I sort of like the idea that Mycroft is pulling the strings here - I read a fanfic in which he's decided that his little brother needs looking after and compiles a list of suitable flatmates/handlers.  Sherlock circumvents him by getting his own flatmate.  There might be a trust fund over which Mycroft has gained control (perhaps during his drug-addict past), and I can see Sherlock putting up with that if it means not having to worry about boring things like taxes and bill-paying.

As stated by Mark Gatiss, 'We join the story at just the right point, when Watson joins Holmes - without him, Holmes is a rather unbearable man. He's going out there as well. He's getting further and further away, like a distant star.'  Mycroft is obviously well aware of this ('I worry about him constantly.')  And though he would never admit it, perhaps he knows that his brother is right and that he has become too isolated.

I'll admit that the flat is a mess, but I think that maybe Sherlock may have been telling the truth about having just moved all his stuff in, chiefly because Mrs. Hudson hugs him when he enters the building. If he'd been living in the same building for months, would she have been so pleased to see him? 

On the BBC-run website, Sherlock gets evicted/kicked out of his old apartments on Montague street. That's another explanation - he was kicked out and saw the opportunity for a change. That would also explain why he was settled in so quickly: because otherwise he would have to pay for a storage unit to keep his stuff in. 

And for those who haven't read it, please see Susi's very appropos fanfic. Anyone got the link handy?

I just read it as, he'd been kicked out of Montague Place and needed help to pay the rent on the new place...;

oh and yeah he might have moved in first but I didn't think it was ages because Mrs H was so happy to see him. He doesn't normally hug her on meeting.

Last edited by beekeeper (March 31, 2013 5:58 pm)

yeah but why lie about it? That's what I don't get. Why not just say, "I need a flat mate?"

I think its rather that he's deduced that it will work out with John and so for that reason he goes ahead and moves in. 

I honestly don't think Sherlock actually 'needs' a flatmate, the way he and Mycroft talk and act, the clothes he wears, I think he comes from money. I think he actually wanted a flatmate. He mentions in one of the episodes something along the lines of 'genius needing an audience', I think it applies to Sherlock himself as well.

Just my 2c. -shrug-

I really like the idea of refusing to use his trust fund out of stubboness. Its stands to reason he has money, assuming he's from old money. I'm guessing that his father at least is no longer alive. The other possibility is that there are conditions attatched to using the trust fund, or that it can only be used for certain things. Or you know, he might have spent it on white powder and now be reliant on Mycroft.

I did read somewhere I am sure (on here?) that the writers wanted to find a way to work in him getting a Christmas card-from his mother. My money has always been on the Holmes brain actually coming from his mother (the Vernet reference). 

The thing is too, if Mycroft has inherited the Holmes estate you'd expect Sherlock to have too. So if he isn't using that money there's probably a reason why.

My assumption is that its kind of canon til proven otherwise that Sherlock's dad had an affair, Sherlock told his mum and thus his troubles began. Its not in the canon but its in other old fanfic (the 7% solution iirc and Young Sherlock Holmes). I HATE this theory, I much prefer the idea that the brothers are just normal siblings writ large. I think Sherlock is the reason for his own angst, he doesn't need a catalyst. But its what I'm guessing is what they'll hint at. Probably with a case involving a kid who squeals on his dad and with whom Sherlok and Mycroft then overemphasise/bicker over

ETA oh the other possibility-Mycroft we assume has control of any trust funds because of the drug habit. So he actually forces him into a situation where he needs to find himself a flatmate, so he's not totally alone, by limiting the amount of money he will give him.

keep saying this too but I much prefer the idea of them not being from old money. I prefer the reason that they are both outsiders to be that they are, that they are from quite an ordinary family really but used their extreme abilities to get to where they are now. But I accept that there is no evidence at all for this in the canon!

Last edited by beekeeper (April 2, 2013 12:35 pm)

Remembering also that in The Blind Banker Sherlock does not want to accept the cheque from Sebastian. To him it is not all about the money. John's keen though! 

erunyauve wrote:

I sort of like the idea that Mycroft is pulling the strings here - I read a fanfic in which he's decided that his little brother needs looking after and compiles a list of suitable flatmates/handlers.  Sherlock circumvents him by getting his own flatmate.  There might be a trust fund over which Mycroft has gained control (perhaps during his drug-addict past), and I can see Sherlock putting up with that if it means not having to worry about boring things like taxes and bill-paying..

It seemed to me that Sherlock was looking for a flat w/ flatmate because he just got out of rehab. ("Still the addict...") I agree that Sherlock wouldn't ke let Mycroft picj k one for him (either flat or mate) so Shelrock contacts Mrs. Hudson. 

By Mycroft seems to have a reather large ampount of information on John at their first meeting.  Perhaps Mycroft found John a likely candidate for someone with some miliarty experience to keep an eye on Sherlock, and told Stamford what route John used we hen he left his weekly therapy sessions. 

Traditionally, the oldest son inherits the bulk of an estate and the younger some sort of trust, at least until he marries, when he may come into more.  But I don't think that's where Sherlock's money comes from, because I don't think he'd take money directly from Mycroft.  I think Sherlock is working for the Bristish government as well, as outlined in this post.

yeah I watched it again last night (the hardship!) and I know what I mean here but its hard to explain. Its just a sense that comes from him. He does fit in but in order to do so he has to be incredibly carefully controlled. 

I think also-a lot of the time, this is actually how British power works. You have the utter toffs at the top, the queen and so on. But often, your next level down, will be people who have really had to work to get where they are and stay working to tread water, along with duffers who are there because of their rich dad. He's accepted but its a conditional acceptance somehow. In the olden days, he might have been a rich but Catholic family or something.  There's something there and I'll just have to watch a few more times I suppose and try to explain exactly what, <sigh> ....watching again...how will I cope...;-) .

Also, and its a small point, but he does have a slight northern twang. I don't know if this is intentional or if the actor playing him is northern. Sherlock just seems to have a straightforward southern accent.

But also, dramatically, there's something quite uninteresting to me about Mycroft's power being essentially hereditary. I like the idea that he had to work for it. I like the idea that he is trying to reign in Sherlock because these brothers do have to work for their position in society and do have to prove themselves. They are not the children of a Lord, for example (or if they are, they are illegitimate)

It is a little as though he's trying almost too hard, as though every detail has to be perfect. The attention to detail with his experience, his power complex-if he really was from the level of old money implied, he'd probably use that, rather than renting a car park to impress John. He'd have the space to  be a little more quirky and let a little more personality show. Old money basically equates to sophistication and crediility in the UK to some extent (much as I dislike this) and he has the air of someone trying to "pass".

Its subtle this one but I think if you've known a lot of public school educated old money people as I have (my uni was full of them), you can spot something not quite right here.
 

Last edited by beekeeper (April 3, 2013 10:25 am)