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December 30, 2012 3:56 pm  #1


Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

We do not yet have a discussion on the Mycroft/John relationship which is quite an interesting one.

I'd like to start with a little something that has always irritated me. Today I watched TRF again. The situation in question is from where John's standing in front of the cash machine, having a "problem" with his card, according to the text on the display.
Mycroft – apparently the initiator of this text - is about to take John to the Diogenes Club by an approaching car, adding:



Strange choice of words! Why thank John for his "patience" in this situation?
"Turn around - car's just waiting for you", would be more appropriate because it's true.

Maybe I read too much into this, but because it's Reichenbach  I feel like this sentence has some deeper meaning to it rather than just being a mere polite phrase. Mycroft may have seen that John is indeed the making of his  brother (as hoped for in PINK), and knowing about Sherlock's plan to fake his death (yes, I'm absolutely sure Mycroft is in on the plan!) and the immanent ending of John's relationship with Sherlock, this seems to be a "mycrofty" way to say thank you.

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. JOHN
…with my little brother throughout the last eighteen months."

So much more to say about Mycroft and John.
Your thoughts?

Last edited by tobeornot221b (December 30, 2012 3:57 pm)


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John: "Have you spoken to Mycroft, Molly, uh, anyone?"
Mrs Hudson: "They don’t matter. You do."


I BELIEVE IN SERIES 5!




                                                                                                                  
 

December 30, 2012 4:07 pm  #2


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

I think it's merely a smug line using Mycroft's/Gatiss's dry sense of humour frankly. It also uses words that one would expect to see on an automated machine's screen.
At this stage, there's not much of a relationship between these two characters. There never has been even in the canon. It's really not necessary and actually works more to Holmes's benefit that these two characters are 'distant' with each other.


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Also, please note that sentences can also end in full stops. The exclamation mark can be overused.
Sherlock Holmes 28 March 13:08

Mycroft’s popularity doesn’t surprise me at all. He is, after all, incredibly beautiful, clever and well-dressed. And beautiful. Did I mention that?
--Mark Gatiss

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Robert McCloskey
 

December 30, 2012 8:43 pm  #3


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

Well he did lose his patience with the automated checkout at the supermarket.


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

December 31, 2012 2:27 am  #4


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

Davina wrote:

Well he did lose his patience with the automated checkout at the supermarket.

True. In fact perhaps we should look into John's relationships with machines? He has more interaction with them than Mycroft, lol.


____________________________________________________________________________________________
Also, please note that sentences can also end in full stops. The exclamation mark can be overused.
Sherlock Holmes 28 March 13:08

Mycroft’s popularity doesn’t surprise me at all. He is, after all, incredibly beautiful, clever and well-dressed. And beautiful. Did I mention that?
--Mark Gatiss

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Robert McCloskey
 

December 31, 2012 11:18 am  #5


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

Trouble is I'm never 100% sure when Mycroft is pretending...
Guess we'll know more next season.


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 

December 31, 2012 4:38 pm  #6


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

besleybean wrote:

Trouble is I'm never 100% sure when Mycroft is pretending...
Guess we'll know more next season.

Neither am I. Mark plays him beautifully and I love all his scenes, but I'm never sure he's being totally honest,one way or the other. His words always seem to have double meanings, even when seen in repeated viewing. I guess we will know more next season. One more point of anticipation. 


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This is a cash and carry world. You pay as you go. Sometimes it's a little. Mostly it's a lot. Sometimes it's all you have.
 

December 31, 2012 4:40 pm  #7


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

Darn these Holmes brothers and their secrecy!
Well ok, I suppose it kind of goes with the territory!


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http://professorfangirl.tumblr.com/post/105838327464/heres-an-outtake-of-mark-gatiss-on-the
 

January 2, 2013 7:12 pm  #8


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

Swanpride wrote:

"What the hell happened to "Sorry for you inconvience"?

I love the interaction between Mycroft and John, it's my favourite part of the show. Especially when Mycroft tries to impress John and fails.

Their politely strained dialogue is a real highlight for me.

And I can tell you from experience on the apologies front. I have often wanted to say this ('sorry', I mean) to people when I worked in public facing jobs whilst at university. The workers are forced to say 'thank you for your patience' and get given earache (or even veiled threats of getting sacked) if they say 'sorry for the inconvenience.' The reason for this is because the second phrase implicates the speaker as being liable. If they are speaking as the employee of a company then the company is implied to be liable. If what that person is complaining about is lawsuit-worthy then this is a huge own goal and can work against them in court, especially if there is recorded evidence.

I handed in my notice and never looked back.


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'Non Solum Ingenii Verum Etiam Virtutis'
                
 

January 3, 2013 12:57 am  #9


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

Swanpride wrote:

I can imagine that in the US, where you even have to warn people that coffee might be hot to avod being liable, but I'm living in Germany, where it is nearly impossible to get any kind of compensation, even if you are entitelt to one (never mind that the law works a little bit different here), and they are using the same damn signs. (Plus, I have worked the telephone myself in the past, and I never encountered the rule...in fact, it's one of the first thing I learned in seminars about communications that you don't weaken your position by saying sorry, quite the opposite, because it is the good way to break down the defences of the people you are dealing with).

The company you worked for was right... I hated the way we were asked to handle people sometimes. I have never been happier to hand my notice in.


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'Non Solum Ingenii Verum Etiam Virtutis'
                
 

January 3, 2013 3:12 am  #10


Re: Mycroft and John - discussions on their relationship

Swanpride wrote:

I can imagine that in the US, where you even have to warn people that coffee might be hot to avod being liable, but I'm living in Germany, where it is nearly impossible to get any kind of compensation, even if you are entitelt to one (never mind that the law works a little bit different here), and they are using the same damn signs. (Plus, I have worked the telephone myself in the past, and I never encountered the rule...in fact, it's one of the first thing I learned in seminars about communications that you don't weaken your position by saying sorry, quite the opposite, because it is the good way to break down the defences of the people you are dealing with).

I can't help but wonder if people have changed or corporations have changed? Or have corporations changed because people have changed? Because it wasn't always like this. People knew when they were being given a hard time and those who were giving it apologized for their actions. That apology made you feel better and calmer and you didn't give them attitude and they didn't give you attitude. People said please and thank you and I'm sorry and the world was better for it.


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This is a cash and carry world. You pay as you go. Sometimes it's a little. Mostly it's a lot. Sometimes it's all you have.
 

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