BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Awakenings....

**Posted by clareiow** March 9, 2014 2:22 pm

So, ladies, what is that attracts to you Ben, and when did it happen?

This is so we continue our chat away from the picture thread before the Mods come and get us lol!!

I'll get the ball rolling....

Sherlock was my first Ben encounter. As I've already said the Molly kiss is what did it for me completely although I was heading that way anyhow. The kiss tipped me over the edge.

Aside from his wonderful looks, and we could talk about those all day now, I love him for his soul. He's so captivating, from his body language and passion for his work and his life, right down to the words he uses to express himself. I'm totally engaged when he speaks, like there's no one else around. He's funny too, very self-deprecating, humble. He's also an old-fashioned gentleman....a rare treat these days.

I fantasise most about the conversations we would have, funnily enough. I'd love to be in his company, in his presence. Really get a feel for him (and of him, in my dreams lol!)

He's inspired me, engaged me, captured me.

There's no other way of saying it.

**Posted by TeeJay** March 9, 2014 2:24 pm

Let me repost what I already said in the picture thread:

"TeeJay" wrote:
I think for me it was more a gradual thing. I liked him from the moment I first saw him in Sherlock, but it took series 3 to make me into a fan. Also had to do with the fact that there was quite a lot of Benedict exposure in a short period of time around this Dec/Jan, with The Hobbit, Sherlock, 12 Years and the mind-blowing performance in the Frankenstein play I saw in January. Plus, this very forum might have also played a role.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** March 9, 2014 2:31 pm

My first encounter with him was Sherlock. it was the trailer for Series 2 a while ago... might be a year or two ago. They were showing some of the sheet scene and him saying 'Laters!' I decided from that I wasn't going to watch Sherlock... Not because I found it bad... but because I had a feeling I could addicted and that actor did seem a bit cute! For the longest while after that I did walk around saying 'Laters...'

When I watched The Empty Hearse it was a slow process from "Hmm well... he looks interesting... oh he's smart... I do like the curls... ooh I wish he'd kiss me like that!" ... and when I a week later rushed to get ready to watch "TSo3" I just had butterflies in my stomach and I knew I was in love.

I have actually been trying to figure out if I have seen him before... I remember when this thing happened to me with Cillian Murphy I had seen him in Tron Legacy and couldn't get him out of my head aftet that movie despite his tiny part. that was about 6 months before I became a fan of him... I just can't find anything except the trailers for Series 2

**Posted by Tinks** March 9, 2014 3:09 pm

I've said before that I started watching Sherlock because Martin was in it - I don't find him "cute" but have always loved his acting.
I didn't get Ben at first - then his performance of the role grew on me, but in seasons 1 and 2 I still wouldn't have said I "fancied" him - in fact I think some of the direction was even unflattering to him; which made me admire him a lot as an Actor because many would insist on looking good at all times.
Saw him in TTSS and was surprised by how good looking he actually is.
Saw him in STID and was surprised by how sexy he can be.
Then I saw HLV and there was that scene in the lab where he's supposed to be high, is under made up and in awful clothes and something just went "ping" - I can't explain it more than that... For the rest of that episode I was in awe of his beauty.
Since then I've caught up on more of his work and realised what a talented and often underrated Actor he is.
I avoid reading/ watching too many celeb interviews but those I've seen have made me love him more - I love his intelligence, I'm touched by his seeming vulnerability, impressed by his keenness to soak up knowledge and new experiences, inspired by his interests, moved by his beauty and.... I'd really better stop there!!

Last edited by Tinks (March 9, 2014 3:11 pm)

**Posted by besleybean** March 9, 2014 3:11 pm

I was smitten from seeing the series 1 trailer.

**Posted by mrshouse** March 9, 2014 6:26 pm

My awakening was when hubby gave me the series 1 DVD for my birthday. Beforehand I just read about it and heard it was quite good. In Germany he was not really known. And I might be alone with this but I liked the German dubbing as well but compared to the original... Fun fact: I was not too much on martin during the first series!!!! Love his face and expression sooooo much now! The second series aired in Germany shortly after, trf just did it for me. I read analysis after analysis about the phone call scene and was convinced ever after that Ben and martin could actually do as love interest on screen. Loved stid very much, hubby was too late and looked a bit annoyed, when I told him I would kill him if I didn't get to see bens entrance!!!

