Ghost Mary was better than real Mary of course, but that was John's perception.

I think real Mary was more flawed.  Ghost Mary was kind of perfect.  Infinitely wise, compassionate, etc.   I loved her!  And I think that sometimes happens when people die - they become beyond reproach.  Also I think John loved her so much that she was elevated in his eyes.  A bit like Sherlock saying that he was so much cleverer through John's eyes. 

Liberty wrote:

I think real Mary was more flawed.  Ghost Mary was kind of perfect.  Infinitely wise, compassionate, etc.   I loved her!  And I think that sometimes happens when people die - they become beyond reproach.  Also I think John loved her so much that she was elevated in his eyes.  A bit like Sherlock saying that he was so much cleverer through John's eyes. 

Exactly. This was John's perception of his pretty, smiling, funny, wise and brave wife.  He loved her very very much.

Poor John, I wonder if he'll ever be our John again. I miss our John....
 

ancientsgate wrote:

besleybean wrote:

Sorry you are having problems with this.
It seems fairly clear to me.
Planted lady gives John her number.
John hesitates but decides to text.
That's all he actually does...but he was really wanting to take matters further.

That's what we've been led to think so far anyway.  God knows what the last episode of this season will leave us with.
 

I agree ancientsgate, there is an entire third act missing with TFP unaired. And also to clarify I suppose I am not having problems with this plot point, I am thinking it is incomplete due to the knowledge I have (in a professional role as well as a fan) and questioning the validity. I don't believe all of the plot points are going to be wrapped up in the remaining 90mins, but there is a lot of inconsisitencies and underdevelopments remaining, that I don't believe are error.


 
Why show the number at all? Every time, literally EVERY time in the past we see text on screen, there is a reason. "HOUND. < H.O.U.N.D". Sherlock's many deductions, 'Rache < Rachel'.
There is a scholarly paper that delves into this in an excellent manner. http://refractory.unimelb.edu.au/2015/02/07/dwyer/ This information is accessible in practice and theory mainly to film directors and editors, and here the writer has not only made it accessible and digestible to the public, it is all about subtext and misdorection in Sherlock using a variety of techniques! It is a feast, and I strongly recommend all Sherlock fans read it.

Extra post-poduction is HARD- you can't just block text on screen after filming, the frame needs to be set, to accommodate any additional features so it can be shown. It's not just a technique for coolness, those numbers mean something. The framing means something.


Feeling guilty, and deliberating, or deducing? Why he he looking at the paper in his hands over the paper on the table from such a wide FOV? He is taking in the whole table. Usually when John reads, he leans in close. Look at him while he types a blog for instance.


Really there is no need to keep the number visible on screen to the audience? Why is it held so long? Why does he blink and look away like he has realized something? It has been established that he is clever. I'm not sure I accept its only about a pretty lady in that look. 


In the world of editing and post, there is liertally NO reason to cut to this close up unless we want the audience to glance at something. Freeman would have been directed to place his hands in exactly a certain way, not too high or far, there would have been marks on the table for him as this is a really close up shot and even lifting his hand one centimeter would have thrown the image out of focus. Yet his watch AND the paper underneath when revealed show the content. There is no way cast and crew had a few extra minutes and decided to grab an insert. 


And finally we cut back to the main establishing shot of John entering the new contact. With the number presented to us, again.

I know it looks like I am picking on this scene and obsessing over it, but I can't stress enough what a red flag these kind of scenes are to me. To leave such subtle misdirection, or even possibly very DIRECT direction (maybe John was clearly texting a pretty lady, maybe he wasn't). But this, coupled with the unreliable narrator of His Last Vow through to now, along with all the mirroring of lines and visuals over and over is so incredibly clever I can't take anything at face value. EIther there is a huge curtain lift in TFP, or the writiers/producers/directors/cast of Sherlock left a deliberate crumb trail in many directions a la Hitchcock/Welles so each of us can own 'our' version of the story. Its just brilliant. Even if I am wrong and this is nothing more than John texting a pretty lady on the bus, I am quite sure that the series has set me up to question and think twice about what I saw. 

That was a magnificent post, WhoIWantToBe! 

This is so.
Altho... if they were going to deal with that, I think they would have done already.
Seems a bit pointless now they are reconciled.

Schmiezi wrote:

besleybean wrote:

But all she gave us was her number...they always show full texts and this was the text, well the message followed by John's text.
They always let us see notes, too.

We did not get to see what John wrote Sherlock, in the note Molly gave to Sherlock.

They decide what to show us and what not, and surely always for a reason.

That reminds me of The Great Game, where several notes were not shown, and some were. Moriarty : "but I gave you my number". Then they never showed it. Sherlock says thats what happens and then it just disappears. Likewise Sherlock's message to the homeless network in the same episode is seen being read, but not shown. 


Conversely, the message from the homeless network is seen and shown.

besleybean wrote:

I don't understand what you mean.
He is our John and always has been.

He's wounded now. Badly wounded, damaged. He's trying to do his best and do what he can to save those he cares about, but he's suffering. In the living room at 221b, his tears were like a flood. This isn't a John we've ever seen before.

And this is off topic. Sorry.
 

No, I don't think he felt any less for Mary.   I felt he was making the point that he was tempted, and still was, still would have been in the future no doubt, if Mary had been alive.   I think she was the right one for him, but he was the kind of person who would easily be tempted to stray - not the perfect, devoted, absolutely faithful husband that she thought he was. 

The cheating might be because Mary was too independent, seemed not to need him, not to trust him he could protect her and he wanted to be such. She did not supposed to be an assasin but a nurse, woman that appreciate her knight. She was doing it just to protect him (and Rosie) which is even more embarrasing for him.

And the bus woman seems to be a bit helpless with her smile and hesitation - it may attract him.