BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Psychopath

**Posted by Wholocked** January 13, 2014 3:01 am

Does anyone else find it a little bit strange that John is now referring to Sherlock as a psychopath? First time I noticed it was in his blog post, and then in HLV he asks "Is everyone I've ever met a psychopath?"

The only theory I have on it is that perhaps he's more angry with Sherlock faking his death than he's letting on and labelling him a psychopath is the only explanation he can give himself that makes sense to him.

I just think it's odd that they've thrown that in there - John's impressions of Sherlock have clearly changed but it wasn't addressed or even really acknowledged in the episodes at all. They just kind of threw it in there.

**Posted by Sherli Bakerst** January 13, 2014 3:09 am

It struck me, too, that Moftiss threw around the phrases high-functioning sociopath and also psychopath a number of times in Series 3; I mean, it was definitely noticeable. I kinda wondered why... Was it their way of reminding everyone that Sherlock is not as normal as they've made him out to be in Series 3? I really have no idea.

**Posted by Wholocked** January 13, 2014 3:27 am

Swanpride wrote:
Maybe...but John himself is, as this episode rightly pointed out, a bit of a psychopath himself. What happened was a little bit like him shooting the cabbie, though naturally in his case even the courts would have followed most likely the self-defence excuse.

What are you talking about? Sherlock shot Magnussen, not John. What self-defense did John undertake? *confused*

**Posted by Wholocked** January 13, 2014 3:54 am

OH! I thought you were saying that what happened in His Last Vow was like John shooting the cabbie. Sorry, misunderstood.

John's not a psychopath. He is an adrenaline junkie but that doesn't make him a psychopath ;)

**Posted by silverblaze** January 13, 2014 11:44 am

I don't think you should take what the characters say so literally. They lie a lot, especially about things like this. I've noticed something that I've since called the 'Moffat trick'. It's not 'show don't tell', it's 'tell one thing, show the complete opposite'. Three examples.

ASiP
Sherlock: 'I'm not a psychopath, I'm a high functioning sociopath.'
[Comes up with a theory that shows more empathy and understanding than Anderson]

ASiB
Mycroft: 'Caring is not an advantage.'
[Goes on to do something more caring than we've ever seen from him.]

HLV
Sherlock: 'I'm not a hero, I'm a high functioning sociopath.'
[Does the most heroic thing so far.

They lie, they lie all the time. Just like Moffat.

**Posted by Hera** January 13, 2014 11:52 am

Don't people call other people "psychopath" all the time for no real reason? I wouldn't take that term literally.

**Posted by anjaH_alias** January 13, 2014 11:56 am

Hera wrote:
Don't people call other people "psychopath" all the time for no real reason? I wouldn't take that term literally.

This. John was angry, about the situation, Mary etc. Maybe also angry about himself, permanently chosing that kind of friends. He said that, but he didn´t mean it literally. Though they are all not ordinary, incl. Mrs. Hudson .

Last edited by anjaH_alias (January 13, 2014 11:56 am)

**Posted by Hera** January 13, 2014 2:01 pm

anjaH_alias wrote:
Hera wrote:
Don't people call other people "psychopath" all the time for no real reason? I wouldn't take that term literally.
This. John was angry, about the situation, Mary etc. Maybe also angry about himself, permanently chosing that kind of friends. He said that, but he didn´t mean it literally. Though they are all not ordinary, incl. Mrs. Hudson .

Yes, exactly my thoughts.

**Posted by tonnaree** January 13, 2014 2:33 pm

anjaH_alias wrote:
Hera wrote:
Don't people call other people "psychopath" all the time for no real reason? I wouldn't take that term literally.
This. John was angry, about the situation, Mary etc. Maybe also angry about himself, permanently chosing that kind of friends. He said that, but he didn´t mean it literally. Though they are all not ordinary, incl. Mrs. Hudson .

Yes, John was in a right state and there is no telling what could've come out of his mouth. Frankly I'm surprised there weren't more four letter words.

