BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » "I need an assistant!"

Sammy · June 1, 2012 5:06 pm

Hm, I kind of wondered about this quotation of Sherlock. He says it to Lestrade before they go off to the crime scene and Sherlock whinges over Anderson not working with him etc..
So, does he?
I mean, he is such a loner and I think that was kinda weird of him to confess that he needs an assistant..
then again, he could have just said it so that he was allowed to bring John along.

What do you think?

m0r1arty · June 1, 2012 5:22 pm

If there's been a murder he may need someone with medical training to verify his observations. Whilst Sherlock certainly has chemistry knowledge he may not have the licences required to 'sign off' his findings. Anderson criticises Sherlock's observation and holds the case up with bureaucracy and not believing him - ergo he won't sign off on whatever it is that's required for the case to continue to its next stage.

Sherlock needs an assistant, not wants one so I assume it's something like I've stated.

I too wondered a lot of about that when I first heard it.

Perhaps someone has a better idea as to how this comes to be?

-m0r

Sherlock Holmes · June 1, 2012 5:23 pm

I've wondered about that in the past too...and I've also wondered who else he might have as his assistant other than Anderson. Really it's because he needs a medical opinion on things occasionally. He doesn't claim to be an expert in everything and he's not be asking fir help when he needs it.

kazza474 · June 2, 2012 12:22 am

Every detective needs a 'lackey' to carry things/get things etc.
In the past he has probably used Molly or people like that to do so.
Being a 'loner' would not cross over to his work however. He often consults with others on certain matters.

sherlockskitty · June 2, 2012 4:57 am

I like Kazza's answer. I've read the stories by ACD and Sherlock NEVER said anything like that, at least not outloud. But, as he and john became flatmates and friends, I think John was willing to help Sherlock, since he had nothing better to do, and since he was still living on the war/army pension. As for THIS Sherlock...well, we all know he doesn't like Anderson. I wonder what the backstory between them is?

Davina · June 2, 2012 3:31 pm

The other point in the scene in SiP where they are examining the body of the woman wring the outfit 'in a frankly alarming shade of pink', is that John actually asks Sherlock why he is there, i.e. why he has brought him along with him? To which Sherlock replies that it is 'to make a point'. Presumably he takes John along with him in some kind of power play with the police and more specifically, bearing in mind their antagonism towards him, with Anderson and possibly Donovan (they are more than just good friends, after all). Sherlock clearly finds Anderson to be a source of complete irritation, and possibly incompetence, and the feeling seems to be mutual. Evidence is Anderson's snide remarks about it being a crime scene, as it Sherlock was unaware of this and Sherlock ignoring what he has to say about Rache and slamming the door in his face. Is it to give him more credibility by having a trained doctor with him? Is it to have John there as an appreciative audience; remember the frailty of genius? ('What do most people say?' 'Piss off!' And 'Brilliant!' 'Do know you say that aloud?' dialogues show this clearly).

For the story and to follow the canon he does, of course, have to have John Watson there. Watson serves the role of assistant, confidante, friend (the one), defender, sounding board and moral compass (Sherlock's has deviated from true North somewhat). John is his personal blogger. His own attempts at keeping a website interesting have not always been successful- remember the tobacco ash!

kazza474 · June 2, 2012 4:39 pm

"The point" that is being proven by Sherlock is a simple & straight forward one really. They are there to prove that the killings are not suicides and that they are the work of a serial killer.

This was clearly pointed out earlier and yet there was no proof of this which is why Lestrade called him in in the first place.

You are guilty of looking past the evidence before you and not applying the KISS method.

Davina · June 2, 2012 6:37 pm

Good point!

Sammy · June 8, 2012 10:55 pm

Oh, quite forgot to write here!

Yes, I also think that he DOES need an assistant I only thought it was weird that he said it to Lestrade, but I guess... it's because of the points you named.

sherlockskitty · June 9, 2012 2:49 am

what is the KISS method?

kazza474 · June 9, 2012 2:54 am

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

So often people make things more difficult than they have to; read through some theories & you will get the drift maybe.
The more elements you add to a solution, the more variables there are & chance for things to go wrong.

