BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » All the "gay" references to John

saturnR · September 9, 2012 4:04 am

Just rewatching the first episode & laughing my head off at the number of "gay" references to John.

The first time he meets Mrs Hudson:

Mrs Hudson: There's another room upstairs if you'll be needing two rooms.
John: Of course we'll be needing two.
Mrs Hudson: Oh, don't worry. Mrs Turner next door has got married ones.

In the cafeteria where they are waiting for the taxi (they don't know he's the killer yet).

Vendor: Anything you want on the house for you & your date.
John: I'm not his date.
Vendor: I'll get a candle for this table, it's more romantic.
John: I'm not his date.

later in the same scene:

John: You're unattached just like me.
Sherlock: John, I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work & while I'm flattered by your interest, I'm really not looking for anything.
John: No (big wide eyes) no.

It's just really funny because in that episode, no one questions Sherlock's sexuality but almost everyone, when they meet John for the first time in the company of Sherlock, always assumes that he's gay It's like being with Sherlock feminises John or something because when they see him minus Sherlock, they don't think he's gay quite so quickly.

Last edited by saturnR (September 9, 2012 4:06 am)

SusiGo · September 9, 2012 8:42 am

That's an interesting observation. He has no problem in finding girl friends as long as he's not in Sherlock's company. The moment they meet them together - or go to a Chinese circus - the relationships end quite abruptly. And the people who question John's sexuality - e.g. Mrs Hudson and Angelo - have known Sherlock for quite some time and must have some idea about his sexuality.

Mattlocked · September 9, 2012 9:22 am

Hm... in SiB Mrs. Hudson admits to know absolutely nothing about that.
Maybe no one's questioning Sherlock's sexuality because nobody gets the idea that he has any. "Married to his work".

I still think all this gay references are quite a funny joke going through all episodes. People need an explanation why two men in their 30s live together in a flat - and homosexuallity is the nearest one.
Maybe to compare when e.g. a young woman loves an "old" guy - "must be about the money". Easiest explanation.
Not always true, though.

SusiGo · September 9, 2012 9:38 am

Yes, you're right, forgot about that scene in SiB. We won't learn anything definite from the six episodes. And even his own brother assumes that he knows nothing about sex. On the other hand Sherlock - other than John - never denies being gay but then if course it is possible that he just doesn't care what people think about his sexual orientation. I recently read a quote by Mark Gatiss who said that until the end of series 1 they themselves weren't sure about this point.

Last edited by SusiGo (September 9, 2012 9:47 am)

NW16XE · September 9, 2012 12:30 pm

Also, it is a way to modernise the characters. As kazza pointed out on another thread, no one comments on their relationships in the stories because it wasn't the done thing then. These days, the rude thing would be to not acknowledge their (presumed) relationship.

Smoggy_London_Air · September 11, 2012 3:04 am

I keep thinking about how it would happen in America, particularly in somewhere more conservative (so I guess that means somewhere more conservative in England too, but they skirted around that in Hounds). I feel like where I live people would nudge each other but not say anything to the couple unless someone was feeling very daring.

Did you see those two...?
Yeah, yeah, do you think...?
Definitely.
Should we ask them...?
No.

saturnR · September 11, 2012 3:47 am

Smoggy_London_Air wrote:
Did you see those two...?
Yeah, yeah, do you think...?
Definitely.
Should we ask them...?
No.

So that's where Don't Ask Don't Tell comes from

kazza474 · September 11, 2012 3:50 am

NW16XE wrote:
....These days, the rude thing would be to not acknowledge their (presumed) relationship.

Really?
I don't acknowledge ANYONE'S relationship unless we are close friends. Certainly not work related people. And nor do I really care who is doing what to who.

Ivy · September 11, 2012 8:08 am

SusiGo wrote:
That's an interesting observation. He has no problem in finding girl friends as long as he's not in Sherlock's company. The moment they meet them together - or go to a Chinese circus - the relationships end quite abruptly. And the people who question John's sexuality - e.g. Mrs Hudson and Angelo - have known Sherlock for quite some time and must have some idea about his sexuality.

Oh yes! Angelo immediately thinks Sherlock and John belong together. And he didn't let himself dissuade from that. I think he and Mrs Hudson never saw Sherlock with a woman, so when John appears they think "Ohhh, of course!"

But I love these references, they're part of the charm of the show.

NW16XE · September 11, 2012 9:53 am

kazza474 wrote:
NW16XE wrote:
....These days, the rude thing would be to not acknowledge their (presumed) relationship.
Really?
I don't acknowledge ANYONE'S relationship unless we are close friends. Certainly not work related people. And nor do I really care who is doing what to who.

Here, even in the Midwest which is largely conservative, some people will feel obliged to let people they perceive as 'different' in whatever way know they are okay with it. (Tiresome. ). Just assumed from the show ther is a bit of that sort of PCness in The UK too. But not Australia, interesting.

saturnR · September 11, 2012 11:11 am

Best take on the Sherlock-John relationship I ever read about:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7188989/1/Re-Inter-Office-Gossip

summary: Lestrade and Donovan make a bet regarding Sherlock and John. It doesn't take long for the majority of the Yard to get involved.

Smoggy_London_Air · September 11, 2012 1:11 pm

saturnR wrote:
Smoggy_London_Air wrote:
Did you see those two...?
Yeah, yeah, do you think...?
Definitely.
Should we ask them...?
No.
So that's where Don't Ask Don't Tell comes from

Precisely!

Sherlock Holmes · September 11, 2012 7:06 pm

saturnR wrote:
Best take on the Sherlock-John relationship I ever read about:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7188989/1/Re-Inter-Office-Gossip

summary: Lestrade and Donovan make a bet regarding Sherlock and John. It doesn't take long for the majority of the Yard to get involved.

OHMYGOD...I enjoyed that SOOO much...thank you.

Arya · September 12, 2012 12:07 am

saturnR wrote:
Best take on the Sherlock-John relationship I ever read about:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7188989/1/Re-Inter-Office-Gossip

summary: Lestrade and Donovan make a bet regarding Sherlock and John. It doesn't take long for the majority of the Yard to get involved.

Haha loved it. Still smiling

sherlockedkt · September 12, 2012 1:56 am

Haha! That was too funny!

I love all the gay references to John. The writers are definitely playing with all the shippers out there. It's funny cause it irritates him. :D

besleybean · October 5, 2012 7:00 pm

Yet we know from Anthea, that he is not gay and he makes this clear at Angelo's.
When I 1st saw PINK, I really thought things were quite ambiguous.
But I must admit now, I realise both our boys make their positions clear at Angelo's.

tobeornot221b · October 5, 2012 7:07 pm

besleybean wrote:
But I must admit now, I realise both our boys make their positions clear at Angelo's.

Positions are not cast in stone and could be changed if necessary.

Harriet · October 5, 2012 7:56 pm

Isn't it more like that?

Sam · October 5, 2012 8:56 pm

^ Haha, good point with that picture

I really don't think he's gay though. "It's all fine" but I don't think he is. Nor Sherlock. It's just funny to keep questioning their relationship in the show because that's what everyone does if two guys are living together (I think). I think it's funny myself and love when this happens. But still, they are just really good friends and always will be in my eyes. No hate for Johnlocks though It's all good and I see why the romantic relationship is attractive to people.

Harriet · October 5, 2012 9:06 pm

Yeah, actually it is rather like that

*not taking things too seriously tonight, sigh*

Last edited by Harriet (October 5, 2012 9:07 pm)