BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Sherlock's 'invisible' disguise

**Posted by Nikoleta** February 4, 2013 1:19 pm

According to MoGiss in this article (http://www.craveonline.com/tv/articles/204121-mark-gatiss-drops-more-sherlock-season-3-hints):

“We made a decision right from the get-go that [Sherlock] would not do disguise in the traditional sense,” explained Gatiss. “He actually has a line in ‘The Great Game’ which is ‘The art of disguise is knowing how to hide in plain sight’ and that was because, right from the start, I thought modern day Sherlock Holmes would not put putty noses on, he would basically be standing behind you now and you wouldn’t know he was there. [Benedict Cumberbatch] has put on various costumes but it’s more about being invisible.”

I was thinking of Lestrade calling John and seeing if he could help in a crime scene, and Sherlock is disguised as one of the police officers, that sort of thing. Except, he won't be wearing a uniform of any sort. He'll be perfectly himself, dressed as himself, walking about in the background and keeping a low profile - imagine him in the same room as John but he won't notice that Sherlock's there until he's right in front of his face.

It fits MoGiss' statement about 'being invisible' and such. Any other suggestions?

**Posted by biscuitbear** February 4, 2013 1:56 pm

For me it's more Sherlock being one of those people that most passers-by don't look in the face, such as a homeless man or a domestic servant or menial employee.

**Posted by Mnemosyne** February 4, 2013 2:28 pm

I'm sure in a thread a while back it was mentioned (possibly by me, possibly not, honestly can't remember) that it would be interesting to see the story told from John's perspective and it would take more than a cursory glance to notice that Sherlock is in the background of most of the shots.

This is a round about way of me saying I'm excited for S3.

I would love a 'false positive' scene where John chases after someone, convinced it's Sherlock, but it turns out that its just someone who really looks like him... Would love it even more if Sherlock was watching this just mentally face-palming.

Sherlock posing as a patient in John's surgery... Not likely but I suppose that's one way of keeping an eye on his blogger.

**Posted by tobeornot221b** February 4, 2013 5:11 pm

The best place to hide in plain sight must be the telly. He could apply for being the new storyteller on Kid's TV (with application video reading "Little Red Hen")
John and Mrs Hudson who - as we know - watch far too much telly could finally spot him there.

**Posted by KeepersPrice** February 4, 2013 5:53 pm

I guess I'm jumping ahead here to the "reveal scene" - not the invisible stuff; but I like the idea of Sherlock being scheduled as a patient in John's practice - maybe someone tacked on at the end of the day when John is cranky and tired and just wants to go home and he's thinking, "Oh no, not one more patient with a cough and runny nose". Sherlock comes in dressed as a regular man on the street, keeps his head down coughing into a handkerchief, and then when the time is right - voila! He looks up and John sees it's Sherlock. John could be so staggered he drops his electronic medical record tablet breaking it.

**Posted by Nikoleta** February 5, 2013 8:21 am

Oh wow, these are all brilliant! Now I'm wondering how MoGiss can top this all off! Sherlock as John's patient is a genius idea - if John punches him, the first aid kit and whatnot will be right beside them, hah!

**Posted by Mnemosyne** April 6, 2013 11:05 pm

Nikoleta wrote:
Oh wow, these are all brilliant! Now I'm wondering how MoGiss can top this all off! Sherlock as John's patient is a genius idea - if John punches him, the first aid kit and whatnot will be right beside them, hah!

I agree! Well if you're *anticipating* getting punched it would be handy for it to be A) by someone who knows where to punch you so they don't kill you or break your face and B) by a doctor in case something goes wrong. Rather like being run over by an ambulace outside a hospital in that respect. If something awful *must* happen to you, make sure it's in the most 'ideal' of circumstances...

**Posted by Russell** April 7, 2013 1:07 am

biscuitbear wrote:
For me it's more Sherlock being one of those people that most passers-by don't look in the face, such as a homeless man or a domestic servant or menial employee.

My thinking exactly... along with the comments of perhaps playing with perspective from different people or being right in the background and not noticing until the pivotal point. The perfect kind of Moftiss 'hee hee, we tricked you' thing they love to play with us with, and just building up the moment. A different jacket, a cap, an uncertain glimpse... really like the idea of playing with that so much more than him doing something outlandishly made-up, and even John's path perhaps being suddenly thrown into a suspicion of something going on, or Sherlock's current case that threw them together again....

**Posted by Davina** April 7, 2013 1:33 am

Hidden in plain sight.

**Posted by Be** April 7, 2013 12:27 pm

I like the idea of 221 C and I imagine that Sherlock just moved downstairs. Something simple, but effective. He likes to do disguise with minimal effort (SiB) . He can avoid meeting John in the hallway because he knows his daily routine and schedule.
And he can keep an eye on John and Mrs Hudson and have access to his books and science equipment. Mrs Hudson might have a new tenant Mr. Sigerson. In ACD canon the first meeting after the fall happend accidentallly when Holmes and Watson bump against each other. Something like that can happen in 221 when Sherlock prepares to move back.

**Posted by Michele** April 8, 2013 12:15 am

Isn't it more that he won't be wearing the putty noses that the canon Sherlock wore. We know that Sherlock has worn different costumes in the past (priest / security guard) I would assume it would be the same sort of thing. He'll wear something different and won't get noticed.

I can't remember where I saw it but there is something online that goes something along the lines of:
You thought you saw me at the bus stop today but then you realised it couldn't be me. - SH

*My emotions can't handle this*

Last edited by Michele (April 8, 2013 7:13 am)

**Posted by Davina** April 8, 2013 7:02 am

Realised?

**Posted by Michele** April 8, 2013 7:13 am

Yep. Opps!