One thing I've learnt these past few days is that for a show on a cold sociopath the online Sherlock community displays a remarkable abundance of sentimentality LOL I mean, they're both complex guys with lots of demons and an uber special bond, but they're not 15 year old angsty lesbian schoolgirls pining for each other. They're a couple of thirty-something grown&hairy men - actually, only one of them is, the other is a somewhat sociopathic man-child who still isn't over the death of his childhood dog - who happen to be the bestest of best friends, bound by the fact that they basically saved each other from themselves. 

But that's only the way I see it 

Just some thoughts:

1. The Friendship/love-thing
I don't see their relationship as in anyway romantic. I think they are friends, very good friends who care about each other as friends should. To me the bond between two friends can be as strong as between two lovers, sometimes even stronger. May be friendship is like love without the butterflies. Someone said earlier that there isn't such a fine line between love and friendship. I agree wholeheartedly. Someone else (or perhaps the same person) said that there aren't enough words to define all possible kinds of human relationships. I also agree. It depends on so many factors how you see things, for instance your experience and your cultural (not quite sure if that is the right word for that) background. To my experience englisch native speakers tend to use the word "love" much more quickly than german people use the equivalent in the german language.

I think we are all agreed that there is something very special between these two men. How you name this is up to every single one of us, if you have to name it at all.

2. The tarmac scene
At first I also thought that John's behaviour was a bit odd. But after watching the episode three times I now think that the scene was perfectly written and perfectly played by both Martin and Benedict.

John can barely look at Sherlock. Why? Because he doesn't completely approve of what Sherlock has done? Because he is confused? Because of the pain of losing him again? Because he can't handle all the emotions, all that had recently happened? Who knows...?

John had a bit of a rough patch lately. He had to discover that his wife is an assassin and that she nearly killed his best friend. He had to process this information. He came to the conclusion that he loves her nonetheless. Then he sees the man whom he admires for his wits and cleverness being outwitted and humiliated by a super repulsive villain. And to top that all, his best friend executes that man. This is all hard to swallow, so I think John is allowed to be a little confused.

Also, I think John is not really aware that the Farewell will be forever. Or actually, I think he is in denial. He knows it's serious but he doesn't know how serious. He doesn't know that Sherlock is very likely to die on his mission in Eastern Europe. I think that there is a moment when Sherlock is very close to telling him, right after he says "Who knows". But then he decides against it in order to prevent John from pain. It is a bit like in SiB when John decides against telling Sherlock that Irene Adler is dead in order to prevent Sherlock from pain. Just the other way around. The moment John understands that it is all over is when Sherlock  puts forth his hand and says "To the very best of times", meaning imo that it was the best of times because he had spend that time with John but also that this time is definitely over. After the hand shake John looks very sad and hurt.

The interesting thing is that we now all wonder about John's emotions and not (only) Sherlock's. We are used to looking for little signs of emotions from Sherlock and we read volumes into his looks etc whereas we know John as a pretty straightforward man regarding the display of emotions.

I could go on and on about that but the post is already rather lengthy, so for the moment I will leave it at that.

Cleanshaven Doctor wrote:

John can barely look at Sherlock. Why? Because he doesn't completely approve of what Sherlock has done? Because he is confused? Because of the pain of losing him again? Because he can't handle all the emotions, all that had recently happened? Who knows...?

John had a bit of a rough patch lately. He had to discover that his wife is an assassin and that she nearly killed his best friend. He had to process this information. He came to the conclusion that he loves her nonetheless. Then he sees the man whom he admires for his wits and cleverness being outwitted and humiliated by a super repulsive villain. And to top that all, his best friend executes that man. This is all hard to swallow, so I think John is allowed to be a little confused.

 Somehow, while I began watching the season thinking "poor John" I ended it thinking "poor Sherlock"  John had a bit of a rough patch lately, sure. But still, being a bloody doctor, he was so wrapped in his anger that his wife is not who she seems that he failed to notice that his nearly fatally wounded friend needs and urgent medical attention (including the need of restarting his heart) so his friend needed to call ambulance by himself.Also, I really hope he does realize that the monstruous thing his best friend did (=executing Magnussen) was an extreme sacrifice for John's sake. Somehow I don't see it in the farewell scene. Honestly, for the very first time in the whole series I was not convinced by MF performance (or the way Watson dialogue was written) and  I felt he was upstaged by BC who somehow managed to convey all Sherlock's inner desperation and torment.
 

miriel68 wrote:

...Somehow, while I began watching the season thinking "poor John" I ended it thinking "poor Sherlock" ... 

Me too! I love the show and I love Benedict and Sherlock is such a great character but I used to hear "punch me in the face" regarding to him. And now... now I want to hug him and my heart breaks to think about how much he loves John and how far he is willing to go for him 

silverblaze wrote:

And to repeat just one more time: John didn't know Sherlock was gonna die. 

 John didn't know quite a lot of things in last two episodes: In TSoT he didn't know that Sherlock is terrified by the wedding (I took Mary to understand it). Really?   In HLV he didn't know he needed an urgent medical attention when they got back to Bakerstreet. Really? A bloody doctor? (Yes, I know he was feeling sorry about himself in that moment)  He didn't understand implication of what S. was saying? Really? "Likely last conversation I will have with John", "the game is on, but they will be new players"East wind takes us all in the end", "it's unlikely we will ever meet again": I thought John was able to read subtexts? But may be he has to have it on his t-shirt,
 

Last edited by miriel68 (January 16, 2014 6:49 pm)

miriel68 wrote:

Cleanshaven Doctor wrote:

John can barely look at Sherlock. Why? Because he doesn't completely approve of what Sherlock has done? Because he is confused? Because of the pain of losing him again? Because he can't handle all the emotions, all that had recently happened? Who knows...?