**Posted by rebeccaholmes** March 9, 2014 6:31 pm

My awakening was Sherlock S2.

Way before that, I would see the occasionaly Sherlock post pop up on tumblr, and I would constantly question myself 'who the hell is this guy?'... That's when I took upon watching an episode, and I was instantly captured!

At first, I was just captured and amazed by the show, the cinematography, the plots, the general run of the show amazed me, but then I started to develop a massive crush on dear Benedict himself. Once I had got all caught up with the series, I got onto the good ol' google, and started researching about all the other projects that Ben has been in, and I started off with interviews and stuff on YouTube, and then moved onto movies, other tv series, etc.

Ever since then I engrossed myself in everything and anything he's done, and he will literally be the death of me!

**Posted by SpiralStaircase** March 9, 2014 6:36 pm

I've been a huge fan of Sherlock since the beginning but I honestly thought Ben was rather weird looking at first! Sorry! But the character really grew on me, inspiring me to get back into writing fanfiction again after many years hiatus (the last fandom I wrote fanfic for was X-Men, and mostly the Wolverine/Rogue pairing ). It was only watching series 2 that I started finding Sherlock really sexy. All that Irene Adler chemistry. That made me watch some Benedict interviews and I found him really genuine and sweet. And that has inspired me to start watching his other movies and TV work.

**Posted by Zatoichi** March 9, 2014 7:48 pm

My first encounter with Benedict was STID.. I remember reading a short article about the film with his picture and I thought.. "That´s a good looking villain, I´ll have to watch the movie anyway" (I did not like the first one too much). I watched it and thought he was great, but it was the dubbed version and I wasn´t completely hooked yet.

Then along came Sherlock.. In S1 I was already intrigued and thought I´d fancy him, but little did I know . In S2 it became really bad.. lol. After SiB I was all "Awwww" and felt protective about him, after HoB I was completely captivated and became nervous if I didn´t see anything Sherlock-related during the day and after TRF I loved him so much it hurt.

That´s when I began to watch and read Ben´s interviews.. and I can only agree with claireiow, I fell in love with his soul. He is just sooo.. intelligent and funny and perceptive and sensitive and passionate and articulate and and.. I won´t go into detail here because I couldn´t stop gushing then.^^

Last edited by Zatoichi (March 9, 2014 7:52 pm)

**Posted by kaye** March 9, 2014 8:40 pm

Well, it all started with Sherlock for me. My interest in him hit me in Season 2 of Sherlock. I kept fighting it, because he was not, in my opinion, a good looking man, and I thought I simply could not have a crush on a man who is not handsome. How silly of me. What really keeps me coming back to him is his talent, and his personality. And his intelligence. I remember reading an early interview where he said that he wanted to have kids. What woman can resist that?? I do hope he finds the love of his life and settles down. He had a great time at the Oscars, and I know he is doing just fine - but I guess it's just the mothering instinct in me that would have liked it if he could have shared that experience with someone special. I mean, why is this man still single??

I wonder if our adoration for him will ever change if he gets married or starts dating someone? I think part of the allure with Ben is that he is single and looking. We can all fantasize about being 'the one' for him (well, not me since I'm technically old enough to be his mother!).

Last edited by kaye (March 9, 2014 8:41 pm)

**Posted by clareiow** March 9, 2014 8:45 pm

I know what you mean Kaye. I'm married myself but I still think about it...terrible I know :-/

Whoever he finds will be a very special girl, so long as she makes him happy then that's all I want for him. And I'll still dream

**Posted by Tinks** March 9, 2014 10:29 pm

Yeah, it wouldn't change my feelings about him...after all, we only dream and enjoy his work don't we?
I'd actually be delighted to hear that he'd settled down with his soul mate - he deserves to be happy, imo, and I hope he is

**Posted by CuteCumber** March 10, 2014 8:10 am

For me it was just when S3 came out (US)..I'd seen S1 and most of S2, enjoyed them, but didn't go Ben-crazy like now. As a matter of fact I neglected to catch up on TRF til recently so I never understood the Sherlock jump part Behind the curve ball, yes.

