BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Watson's phone ringing when hit

**Posted by HoosierPhD** July 30, 2012 9:52 pm

I've replayed the DVD (more times than I will admit on line) and I swear that when Watson is on the ground, after being hit by the bike, I hear a phone ring. Twice. I don't know if this is meant to indicate 'ringing in the head', backgound music, or is this really his phone ringing? Anyone else notice this? If so, any thoughts?

**Posted by kazza474** July 30, 2012 11:04 pm

Yes, it has been brought up a few times now.
I tend to believe it's a way for the writers to let you know that his head was ringing/it was a nasty knock. There are very few tools available to them to convey that message.
Also the 'garbled' quality of the sound to me says 'a time of confusion'. To me the question is "How much time has passed?" as the soundtrack does NOT indicate a smooth continuance of time.

**Posted by tobeornot221b** July 31, 2012 4:10 am

Hi Hoosier,
here's an older thread concening the ringing:
http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=890

**Posted by Lupin** July 31, 2012 6:33 am

I think it's his ears ringing rather his phone but I think the disorientation is an important observation.

Last edited by Lupin (July 31, 2012 6:34 am)

**Posted by s.he** July 31, 2012 9:45 am

It would be plausible, that this sound is just head-ringing. But I'm not finally sure about it. I wouldn't eliminate the possibility, that it means more than this. I noticed it at the first watching, and for me, it sounds exactly like a phone. So whose phone could it be and why should it ring in this moment? No answer, just some thoughts: I don't think it's Johns phone. We hear it ring (very low) when Sherlock call him from the rooftop, and that's another sound. And it's also not the sound we know from Sherlocks phone. My first thoughts were the gunmen, who got the signal for not shooting. But I guess, getting the signal by a phonecall (three single phonecalls, one for every gunman) is not as elegant as a text sent the same time to this three. Another possibility would be Moriartys phone, if I suppose the "Staying Alive"-ringing wasn't his usual ringtone. May be, one of his men wanted call him back for something. Just my ideas.

**Posted by Arya** July 31, 2012 5:57 pm

I think we're over thinking this one. It's probably just his ears ringing.

It couldn't be Sherlock's or Moriarty's phone because they're both up on the roof, so we wouldn't hear them. By that logic, it couldn't be the snipers' phones, either. It could be John's phone (if he had a special ringtone for Sherlock), but I can't see a reason why anyone would be calling John at that point.

**Posted by ancientsgate** August 28, 2012 9:42 am

Arya wrote:
I think we're over thinking this one. It's probably just his ears ringing.
It couldn't be Sherlock's or Moriarty's phone because they're both up on the roof, so we wouldn't hear them. By that logic, it couldn't be the snipers' phones, either. It could be John's phone (if he had a special ringtone for Sherlock), but I can't see a reason why anyone would be calling John at that point.

I think it sounds like a phone, too. If it's supposed to be ringing-in-the-ears, why make it sound just like an old-fashioned phone ring? The sound guys could have found all manner of ringing sounds to use that didn't sound like a phone. Maybe it's the bicyclist's phone, a signal to "go, do it now!"

**Posted by Wholocked** August 28, 2012 12:26 pm

I think it's as Kazza said, a device to convey confusion/head ringing/disorientation. It's not a phone.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** August 29, 2012 1:41 pm

Haven't watched/heard it for a while so can't remember exactly how it sounds but heck, it's fun to talk about phone theories...c'mon, we've got nothing else to do...

If it's a phone ringing, it's definitely John's phone, because we wouldn't hear anyone elses. So, who could be ringing John:

It wouldn't be Moriarty because he's dead
It wouldn't be Sherlock because his phone is on the rooftop and he's halfway through the air
It wouldn't be Molly or Mycroft because they're already involved in Sherlock's plans so wouldn't ring John at such a crucial moment.

It could be Mrs Hudson, although I don't know why she would be ringing and I can't imagine she's that good with phones either.
It could be Lestrade ringing John to tell him the police are on their way to St Barts (remember they're still on the run) - this is my favourite theory.

In reality though, it's probably not a phone at all.

**Posted by ancientsgate** August 29, 2012 1:55 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
Haven't watched/heard it for a while so can't remember exactly how it sounds but heck, it's fun to talk about phone theories...c'mon, we've got nothing else to do...
If it's a phone ringing, it's definitely John's phone, because we wouldn't hear anyone elses...

The bicyclist might be close enough that it could be his. I don't remember exactly, even though I just watched it yesterday.... do you want me to get the DVD out and watch it AGAIN, so soon? Ah, the tough life of a Sherlock fan.... but I'll bear up under the burden somehow. *g*

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2012 8:22 pm

See I think it is John's phone...
Unless, it's supposed to be the homeless guy's saying: he's down!

**Posted by ancientsgate** October 6, 2012 10:15 pm

besleybean wrote:
See I think it is John's phone...
Unless, it's supposed to be the homeless guy's saying: he's down!

Maybe we'll find out if we ever live long enough to see ep 3.1.....

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2012 10:20 pm

Hahaha!

**Posted by Sam** October 6, 2012 10:24 pm

Hmmm, it definitely just sounds like his ears are ringing to me. It sounds very similar to what I hear myself when my ears ring. There is no pulse or beat to it, it's just flat and continuous - not many ringtones are like that.

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2012 10:26 pm

This is true. Just a general sign that he's disorientated?

**Posted by Sam** October 7, 2012 6:13 am

besleybean wrote:
This is true. Just a general sign that he's disorientated?

I believe so. I think it's for emphasis that John really hit hard.

Last edited by Sam (October 7, 2012 6:14 am)

**Posted by Davina** October 7, 2012 7:36 am

Bit concussed maybe?

**Posted by besleybean** October 7, 2012 7:38 am

Indeed.