch outside of the hospital. That really seems too risky to me. Which means of course, that the different body on the stretcher, which can be seen just before it goes into the hospital entrance, must be a continuity error, but we have found quite a few by now, lol! Unless they aren't...
I also discover new points of brilliance, every time I watch. That's, why I don't get tired of analyzing the damn thing, lol!

Well, Moriary said 'unless they see you jump'; that's, why Sherlock HAD to jump, and jump he did. Moriarty did not say 'unless they see you hit the ground', probably because he did not figure, Sherlock could save himself, once he was 'airborn', so to speak.
Also the idea crossed my mind, that Sherlock wanted John to stay at a certain place and distance, not only because he was not supposed to see Sherlock hit the ground, but because that made sure, the sniper, who was responsible for John, could not see it either. Though this thought is only relevant, if Moriarty had John's sniper as the lone observer of Sherlock and not someone else as well.

But seriously, the concept of love without sexuality necessarily being involved works for me.

Sherlock, agreed, we will never see Sherlock and John as a gay couple in the show - and, if the makers went down one road instead of another, it would be a take away instead of a plus; the openness would get lost.
I guess, when Martin said 'the gayest show ever', he meant the flavour of the show; it wasn't meant  to be a definite answer to the question, if Sherlock or/and John are gay. Personally I don't care one way or another... it's all fine with me...and in my opinion, that's what the makers of the show intended.

tobeornot221b, Martin Freeman agrees with your thoughts about the show. I saw an interview, where he expressed many of the same thoughts and said sommething like , 'the beauty is, that people are drawn in and don't even notice, because the show is not about political correctness'. If I find the link again, I will post it.