Arya wrote:

I was just wondering why you think Sherlock saved Irene if you don't think he's straight or bi 

Just my thoughts, off the top of my head--

I think Sherlock admired her. I think he saved her at the end of ASiB as one might a precious ruby from a pile of cubic zirconia stones. Or a perfect Siamese cat specimen from an animal shelter full of rescued street cats.

I think he was *amazed* by her. How often did he ever ever ever meet anyone anywhere close to him, not only in smarts but also in sensibilities? Maybe never. She not only "got him", she also challenged him-- and as we've seen, that just doesn't happen in Sherlock's life. Intellectually, she was not one of the adorable ordinaries.

Sex was not necessary-- she obviously offered--  I would have you on this desk until you beg for mercy, twice. And in the Baker Street living room, dressed in a robe, leaning over his lap, her mouth about 4 inches from his, hands intertwined. Blah, blah, on and on. So whether or not he ever took her up on her sexual offer, I tend to doubt it. I don't know that he'd be interested in filling up a vessel that had already been filled up by a thousand others. I don't know that he needed to go there with his little head, when his big head was so damned intrigued and challenged by her already.

She was scary. Maybe he was afraid of being burned. You know, the way HE could burn someone he chose to have a sexual relationship with, maybe even in a way he already had burned someone. Turnabout is fair play and all that.

The possibilities about why he saved her are endless. And I think most of them have nothing to do with his orientation, whatever that orientation is.

Sentimental Pulse wrote:

I've never understood why the notion of Sherlock being affected by self discovery of romantic or friendship attraction is a strict violation of canon yet the LSD dogs, Molly, MI6 Mycroft, eyelash- tinted- Jim and all the rest is ok. Moftiss clearly like the idea that Sherlock may be a master of all things intellectual but is deliciously conflicted as a stunted, naive, in denial man/boy about all things emotional. That notion not only makes for a far better story it is entirely far more realistic than the emotionless robot man.  I am looking forward to seeing further emotional growth from Sherlock as we go forward because he has certainly made noticeable gains in past two seasons.

The showrunners are busy creating their own delicious version of a modern Sherlock. The possibilities are endless, the sky's the limit, and I'm happy we're all along for the ride. I have almost no knowledge of original canon, so couldn't care less about that (sorry, all you purists reading this). I think this Sherlock is wonderful, just the way he is, and however the powers that be and Benedict himself want him to grow older is just fine with me. It's all good.

That's really funny isn't it. The way he stumbles over his words. Brilliantly done!

It's really comforting to know that there are things that can distract even him!

I love anything in the stories that makes him seem more human. 

More human or more humane?

kazza474 wrote:

lol Davina. I find it funny that the very reason Sherlock Holmes was ever created to be about is the thing people here want to negate. He IS different to most people; he DOES think differently than the ordinary person & yet people want to 'make' him ordinary. Gawd help us all if he meets a girl, gets married & lives happily ever after with no more ventures into detective work, lol.

That's because we're all stupid. Vacant. Average. And ordinary. But Moriarty said we were adorable, so there is that.

I don't think anyone would ever want Sherlock to settle down, get a girlfriend, get married, have kids etc. The reason we're all so fascinated with him and spend the majority of our lives thinking/talking/(obsessing) about him is because he's so different and unusual and special and THAT'S what we love about him, right? Right guys?

It would be so boring if they did that But they have to put in hints of emotion, especially affection; Sherlock can't be too unrelatable.

Arya wrote:

Ivy and ancientsgate- sorry, I didn't write the last post very well. You English is great, Ivy. I just watched SiB again this morning, and I was still trying to... reorganize my thoughts again, I guess .

I was just wondering why you think Sherlock saved Irene if you don't think he's straight or bi 

IMO, Sherlock's bi. It's the most logical way to explain the end of SiB, and, from a writer's standpoint, it would be too boring to make Sherlock straight after all this time 

I believe Sherlock's relationship with Irene is purely intellectual. If he is attracted to her, he's attracted to her mind, not what's in her pants. To him, it wouldn't matter if Irene was a sexless brain in a box, if she offered a challenge, he's game. Perhaps intellsexual? The reason she's so important in the canon is, yes, because she's a woman. But only because she's the only woman that ever outwitted him. It was the brain that was notable. He would remember her even if she was a man because he's been beaten by a very limited number of people, it's just that her sex makes her stand out in that group.

In the modern era that's less important. Women are barristers, scientists, mathematicians, college professors, etc., so our Sherlock has grown up in a world where it's nothing notable for a woman to be intelligent. The reason she's important is that, as far as we know, she was the first person, male or female, to beat Modern!Sherlock Holmes.

I believe their relationship only took a sexual turn because Irene engineered it that way.