**Posted by Le Bear Polar** March 10, 2014 12:57 pm

Thanks for opening the thread Clare! I first saw Ben in Sherlock S1, when my brother excitedly introduced me to this new "crime drama". Sadly I watched it without subtitles and I couldn't for the death of me keep up with Sherlock's high speed deductions! (English not being my first language) So it didn't catch on then. Yet for some reasons I decided to rewatch it and before I knew it I was SO HOOKED. I loved how Benedict stole all the attention of every scene he was in. My admiration for him escalated to a whole new level when I watched STID. I went into the theater excited to watch Chris Pine and I emerged from it completely Cumber-converted. He had a new, sinister yet disturbingly attractive quality to his voice that wasn't there in Sherlock, and his movements, so calculated and poise, reminded me of a jungle cat. Then I went on YT and hunted down all his audio works (first being Ode to Nightingale) and hence begun my irrevocable love affair with this man.

**Posted by Marta** March 17, 2014 5:40 pm

Well, it started with Sherlock. I watched the pilot and fell in love with his voice: the tone, his way of speaking, the speed, I loved it all. I wasn't convinced about the face, I thought he looked too young and his expressions were too theatrical. But until the end of season one, I was completely in love with Sherlock and Ben was perfect Sherlock for me.
And there was hiatus so I watched some interviews and... fell for Benedict ;) There are actors who can only talk about themselves and can't say anything bright and deep about their characters or serious issues, and Benedict was everything but that. I watched almost every interview twice: for a first time I've just been listening to his beautiful voice, admiring how fast does he speak and think, and for a second time, focusing on his words. I love all his inspiring thoughts about Sherlock; I love when he talks about acting in general and his acting methods and choices, I love the fact that he was asked the same question about Smaug like 100 times and he always tried to answer differently and say something new.
So then I watched Ben's other production and I saw that he's not only a smart, charming man but also a wonderful actor.
Besides, he's a true gentleman, always kind and polite, it's really rare among famous people. But he also enjoys life, has fun at the Oscars and laughs when people show him the otter memes. All this together makes him one of the people I'd really like to meet and say: the world is better because you're in it. Benedict is definately the new sexy to me

**Posted by besleybean** March 17, 2014 5:53 pm

How did you see the Pilot?

**Posted by Marta** March 17, 2014 6:08 pm

I meant the first episode, Study in Pink, not the unaired one-hour pilot (which I saw years later).
I often say "pilot" instead of first episode's title when I talk about series and tv shows but in Sherlock's case, I probably shouldn't.

**Posted by besleybean** March 17, 2014 6:12 pm

It's just interesting,because our janitor at work is convinced he saw the pilot and I keep telling him he can't have...on TV I mean!

**Posted by Biggles86** March 17, 2014 7:30 pm

Definitely Sherlock for me, my family have always been Sherlock fans, from the books to Basil Rathbone films and Jeremy Brett on TV so we were all looking forward to this modern twist.

I think the best way to describe it is as a growing ember of love, the more I watched him, the more I admired his scope as an actor and the way he portrays himself in the public eye. I love the way he articulates himself and we always seem to go with him on the stream of consciousness in his brain. A truly talented individual with real charisma and destined for the big time. I just wish I had discovered him years ago, he's a true inspiration to me

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** March 21, 2014 11:27 pm

Last night I realized I actually had an earlier awekening than S3!

During my Christmas holiday my aunt (who had been getting on everyones nerves the entire week) and I were in my mother's living room; cooling down from all the Christmas stress and I turned the telly on, my aunt was busy reading the paper. I was trying to figure out what those men were doing in that military lab when my aunt groaned "That's boring, find something more interesting please". I flipped and left the room in protest.

Thinking back, that was in fact THoB