BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / D'you think Sherlock has ever had a girlfriend?

**Posted by Harriet** October 6, 2013 2:28 pm

Oh, quite some men have girlfriends and no understanding of romance

**Posted by QuiteExtraordinary** October 6, 2013 2:32 pm

Well, someone must have been the one who told him he doesn't have a heart, right?

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2013 2:33 pm

Sherlock specifically says girlfriends are not really his area.

**Posted by Harriet** October 6, 2013 2:35 pm

Speaking so out of looong experience

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2013 2:37 pm

Evidence for this?

**Posted by sj4iy** October 6, 2013 2:44 pm

ancientsgate wrote:
holmes23 wrote:
A curious thought, why did it take 'ages' for him to work out Ithe 'SHERLOCKED' password? Wasn't it easy comparing to the other? I know the pressure of the situation was there as far as the first one is concerned. Any way just a thought...
Because the writers (all men, of course) decided they need to show How Very Heterosexual Sherlock Is by getting him all addle-brained about that Irene Adler. In the presence of breasts and a fine female mind, apparently our Sherlock's own mind flies out the window. I hope the writers don't make that mistake again. Just my opinion, of course. The answer is, who knows?

Or maybe they just wanted to adapt a story from the canon where Sherlock gets outwitted by a woman. Personally, this episode is my favorite because it's nice to see the vulnerable side to Holmes. I don't really see it as a mistake that a naive man can be toyed with by a woman...it happens everyday.

**Posted by Ormond Sacker** October 6, 2013 4:13 pm

sj4iy wrote:
ancientsgate wrote:
holmes23 wrote:
A curious thought, why did it take 'ages' for him to work out Ithe 'SHERLOCKED' password? Wasn't it easy comparing to the other? I know the pressure of the situation was there as far as the first one is concerned. Any way just a thought...
Because the writers (all men, of course) decided they need to show How Very Heterosexual Sherlock Is by getting him all addle-brained about that Irene Adler. In the presence of breasts and a fine female mind, apparently our Sherlock's own mind flies out the window. I hope the writers don't make that mistake again. Just my opinion, of course. The answer is, who knows?
Or maybe they just wanted to adapt a story from the canon where Sherlock gets outwitted by a woman. Personally, this episode is my favorite because it's nice to see the vulnerable side to Holmes. I don't really see it as a mistake that a naive man can be toyed with by a woman...it happens everyday.

But he doesn't get outwitted does he? He figures it out in the end, proving that he is smarter than Irene, while in the original story Mrs. Norton, née Adler, gets away. Though in that story no real harm is done.

As for why he didn't figure it out sooner I think it's because he thought she was more clever than that, that she presented him with an interesting puzzle rather than something so pedestrian as sentimental attachment. After all the reason he gives for figuring it out is: "I took your pulse", indicating that he has now takes her physical, and possibly emotional, attachment to him into account when deducing the password. Basically I see it as a bit of a gamble on his part. Either he is right and she has let her heart rule her head and proven to him that doing so is a fatal flaw in "The Game", or he is wrong, in which case she has won.

**Posted by sj4iy** October 6, 2013 4:43 pm

Ormond Sacker wrote:
sj4iy wrote:
ancientsgate wrote:

Because the writers (all men, of course) decided they need to show How Very Heterosexual Sherlock Is by getting him all addle-brained about that Irene Adler. In the presence of breasts and a fine female mind, apparently our Sherlock's own mind flies out the window. I hope the writers don't make that mistake again. Just my opinion, of course. The answer is, who knows?
Or maybe they just wanted to adapt a story from the canon where Sherlock gets outwitted by a woman. Personally, this episode is my favorite because it's nice to see the vulnerable side to Holmes. I don't really see it as a mistake that a naive man can be toyed with by a woman...it happens everyday.
But he doesn't get outwitted does he? He figures it out in the end, proving that he is smarter than Irene, while in the original story Mrs. Norton, née Adler, gets away. Though in that story no real harm is done.

"And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were beaten by a woman's wit."

