Yes, I forgot Mycroft's little show. You are right although on the whole I still find Magnussen worse. But the thing about calling the flat a "dump" which is repeated by Janine and alluded to by Magnussen is terrible because we never had this before. Of course there were jokes about the body parts to be found in the fridge and the microwave but only in HLV the flat as such is belittled and turned into a dark, disgusting place. And this is sad. 

Yes, Solar, apart from the contemptuous words about the flat and the way it is repeatedly defiled there is of course the chair metaphor which is very strong and a direct continuation from the scene in TSoT where Sherlock looks at the empty chair.
And it really depresses me that in series 3 our last impression of the flat is the scene with Sherlock, John, and Mary in which they are sitting in their respective chairs again but nothing is like it was before. 
 

SusiGo wrote:

In this regard HLV for is the saddest episode because there is nothing to counterbalance the intrusion. 

I agree. There is none of the former cosiness left. Or just ghosts of it.
 

nakahara wrote:

Actually, who really desecrated 221B in HLV for me was not Magnussen nor Anderson, but Mycroft.

Well, he was terribly angry at and worried about Sherlock at this point. I think the extent of his obnoxiousness is (as usual with the Holmes boys) just the indicator of how much he cares and worries.

John called him to say he'd found Sherlock in a drug den and Mycroft drops everything, goes to meet them at 221b (so quickly he's actually there before them), doesn't even mind sitting on the stairs (which is something really far below the usual Mycroft's dignity), makes his usual mistake of looking after Sherlock in a very patronising, smothering sort of way (having flat searched by Anderson & Co.), doesn't want to listen to Sherlock's explanation (what case could justify this?), and when he does, dismisses the explanation as invalid (you can't go against Magnussen, he's too big for you). He didn't handle it well, of course he didn't, but I find nothing shocking about it. It's classic Sherlock/Mycroft dynamics, just taken to extremes (like everything in HLV is taken to extremes).


Another thing that I realised on rewatching HLV is that Sherlock must have put the chair back in the very short time between his "escape" from hospital and his and John's confrontation with Mary in Leinster Gardens. That means he's been to 221b and handled that chair with a fresh bullet hole in his chest? It was a nice and very poignant gesture but it wouldn't have taken Molly or Anderson to tell him that violent physical exertion (and any handling of that chair requires violent physical exertion, just look at the size of i!) would be suicidal in the state he was in.

I mean, he is being wonderfully bravely and nobly suicidal in the confrontation with Mary scene, too, but that was necessary. The chair wasn't necessary, was it?

Ah, the lengths he goes to to tell John that he loves him...
 

Last edited by La Jolie (August 28, 2014 9:39 am)

Great thoughts, everyone! I have not much to add, just that I felt almost personally offended by the way 221b was treated in S3. Such a beautiful place, and everyone demeaning it.. for me the worst was definitely Magnusson. To see him treat the flat like that - and what was worse, watching Sherlock´s face while he treated the flat like that.. it almost physically hurts.
I wasn´t bothered about Mycroft´s behaviour too much, as he was obviously just overreacting and falling back into old patterns out of worry for Sherlock. I actually found it a tiny bit cute.. but still satisfying when Sherlock kicked him out. ^^
​
I wholeheartedly second the wish to restore the old magic of 221b in the next series!!

Agreed, Zatoichi.

And another thing about Mycroft - we do not know what he exactly experienced with Sherlock in the past but it was probably quite stressful. It must have hurt him to see his brother getting addicted. So we can safely assume that Mycroft was shocked to hear the news from John. And I think he knew that something was off with Sherlock when he called him from the wedding nearly begging him to come over.

Wel said, Solar. The show will only be in balance when the both of them are restored to the flat. 

Last edited by SusiGo (August 28, 2014 11:06 am)

Yeah I like Mary and I like seeing their dynamics changed. Real friendships also don't remain constant, people's lives change all the time. We know she won't be around forever so it's nice to have that character bring some variety in the relationship. About 221B as metaphor I basically agree. I think it's cool that they did that, it makes you experience the changes in their relationship at an almost subconscious level. Loved the thing with the chair. I wouldn't use the word desacration though, for it was never sacred anyway. 

I agree that Mycroft doesn't really fall in the same category, it's just the way they interact. In the drugs scene it just struck me how insecure and helpless he seemed, did anyone else notice that too? 

mrshouse wrote:

I see that it's mainly the fans posting here who would prefer some of the former friendship and commitment between Sherlock and John back posting here.
I would be really curious to know how the fans who feel like the new threesome is more interesting and exciting at present and can picture Mary as BAMF sticking around feel about 221b as a metaphor? Do you feel it has any importance at all? Do you picture it rebuilt in a nursery and agency rooms for " Watson, Holmes and Watson"? Really interested in opinions.

No, I can't see it and don't think I want to see it.

For one thing, I don't think it works for me as a threesome.  I could possibly see it working if they split up a bit at times, and maybe Sherlock and Mary worked together on something.  Mary isn't a replacement John, but it might be interesting to see someone more knowing in that role, maybe for an episode. 

I can't really see them all moving into 221b with a baby.  I don't think I want a baby around, for various reasons (I don't want it all to go cosy and domestic, and alternatively I don't want the baby to be an easy way to play with our emotions, or to create peril).