BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Watery pool scene mistake

**Posted by tobeornot221b** February 14, 2012 6:12 pm

Last year, when I was thinking an awful lot about the pool scene and its possible outcome, I noticed something during the conversation between Sherlock and John.
I was absolutely sure that someone would land in the water (primarily Sherlock because he was without his expensive coat!). Why then choose a place like a darkened swimming pool if one hadn’t the intention to organize a watery showdown? It would be a waste of the location!

There are several settings where puddles and wet footprints on the tiling at the edge of the pool can be seen (lights are reflected in them!) – the next moment the tiling appears perfectly dry. Some moments later the puddles return, and then disappear again. It was absolutely not clear to me whether these were the remains of previously shot scenes where water played a role of some kind or whether they were a production mistake.

Now, that I know that nobody ended up in the pool I’d say they were either red herrings or sloppiness.

**Posted by drummerchickSH** February 14, 2012 7:23 pm

Aslo his hand on the gun on minute its both hands the next its only one

**Posted by kazza474** February 15, 2012 4:51 am

The hand on the gun is in the other thread in this section, I posted a video showing it.
The water I haven't seen yet but a lot of those little things don't really add anything or take anything away from the show at all.

**Posted by sherlockskitty** May 20, 2012 4:53 am

It's the director's fault that they weren't paying arttention. I did also wonder-- what would have happened if John had fallen into the pool while sherlock was ripping the bomb off of him? And, another question-- why didn't sherlock throw the bomb into the pool?

**Posted by kazza474** May 20, 2012 5:03 am

I think John was far enough away from the edge of the pool to be safe from falling in.

As for the jacket, why throw it in the water? It may have triggered a reaction for the bomb to detonate; it was designed to be detonated by a shot gun blast, a bit of an over reaction to throw it in the water.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** May 20, 2012 8:40 am

Also, if he'd thrown it in the water he wouldn't have been able to utilise it to force Moriarty to back down.

**Posted by Estela** January 2, 2013 8:22 am

Why by the pool? Isn't there a pool in the case of Moriarty and Carl Powers?

**Posted by Davina** January 2, 2013 8:27 am

Yes. This is the pool where 'little Carl died'. Moriarty says so at the start of the scene in The Great Game.

**Posted by kazza474** January 2, 2013 8:34 am

If you look closely, you can see little Carl's speedos on the very righthandside, hanging from the rafters as a tribute.

**Posted by Estela** January 2, 2013 5:13 pm

yeah I read somebody questioning why by a pool... not sure if it was in this post...so.. that's why. lol coz of "Carl Powers" (read that in Benny's whispering voice. lol)

**Posted by ancientsgate** January 2, 2013 6:15 pm

sherlockskitty wrote:
It's the director's fault that they weren't paying attention.....

Actually I believe there's someone on-set who's responsible for continuity. Whoever it was (maybe they were out with the flu that day?) was not doing their job very well during the pool scene. That's just sloppiness-- the gun changing hands, footprints appearing and disappearing. AFAIK, the director is not responsible for that stuff.

**Posted by Mnemosyne** January 2, 2013 7:43 pm

I have noticed the gun and the jacket continuity errors but never the footprints before. Nicely spotted!

I guess that would have to do with when they got the location to shoot. I'm guessing they probably used the place 'after hours': on one day the puddles created by patrons using the pool had time to dry and on the next they didn't have time and no one noticed.

**Posted by BlinkULDHC** March 23, 2013 6:42 am

Why not throw the bomb in the pool?

There might have been a possibility that the bomb could have short-circuited from the water, setting the bomb off.

**Posted by beekeeper** April 1, 2013 9:14 pm

lol though how many times do we have to watch it to spot the continuity errors? I never see them and they don't bother me, I know what they mean. Its only annoying if you're trying to work out whats important eg with the fall.