John had a bit of a rough patch lately. He had to discover that his wife is an assassin and that she nearly killed his best friend. He had to process this information. He came to the conclusion that he loves her nonetheless. Then he sees the man whom he admires for his wits and cleverness being outwitted and humiliated by a super repulsive villain. And to top that all, his best friend executes that man. This is all hard to swallow, so I think John is allowed to be a little confused.

 Somehow, while I began watching the season thinking "poor John" I ended it thinking "poor Sherlock"  John had a bit of a rough patch lately, sure. But still, being a bloody doctor, he was so wrapped in his anger that his wife is not who she seems that he failed to notice that his nearly fatally wounded friend needs and urgent medical attention (including the need of restarting his heart) so his friend needed to call ambulance by himself.Also, I really hope he does realize that the monstruous thing his best friend did (=executing Magnussen) was an extreme sacrifice for John's sake. Somehow I don't see it in the farewell scene. Honestly, for the very first time in the whole series I was not convinced by MF performance (or the way Watson dialogue was written) and  I felt he was upstaged by BC who somehow managed to convey all Sherlock's inner desperation and torment.
 

I feel exactly the same, it's only when he collapses and the paramedics take over that he starts to panic. There again I guess he's kind of already grieved for Sherlock once before.

I did feel for Sherlock throughout this series. But then despite his strange ways I've always found him lovable, vulnerable and, underneath it all, childlike, which I find endearing. His softer approach this series has really made me love him more!
 

He understood that it was a farewell, he didn't know it was a death sentence. Sherlock clearly intended for him to not know about it.

But that doesn't really matter. I don't see why his reaction would be off, he's really fighting not to get emotional, very nicely portrayed by MF I think. For me, this subtle portrayal is much more beautiful and realistic than the crying and hugging thing that some people seem to prefer. Maybe it's just a difference in taste. 

 

silverblaze wrote:

For me, this subtle portrayal is much more beautiful and realistic than the crying and hugging thing that some people seem to prefer. Maybe it's just a difference in taste. 

 

agreed. I think one hug in a season is quite enough for Sherlock and Watson and the understatement works far better than explicit gestures. However, for the very first time in the whole three seasons I had the feeling that in HLV BC upstaged MF: especially in the farewell scene. It is not to say that MF performance wasn't excellent: it was. I still think it was rather because of the way the script was written, but somehow - for me - something was not entirely satisfying in John's reaction and body language.

clareiow wrote:

miriel68 wrote:

 But still, being a bloody doctor, he was so wrapped in his anger that his wife is not who she seems that he failed to notice that his nearly fatally wounded friend needs and urgent medical attention (including the need of restarting his heart) so his friend needed to call ambulance by himself.

I feel exactly the same, it's only when he collapses and the paramedics take over that he starts to panic. There again I guess he's kind of already grieved for Sherlock once before.

I felt the same about this scene, which I wrote about at length on my Tumblr.

I saw a post by Mildredandbobbin which I will quote below that made me feel better about that whole thing. I have now written a fic based on this, and will post it when it's been beta'd.

mildredandbobbin wrote:

I’ve read a wee bit of criticism of Doctor Watson’s failure to notice Sherlock’s condition here because he was so caught up being betrayed and angry. But consider: John and Sherlock had already talked/colluded before Mary’s inadvertent confession to John. They’ve probably already had the argument about Sherlock going back to hospital, John’s probably already examined him, Sherlock has insisted he’s fine, there’s no time etc etc, and John has taken Sherlock (indestructible Sherlock who escaped from hospital) on his word. So now John’s so angry and hurt that he just doesn’t notice that what applied before is no longer the case and in fact Sherlock’s no longer fine.

miriel68 wrote:

silverblaze wrote:

For me, this subtle portrayal is much more beautiful and realistic than the crying and hugging thing that some people seem to prefer. Maybe it's just a difference in taste. 

 

agreed. I think one hug in a season is quite enough for Sherlock and Watson and the understatement works far better than explicit gestures. However, for the very first time in the whole three seasons I had the feeling that in HLV BC upstaged MF: especially in the farewell scene. It is not to say that MF performance wasn't excellent: it was. I still think it was rather because of the way the script was written, but somehow - for me - something was not entirely satisfying in John's reaction and body language.

I also prefer subtlety. I prefer emotions to be conveyed by little gestures, looks and so on.

To give an example, there is this scene when Sherlock and John are sitting on that bench waiting for Bainbridge to come off duty. Sherlock sits perfectly still, hands folded, when they talk about Major Sholto. When John starts to talk about his forthcoming wedding and that it won't alter anything Sherlock shifts in his seat and moves his hands. You can see he is  moved by this,  he doesn't need to say it. There are loads of examples.

As for the acting, I think both Martin and Benedict are brilliant but imo additionally Benedict is mesmerising. They are both very talented but pretty different actors. I prefer Benedict's way of acting. This is completely a matter of taste, I know. And also a bit off topic.