**Posted by Ormond Sacker** October 6, 2013 5:14 pm

sj4iy wrote:
Ormond Sacker wrote:
sj4iy wrote:

Or maybe they just wanted to adapt a story from the canon where Sherlock gets outwitted by a woman. Personally, this episode is my favorite because it's nice to see the vulnerable side to Holmes. I don't really see it as a mistake that a naive man can be toyed with by a woman...it happens everyday.
But he doesn't get outwitted does he? He figures it out in the end, proving that he is smarter than Irene, while in the original story Mrs. Norton, née Adler, gets away. Though in that story no real harm is done.
"And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect the kingdom of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were beaten by a woman's wit."

Operative word in that sentence is "threatened", nothing ever actually happens. Mrs. Norton elects not to use it, her own choice, because she is now happily married, and only keeps it to keep herself and her husband safe from any reprisals from the King.

I grant that the following is mere speculation, but I cannot help but wonder if she wouldn't have let the whole thing slide even if Holmes had not been hired by the heir apparent, since she has already met Godfrey Norton and decided to marry him.

**Posted by shezza** January 14, 2014 12:46 am

Well after series 3 we can conclude that yes, Sherlock Holmes has had a girlfriend

And he still managed to remain a virgin lol

**Posted by besleybean** January 14, 2014 6:58 am

I for one am delighted he appears to have maintained his purity.

**Posted by dartmoordoggers** January 14, 2014 9:30 am

A virgin! Where do people get these ideas from? Of course he's not a virgin.

SHAG-A-LOT HOLMES; 7 TIMES A NIGHT IN BAKER STREET

(I read it in the papers so it must be true)

**Posted by Davina** January 14, 2014 12:07 pm

**Posted by besleybean** January 14, 2014 4:40 pm

Tee Hee.

**Posted by tonnaree** January 14, 2014 7:31 pm

besleybean wrote:
I for one am delighted he appears to have maintained his purity.

He's saving it for when he marries John.

*runs and hides*

**Posted by besleybean** January 14, 2014 9:01 pm

**Posted by Deilenn** January 14, 2014 9:34 pm

Of course Sherlock has had a girlfriend, whom, in actual fact, he even married - his work.

But speaking seriously, if he's always been the same all his life, a sociopath, I presume then he probably has never had a girlfriend...

**Posted by Golddragon71** January 15, 2014 5:56 pm

Sherlock was pretty oblivious to Social Interactions of any kind before he met John i think.
He only knew Mike Stamford from Bart's (A work based interaction) ditto Molly Hooper and Lestrade.
In fact, all of his associations were work-based.
This is further Evidenced by theses facts:
When Molly was trying to get his attention and ask him out for coffee he only noticed the fact that she had added lipstick and when she reiterated her question about coffee he merely expressed his preference and went upstairs.

When he took John to the resturant on Northumberland street he was completely oblivious to the fact that it was run to be a romantic place for couples. As such it was logical for the Maitre 'D to assume that his bringing John there was meant to be a date.

Then inthe Blind Banker (based on The Dancing Men) When Sherlock explains his plans for continuing the investigation John says he has a date Sherlock is puzzled John explains the concept and Sherlock says..."that's what I was suggesting" and john replied "No it isn't....at least I hope not!" furthering the notion that Sherlock's grasp of romantic relationships is almost nonexistant.

Then, of course, we have both the exchange between Sherlock and Mycroft in Buckingham Palace and later, thecomment by Irene that Moriarty calls the Holmes Brothers The Ice Man(Mycroft) and the Virgin(Sherlock).

**Posted by Aytoun** January 17, 2014 3:46 pm

tonnaree wrote:
besleybean wrote:
I for one am delighted he appears to have maintained his purity.

He's saving it for when he marries John.

*runs and hides*

That made me smile. Seriously though, my take on all this is that Sherlock's gay, but he's never had a relationship and then he goes and falls for a straight man, for John who loves him but who will never be in love with him, which I find rather sad.

**Posted by besleybean** January 17, 2014 5:05 pm

Oh I wouldn't worry too much, I think Sherlock is marreid to his work and disinterested in relationships.