BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » So what do you think about our Consulting Detective?

Titania · January 4, 2014 6:13 pm

SusiGo wrote:
And there is a difference between deducing people during a case or for fun or showing off or evaluating emotion when he himself is concerned. He knows that he hurt John more than anyone else and therefore it is more difficult for him to confront him than Lestrade or Mrs Hudson. I think we all know that he does indeed have feelings which becomes quite clear in his conversation with Mycroft.

As I wrote somewhere else Sherlock uses trial and error to get through to John. First he tries comedy which does not work at all. Then there is his heartfelt "sorry" after his parents have left. But he still needs to hear John say he forgives him and so he comes up with the "We are going to die soon so let's tell each other the truth" in the train. It is completely weird but this is Sherlock after all. And his laughter at the end also has something slightly hysterical, tinged with relief after enormous tension.

For me the scene on the stairs in 221B is the true reunion. His "I heard you" and the fleeting moment searching for words is what I waited for. And then they are ready to face the world outside.

Thank you Susi for putting into words what I feel about Sherlock....you're a genius

QuiteExtraordinary · January 4, 2014 8:05 pm

SusiGo wrote:
And there is a difference between deducing people during a case or for fun or showing off or evaluating emotion when he himself is concerned. He knows that he hurt John more than anyone else and therefore it is more difficult for him to confront him than Lestrade or Mrs Hudson. I think we all know that he does indeed have feelings which becomes quite clear in his conversation with Mycroft.

As I wrote somewhere else Sherlock uses trial and error to get through to John. First he tries comedy which does not work at all. Then there is his heartfelt "sorry" after his parents have left. But he still needs to hear John say he forgives him and so he comes up with the "We are going to die soon so let's tell each other the truth" in the train. It is completely weird but this is Sherlock after all. And his laughter at the end also has something slightly hysterical, tinged with relief after enormous tension.

For me the scene on the stairs in 221B is the true reunion. His "I heard you" and the fleeting moment searching for words is what I waited for. And then they are ready to face the world outside.

Yes. And I think that his/their laughter in the train breaks the ice somehow, even more than the "I forgive you".
And as we know, John loves a bit of danger. I think after Sherlock has found the off-switch, he calculates that this wouldn't be a very impressive ending to the scene. John would go home a bit disappointed - oh, well, we were confronted with a bomb, but it had an off-switch, nothing really exciting happened and I'm still mad at Sherlock, perhaps I'll better stay at home next time ... So Sherlock puts up a little show. And it works. As Susi said, completely weird, but that's Sherlock.

SusiGo · January 4, 2014 8:13 pm

Thank you all. I was quite rattled after watching it for the first time but now I am at peace with all that.

besleybean · January 4, 2014 8:14 pm

I feel exactly the same...speaking to others about it has helped: as well as watching it 3 times!

kittykat · January 4, 2014 8:18 pm

And let's face it...we love Sherlock the way he is and wouldn't have him any other way

Mattlocked · January 4, 2014 8:21 pm

I wonder why so many people say that "this is so NOT Sherlock".

QuiteExtraordinary · January 4, 2014 8:23 pm

kittykat wrote:
And let's face it...we love Sherlock the way he is and wouldn't have him any other way

His odd behaviour is what makes the show so special after all.

tobeornot221b · January 4, 2014 8:24 pm

The only thing in the episode that is so NOT Sherlock is that he doesn't go once by taxi.

SusiGo · January 4, 2014 8:25 pm

Indeed. I would not want him to return as a perfectly normal, well-balanced guy. This would have been the death of the series. It is this constant change between "normal" human behaviour and weird moments that makes him what he is. The only one in the world.

QuiteExtraordinary · January 4, 2014 8:26 pm

tobeornot221b wrote:
The only thing in the episode that is so NOT Sherlock is that he doesn't go once by taxi.

True. He'll have to do an extra taxi ride in the next episode to make up for it.

besleybean · January 4, 2014 8:26 pm

Well I suppose they took the tube, to get to the tube...
He's taken by car to Mycroft...
We don't know how he gets to the restaurant.
Then he does his hells angels bit!

kittykat · January 4, 2014 8:27 pm

If he is a sociopath...he's OUR sociopath

RavenMorganLeigh · January 4, 2014 8:53 pm

SusiGo wrote:
Indeed. I would not want him to return as a perfectly normal, well-balanced guy. This would have been the death of the series. It is this constant change between "normal" human behaviour and weird moments that makes him what he is. The only one in the world.

Actually, I don't think there actually *is* such a thing as a perfectly normal, balanced guy. And, John certainly isn't, either.

RavenMorganLeigh · January 4, 2014 8:54 pm

SusiGo wrote:
And there is a difference between deducing people during a case or for fun or showing off or evaluating emotion when he himself is concerned. He knows that he hurt John more than anyone else and therefore it is more difficult for him to confront him than Lestrade or Mrs Hudson. I think we all know that he does indeed have feelings which becomes quite clear in his conversation with Mycroft.

As I wrote somewhere else Sherlock uses trial and error to get through to John. First he tries comedy which does not work at all. Then there is his heartfelt "sorry" after his parents have left. But he still needs to hear John say he forgives him and so he comes up with the "We are going to die soon so let's tell each other the truth" in the train. It is completely weird but this is Sherlock after all. And his laughter at the end also has something slightly hysterical, tinged with relief after enormous tension.

For me the scene on the stairs in 221B is the true reunion. His "I heard you" and the fleeting moment searching for words is what I waited for. And then they are ready to face the world outside.

THIS.

SolarSystem · January 4, 2014 9:20 pm

Well, I'm one of those people who still have their problems with that scene. Or to be more precise: with the end of the scene and Sherlock laughing at John. And you all are probably right, this is Sherlock and I shouldn't be surprised.
Nevertheless, sociopath or not, totally normal for our beloved Sherlock or not - I don't like it. I just don't. And yeah, that's probably my very own problem and Susi, what you've said about this scene is very well analysed. And I agree with your analysis up to a certain point, I would even kind of agree that his laughter is "tinged with relief after enormous tension".
But the way in which he's making fun of John ("Your face!", "I had you!") is just too much. I can't laugh about this, I just can't. I love Sherlock dearly and can laugh about almost all of his eccentricities and quirks, but it seems this right there is something I don't wanna see, not even from Sherlock.

besleybean · January 4, 2014 9:24 pm

I just think Sherlock is embarrassed and doesn't know how else to deal with the awkwardness except to laugh and ... John DOES laugh with him in the end!
In the final analysis, if John forgives Sherlock- then so should we!

SolarSystem · January 4, 2014 9:27 pm

I'm totally fine with how the episode ends and with their conversation before they go outside to meet the press. But I still don't like how the scene on the train plays out, that's all.

besleybean · January 4, 2014 9:29 pm

I really do think Sherlock is seekig forgiveness and he just does not know how else to do this...

SusiGo · January 4, 2014 10:08 pm

Solar, I think we can only agree to disagree in this matter.

SolarSystem · January 4, 2014 10:13 pm

Susi, yes, and it's all fine.