**Posted by Mattlocked** January 13, 2014 3:25 pm

I don't remember where in HLV, but didn't someone refer to John and Mary as "two psychopaths", too?

**Posted by anjaH_alias** January 13, 2014 3:28 pm

Yes, in Baker Street, or?

**Posted by Weirdness** January 13, 2014 3:30 pm

Swanpride wrote:
Magnusson did.

Yep. He called them Mr. & Mrs. Psychopath. I probably shouldn't but I'll admit I giggled.

**Posted by anjaH_alias** January 13, 2014 3:32 pm

Swanpride wrote:
Magnusson did.

Ahh, right.

**Posted by silverblaze** January 13, 2014 3:55 pm

anjaH_alias wrote:
Swanpride wrote:
Magnusson did.
Ahh, right.

Pot... kettle.... black

**Posted by Ormond Sacker** January 16, 2014 7:26 pm

I read an essay a while back called "Socialising the Psychopath". It was written at a time where we only had season 1, but basically the writer demonstrated the clear psychopathic features that John displayed already then, or rather features of ASPD as it called today. He's not a full blooded one, but he has sides of his character that are similar.

(As an aside, the writer did the same with the Jude Law's Watson.)

**Posted by RavenMorganLeigh** February 9, 2014 9:27 pm

Ormond Sacker wrote:
I read an essay a while back called "Socialising the Psychopath". It was written at a time where we only had season 1, but basically the writer demonstrated the clear psychopathic features that John displayed already then, or rather features of ASPD as it called today. He's not a full blooded one, but he has sides of his character that are similar.

(As an aside, the writer did the same with the Jude Law's Watson.)

I would LOVE to read this article!!!

**Posted by Willow** February 9, 2014 9:53 pm

RavenMorganLeigh wrote:
Ormond Sacker wrote:
I read an essay a while back called "Socialising the Psychopath". It was written at a time where we only had season 1, but basically the writer demonstrated the clear psychopathic features that John displayed already then, or rather features of ASPD as it called today. He's not a full blooded one, but he has sides of his character that are similar.

(As an aside, the writer did the same with the Jude Law's Watson.)
I would LOVE to read this article!!!

So would I but I can find no trace of it, alas...

**Posted by Ormond Sacker** February 10, 2014 6:50 pm

Sorry my bad, I misremembered the title . It's called "The Watson Effect: Civilizing the Sociopath" and is written by April Toadvine. It can be found in the book "Sherlock Holmes for the 21st Century": Lynnette R. Porter (ed.).
It has a lot of other lovely essays too and while the majority concerns the BBC adaptation, both the RDJ movie, Elementary and "The House of Silks" are treated as well.

Last edited by Ormond Sacker (February 10, 2014 6:53 pm)

**Posted by RavenMorganLeigh** February 10, 2014 6:54 pm

Ormond Sacker wrote:
Sorry my bad, I misremembered the title . It's called "The Watson Effect: Civilizing the Sociopath" and is written by April Toadvine. It can be found in the book "Sherlock Holmes for the 21st Century": Lynnette R. Porter (ed.).
It has a lot of other lovely essays too and while the majority concerns the BBC adaptation, both the RDJ movie, Elementary and "The House of Silks" are treated as well.

AWESOME! Thank you!!!!!!!

**Posted by RavenMorganLeigh** February 10, 2014 10:17 pm

RavenMorganLeigh wrote:
Ormond Sacker wrote:
Sorry my bad, I misremembered the title . It's called "The Watson Effect: Civilizing the Sociopath" and is written by April Toadvine. It can be found in the book "Sherlock Holmes for the 21st Century": Lynnette R. Porter (ed.).
It has a lot of other lovely essays too and while the majority concerns the BBC adaptation, both the RDJ movie, Elementary and "The House of Silks" are treated as well.
AWESOME! Thank you!!!!!!!

Just to let you know, I found the book for Kindle on Amazon.