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Well, I must say this is quite a moving account of how Steven Moffat conceived and wrote Sherlock's best man speech. Imagine him crying over his keyboard while doing this.
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*sniffle*
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tonnaree wrote:
*sniffle*
*also sniffles*
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There are two canon stories which Holmes (supposedly) wrote himself.
From the first of these, The Blanched Solider, written when "the good Watson had deserted [Holmes] for a wife":
"Speaking of my old friend and biographer, I would take this opportunity to remark that if I burden myself with a companion in my various little inquiries it is not done out of sentiment or caprice, but it is that Watson has some remarkable characteristics of his own to which in his modesty he has given small attention amid his exaggerated estimates of my own performances."
That line was used in the speech, the ending part updated to, "...because of his obsession with me."
But in canon, Holmes actually goes on to say that Watson is useful because he can't predict anything Holmes figures out or does. The speech is considerably more sincerely complimentary of John.
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*hands out tissues…. uses one herself*
Mixed in with all of the more ridiculous yet amusing stuff he says, that wonderful part hit the most. Awesome article, and that it directly tied in (of course) to the similar canon speech, as quoted above.
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And also very interesting what Moffat says about Sherlock and emotions and that he's not a high-functioning sociopath at all...
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Yes, my thoughts exactly.
Last edited by SusiGo (January 28, 2014 8:05 am)
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That... is heart-warming. Difficult to imagine Moffat sitting there... crying... This lad seems sooo insensitive in most interviews. But if someone is able to write this speech...
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Well, he seems to have no qualms about killing characters off but having them show genuine deep friendship seems to be another matter.
Interesting to get a bit of an insight into the mind of a writer who tries to think like Sherlock.
I wonder whether the writers talked to a psychologist or read something about the mindset of people who are different.
His conception concerning Sherlock's emotions sounds correct to me. Just look at his reaction when John tells him that he is his best man/friend. There is something like a electrical short-circuit. It's not that Sherlock doesn't understand what he heard but he might be a bit overwhelmed in the face of his own reaction and emotions. That's why he can't talk and react at once.
A common thing in autism btw. To avoid an emotional overflow there has to be a kind of protecting mechanism to control the feelings.
He can't stand seeing John's chair after John left. Imagine a physical emotional reaction towards certain things in your flat. That's why the chair had to go.
Sadly John has no idea. He was quite sarcastic about the chair and said something like "Nice, being missed."
I don't get the concept of a best man and his speech. Is that a British tradition? John obviously thinks that it is important, the most important day of his life even. Sherlock certainly wouldn't ruin it but would play along.
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I think Moffat comes across a bit aloof and arrogant sometimes and people are by some things he said (includig me), but I'm sure deep down he is a great guy. I don't think Sue would marry an arsehole
Nevertheless Mark is my favourite co-creator!
btw. I read that two weeks ago on twitter Mark wrote the cases and Steve the stag night, that must have been fun. My favourite case is definitely the elephant in the room
Last edited by Ivy (January 28, 2014 9:20 am)
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Best man speech is a British tradition.
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Yep, a British tradition. (is it that rare elsewhere, for anyone else in the party to make one?) Maybe I'm mistaken in thinking it's a 'tradition' on this side of the pond too… perhaps just a favorite practice depending on preference, having heard various stories. But most weddings I've been to had the best man speech, sometimes even the Maid of Honor and a parent or two.
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Beautiful article, thanks for posting!
It also confirms my impression of Sherlock concerning his emotions. If he goes to such lengths to suppress them, it's because they are quite strong and possibly very hard for him to handle when they surface and we got quite a few glimpses of that throughout series 3.
Last edited by the_dancing_woman (January 30, 2014 7:10 am)
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It doesn't surprise me at all that Moffat wrote this piece. Of the three, he's the best at characters, IMHO.
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the_dancing_woman wrote:
It also confirms my impression of Sherlock concerning his emotions. If he goes to such lengths to suppress them, it's because they are quite strong and possibly very hard for him to handle when they surface and we got quite a few glimpses of that throughout series 3.
Exactly. I mean, we've been over this in some other threads already, Sherlock and his emotions, but the way in which Moffat expressed it in this article made everything absolutely crystal clear to me. Yes, deep down emotions are brewing... but Sherlock has to suppress this in order to be high-functioning.
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SolarSystem wrote:
the_dancing_woman wrote:
It also confirms my impression of Sherlock concerning his emotions. If he goes to such lengths to suppress them, it's because they are quite strong and possibly very hard for him to handle when they surface and we got quite a few glimpses of that throughout series 3.
Exactly. I mean, we've been over this in some other threads already, Sherlock and his emotions, but the way in which Moffat expressed it in this article made everything absolutely crystal clear to me. Yes, deep down emotions are brewing... but Sherlock has to suppress this in order to be high-functioning.
Wow, that really strikes a chord..
The article is lovely, it made me appreciate the wedding speech a lot more. I kept thinking "why does he say those horrible things, they sure were not in his 'how to write a best man´s speech'-book".. and "this is about Mary and John and not your views on everything, stop it!". But I guess it makes sense he enjoys putting people off first..
Last edited by Zatoichi (February 10, 2014 7:50 am)
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SolarSystem wrote:
the_dancing_woman wrote:
It also confirms my impression of Sherlock concerning his emotions. If he goes to such lengths to suppress them, it's because they are quite strong and possibly very hard for him to handle when they surface and we got quite a few glimpses of that throughout series 3.
Exactly. I mean, we've been over this in some other threads already, Sherlock and his emotions, but the way in which Moffat expressed it in this article made everything absolutely crystal clear to me. Yes, deep down emotions are brewing... but Sherlock has to suppress this in order to be high-functioning.
Exactly how I see Sherlock; he has worked so hard to remove himself from emotions...
I think the speech was beautiful and perfect; how Sherlock tried to distance himself but in the end he showed just how much Watson actually meant to him! Beautiful writing from Moffat's side! I think it was a last attempt of a sort of shield when Sherlock started out offending everone but it just cracked...
I don't know all that much about weddings but I suppose the best-man tradition is British yes. In Denmark I think it's the father of the bride instead...
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I believe over here there are a whole seres of speehes at these interminable events.
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So if I didn’t understand I was being asked to be the best man, it is because I never expected to be anybody’s best friend, and certainly not the best friend of the bravest and kindest and wisest human being I have ever had the good fortune of knowing.
That is one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking lines I have ever heard. Perfectly written by Moffat and perfectly delivered by Ben.