Sherlock Holmes · June 9, 2012 11:55 am

Like Moriarty said on the rooftop - you always want things to be so complicated..

veecee · June 24, 2012 6:35 pm

But he didn't need John to make observations or corroborate his own. In fact, he all but dismisses what John says. Maybe "assistant" to him means "admirer."
I do think he may have asked John as a snub to Anderson, but I don't think that explains his remark to Lestrade. I know Sherlock is a good actor, but I think he was showing real irritation when he spoke to Lestrade about Anderson and needing an assistant.
I'm still puzzled by it.

Last edited by veecee (June 24, 2012 6:35 pm)

besleybean · October 5, 2012 7:09 pm

I think he does require somebody to do his donkey work.

Lelli · January 5, 2013 6:41 pm

Hum... A little bit late to poet here to but still... Date is not a reason not to share my views, unimportant though they might be...

I also think Sherlock needs somebody who listens to him. He insisted on somebody to take notes and also he told John, that he likes to talk out loud and the skull would arouse to much suspicion. So he could just carry along his skull...
Also often there are detectives, who need a guy for the hard work, like run after the criminals or stuff, but I don't think that's an argument, since John do has a Psychosomatic limp at that time...
And in TGG he tells John to analyse the pair of shoes because he likes a second opinion, a second point of view. And Sherlock assures, it would help him.
Also in the Baskerville episode Sherlock tells John he was a... how did he call it... great conductor of light or something... And maybe Sherlock supposed that he could help in that way.

MK

Mnemosyne · January 5, 2013 11:57 pm

Lelli wrote:
Hum... A little bit late to poet here to but still... Date is not a reason not to share my views, unimportant though they might be...

I also think Sherlock needs somebody who listens to him. He insisted on somebody to take notes and also he told John, that he likes to talk out loud and the skull would arouse to much suspicion. So he could just carry along his skull...
Also often there are detectives, who need a guy for the hard work, like run after the criminals or stuff, but I don't think that's an argument, since John do has a Psychosomatic limp at that time...
And in TGG he tells John to analyse the pair of shoes because he likes a second opinion, a second point of view. And Sherlock assures, it would help him.
Also in the Baskerville episode Sherlock tells John he was a... how did he call it... great conductor of light or something... And maybe Sherlock supposed that he could help in that way.

MK

Just this.

You can't bring a skull to a crime scene and genuis needs a audience.

Morton · February 5, 2013 1:11 pm

I think a turning point comes when Sherlock goes downstairs to get a cab to go to Lauriston Gardens and hears John, who has been pleasant all along, exclaim with extreme irritation "DAMN my leg" and splutters an abject apology to Mrs Hudson. Then, I think, Sherlock wants to take John along, as a Dr able to provide a professional opinion and because he recognises that John needs to have an active life. He already knows the only thing stopping John from making his own choice to have an active life is a psychosomatic limp. Sherlock will call on any specialist for knowledge ie to identify a spray paint and graffiti artist or code/cipher and he needs someone to talk at instead of asking himself questions like "who do we trust?, who hunts in a crowd?" and assistant is then shorthand for a sounding board to bounce thoughts off.

Sparrow · February 23, 2013 7:54 pm

I think he simply needs someone to bounce ideas off. As he says in another episode, exterior eyes and second opinions are useful to him.

butterfly grl · June 13, 2013 8:39 pm

Sparrow wrote:
I think he simply needs someone to bounce ideas off. As he says in another episode, exterior eyes and second opinions are useful to him.

As far as making a point, I believe he is referring to curing Johns psychosomatic limp.
Plus he wants a sounding board - and the skull attracts too much attention.

My question is why does Sherlock insist on aggravating Donovan and Anderson? He does so at every opportuity - especially Anderson.

besleybean · June 13, 2013 8:41 pm

Sally is an absolute cow to Sherlock and Anderson is antagonistic to Sherlock.