Schmiezi wrote:

I bet the list will be shorter.

Could be. But if so, I guess that has more to do with the decication of the fan base than anything else. ;)

What I think separates Sherlock from many other tv shows is the closeness of the friendship. It's not a regular friendship. It's not "we share a pint at the pub"-kind of friendship. It's a very close and loving one, And to get that across, they have to show it somehow. And there is a fine line between a very close friendship and a romance, especially when you have such a small window, time-wise, to show it in as this show.

I haven't seen any of those, so can't really comment.

http://wmsscottholmes.tumblr.com/post/149143324929/if-tjlc-isnt-real

First instalment! 

• Why did Sherlock show an obvious disinterest in women during his first minute of screen time
Because he’s not interested in relationships.  He has repressed that side of himself. 

• Why did Sherlock wink at John when he first met him
Because he wanted him to like him (see Many Happy Returns).

• Why did Mrs Hudson assume that John was Sherlock’s new boyfriend
Because he’s a single man with no known history of girlfriends, moving in with another man.   People tend to assume. (This has been talked about in Moftiss interviews, but they seem to be referencing TPLOSH, where there was a fear of people assuming).  

• Why did Sherlock not correct her
Why should he?  I don’t think it matters to him.   

• Why did John say ‘oh god yes’ the way he did
Because he was excited (and flattered, probably) at the thought of going on an adventure with his wonderful and intriguing new companion.

• Why does John call Sherlock brilliant and fantastic all the time
Because he finds him brilliant and fantastic (I’m not sure how to answer this!). 

• Why did Angelo assume John and Sherlock were on a date
Because people assume an attractive couple dining out together at a romantic restaurant are dating.  I know I tend to assume.  I suppose the nice thing about it is that nowadays people assume the same for same sex couples as for opposite sex couples.  And that it’s no longer considered an insulting thing to assume.  

• Why did Sherlock not correct him
Why should he?  Why should it be so important to him to establish his sexual orientation, when he doesn’t do sex or relationships?  He’s not bothered by the assumptions. 

• Why did John ask if Sherlock had a girlfriend
Because that was what they were talking about (relationships that people have) and because he was curious. 

• Why did Sherlock say that girlfriends aren’t his area
Because, as we’re shown, he represses that side of himself.   

• Why did John ask Sherlock if he had a boyfriend
Because the first thing that would spring into his head (and probably most people’s heads) as the reason why somebody doesn’t date women, is that they date men instead.  And also Angelo thought they were dating.  So John just wonders if Sherlock is OK, and asks, while also trying to let him know that he's not homophobic.
 
• Why did John smile and lick his lips when he discovered that Sherlock was single
It’s a slightly awkward conversation, but he’s genuinely intrigued. 

• Why did Sherlock assume that John was asking him out
Because he misinterpreted John’s awkward questions.   It’s a funny and slightly embarrassing scene. 

• Why was the scene where they are laughing in the hallway filmed like a post-sex bed scene
I’m not sure how to answer this - how do you think it should have been filmed?

• Why did Sherlock cure John’s psychosomatic limp
I’m not sure that was his main intention - I think he wanted John to be his friend right from the beginning, but obviously he would want him to get better.   But he also probably deduced something along the lines of what Mycroft deduced.  (I’m not sure I understand this question!). 

• Why did Mycroft say ‘may we expect a happy announcement by the end of the week?’
He was making fun of the bond that Sherlock and John had formed so quickly - this was obviously unique.

• Why did John instantly trust Sherlock and is loyal to him when he has trust issues
That will always be a puzzle (because he trusts him on very little information), but I think it’s just that they’re right for each other, they’re a good fit.  John’s gut instinct is that Sherlock can be trusted.   And of course, John pretty much trusts Mary (up until he finds out her secret), Mrs Hudson, etc. - there aren’t many people around him that he mistrusts.  (Mycroft, I suppose, but he still works with him to protect Sherlock).  I think of it as faith rather than trust - he has faith that Sherlock is basically good, despite appearances.

I don't see any indication form Mycroft on that last point.

We never see him dating in the show itself but that doesn´t mean he never had a life before ASIP. Mrs. Hudson knows him from the US where he probably led a different kind of life than in the UK. She could know details about him he disclosed to her or she could witness him dating men, that´s why she presumes things about him when he appears at Baker Street with John. She certainly wouldn´t speak so boldly about Sherlock´s orientation into his face, if she was not sure about it (she would just gossip behind his back, IMHO).

Angelo too, has no reason to randomly presume that two men appearing in his restaurant together are neccessarily dating - when they could just have a business meeting there or meet as old acquiantances or John could be a "client". I think an actual reason why he presumes Sherlock and John are on a date is that he actually saw him dating other people there in his establishment.

Last edited by nakahara (August 19, 2016 7:26 pm)

I think it was just that the only time Angelo sees Sherlock with another human being, is with a dishy guy.

From Arianne de Vere:

JOHN (quietly): Listen: has he ever had any kind of ... (he sighs) ... girlfriend, boyfriend, a relationship, ever?
MRS HUDSON: I don’t know.
JOHN (sighing in frustration): How can we not know?
MRS HUDSON: He’s Sherlock. How will we ever know what goes on in that funny old head?

Actually, neither of them have a clue about his orientation, despite Mrs Hudson's wishful thinking. Sherlock quite pointedly doesn't tell anyone, doesn't confirm or deny.  I doubt very much that he'd confide in Angelo (who was a client, rather than a close friend).  I agree that the repression makes it hard to tell, Vhanja, for us and for the fictional characters (so they just assume based on circumstances - he's on a date, he's living with somebody, he's on holiday with somebody, etc. - they must be a couple).

Even the attraction to Irene could be a one-off thing for a gay guy ... although I do think the greenhouse conversation makes it less likely that he's gay.   (Being attracted to two women and no men tends to swing it a bit more in one direction). 

Last edited by Liberty (August 20, 2016 7:18 am)

You're going to make me say it, aren't you?
It's the gay jokeI

Yes, those bits were the gay jokes. Mrs Hudson, Angelo, the barkeeper couple in HoB. But as I see it, they are not making fun of gay people or being gay. They are making fun of the assumptions from people around them.

And as far as I've heard, most of the Johnlockers I've read about have stated quite clearly that they do not base their TJLC thinking on the gay jokes, because they take them for what it is - humour. (Whether you actually think it's funny is of course up to personal sense of humour, but that's not really releant for the TJLC discussion).

Last edited by Vhanja (August 19, 2016 8:17 pm)

Liberty wrote:

nakahara wrote:

But in that case I wonder about Angelo.

He at least must know that Sherlock works for many clients. And yet the first thing he assumes when Sherlock enters his restaurant with John is "this must be his date"?

Why date? Why not "a client"? Why not a business partner? Why not one of Sherlock´s homeless network?

But if it was a woman, people would tend to assume it was a date.  Why not assume the same about a man?
 

Do people really assume that a woman and a man appearing together are automatically a pair?