BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » The bomb off-switch

Sherlock Holmes · January 1, 2014 10:31 pm

Did Sherlock ALWAYS know there was an off-switch, right from the beginning, or did he just spot it halfway through when he was inspecting the bomb? (Then choose to keep it from John).

FluteLocked · January 1, 2014 10:52 pm

I think he just noticed it when he was inspecting the bomb.
At the end of the bomb scene when Sherlock started laughing I first thought he would be crying
Was a bit confusing to see him like that...

Molly Hooper · January 1, 2014 10:56 pm

Well, you see him inspecting the bomb and then he runs his hand around the edge of the box. That's when the clock is at 1:29 just before he looks up. I thought maybe that's when he realised...

kittykat · January 1, 2014 11:01 pm

Even though Sherlock trolled John a bit about the off-switch, I think he was genuine when he apologised about everything beforehand.

FluteLocked · January 1, 2014 11:04 pm

kittykat wrote:
Even though Sherlock trolled John a bit about the off-switch, I think he was genuine when he apologised about everything beforehand.

Yeah I think that too. Maybe it's his way of showing him he's serious about it.

bohemian_rhapsody · January 1, 2014 11:11 pm

The off-switch was a bit .. lame. Sry.

stoertebeker · January 1, 2014 11:18 pm

bohemian_rhapsody wrote:
The off-switch was a bit .. lame. Sry.

Yeah, not really credible.

Mrs. Watson · January 2, 2014 12:33 am

Swanpride wrote:
Nope, totally credible. Everone who walks around with a bomb he himself can't disarm easily is an idiot.

Absolutely. Maybe not such an obvious off switch but a bomb that huge must need one, especially if the bomber it's not suicide.

Jacco111 · January 2, 2014 8:22 am

Ah, Sherlock really was a dick there

Ivy · January 2, 2014 10:59 am

I think when he open that thing he saw the switch-off imediatelly. He is such an a**!

Schmiezi · January 2, 2014 11:07 am

Swanpride wrote:
In any case, I loved the thing with the switch off. Because I usually roll my eyes about the usual "blue or red" nonsense.

My thoughts exactly. I was already expecting the usual melodramatic defusion scene, where there's a countdown but the dialogue is a lot longer than the countdown but the bomb obediently waits until the talking's over, and peple staring at the wires dramatically while nothingh really happens...

I hate those scenes and loved the switch.

Jacco111 · January 2, 2014 1:17 pm

Ha, me too. And it never does.

shylock · January 2, 2014 7:59 pm

Swanpride wrote:
Nope, totally credible. Everone who walks around with a bomb he himself can't disarm easily is an idiot.

Absolutely! But there was not going to be anybody round that bomb!!!!

It was started remotely; and one would assume, could be stopped remotely if necessary. (Though quite how the radio signal got to it so deep underground is still a mystery).

Also, why would the bomber bother with a 2+ minute countdown? If your miles away in a hotel room just press the button marked 'Go Bang'!

shylock · January 2, 2014 8:16 pm

How long, prior to Nov 5th, did the carridge go 'missing' from between the train stations?

Long enough for it to sit in the siding whilst the bomb was assembled in it, or, did it have the bomb already in it whilst 'in service'?

Sherlock Holmes · January 2, 2014 8:22 pm

I think it's credible enough. However, if bombs had off-switches why do we need bomb disposal units? Couldn't anyone just go up and switch the damn thing off?

shylock · January 2, 2014 8:28 pm

Forget 'How did Sherlock survive the fall'?

I'd love to hear the explantion as to how an 'in service' underground carridge could be completely installed with explosives and complex underfloor detonation systems.

Might just start a 'suggestions' thread. You never know; Moffat might just be reading this!!!!

shylock · January 2, 2014 8:32 pm

Too right but in this instance every seat had a massive amount of plastic explosive under it and the huge underfloor detonator looked like Moffat had borrowed it from the engine room of the TARDIS.

Last edited by shylock (January 2, 2014 8:33 pm)

stoertebeker · January 2, 2014 8:33 pm

shylock wrote:
Swanpride wrote:
Nope, totally credible. Everone who walks around with a bomb he himself can't disarm easily is an idiot.

Absolutely! But there was not going to be anybody round that bomb!!!!

It was started remotely; and one would assume, could be stopped remotely if necessary. (Though quite how the radio signal got to it so deep underground is still a mystery).

Also, why would the bomber bother with a 2+ minute countdown? If your miles away in a hotel room just press the button marked 'Go Bang'!

Haha, my thoughts exactly when I rewatched the episode today. Why implementing a timer when the bomb is started remotlely? And then the signal thing but maybe they used an amplifier for transmitting the bomb-start-signal.

Last edited by stoertebeker (January 2, 2014 8:34 pm)

Regina Alexandra · January 3, 2014 3:04 am

I think bomb disposal squads around the world would be thrilled if bombs came with an easily accessible on/off switch. Gatiss went for a quick and easy solution.

besleybean · January 3, 2014 9:07 am

I am trying to be charitable here:
In this internet age of being able to buy pre-made bombs on line...
Maybe Moran just used a pre-packed bomb set up and the switch was just there!