BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Which year does it actually start?

**Posted by tehanu** January 12, 2016 1:30 pm

most of TAB is set in 1895, but the beginning is way earlier. Unfortunately the counter after "alternatively" seems to ga pale as it nears the end and I couldn't see how far back it actually got. I have watched 3 times but can't pause. 1881 would be logical as per Doyle and the 2nd Afghan War reference. BUT according to Ariane DeVere's wonderfully helpful transcript, it only reaches 1884.

Do you think it's actually meant to roll all the way back to 1881, only it's to pale to see?

Either way, they have known each other for many more years in this story, at least ten. Nice that Sherlock imagines himself looking so tidy at this point. And, no wonder the MP Mary is not pregnant.

**Posted by Liberty** January 12, 2016 6:30 pm

1884 would make sense if it's meaning the Christmas start (the war and meeting being a flashback?), then the rest taking place in 1885. It looks to me as if it fades out just as it gets to 1884.

Last edited by Liberty (January 13, 2016 7:45 am)

**Posted by TheOtherOne** January 13, 2016 1:05 am

My thoughts:

1881 -> Initial meeting between Sherlock and John
1894 -> When Mary appears in 221B and Emilia Ricoletti case is introduced
1895 -> Carmichael story line

**Posted by ukaunz** January 13, 2016 1:49 am

That makes sense. The opening narration occurs in "present day" 1895 (it's always 1895) and Watson is recalling his time in Afghanistan (battle of Maiwand was in 1880). The next scenes show Watson meeting Stamford and being introduced to Holmes (1881 according to canon). Then we go forward to December 1894 when Lestrade first brings them the Ricoletti case then all the way to the "present" when Watson narrates "It was not for several months that we were to pick up the threads of this strange case again", therefore sometime in 1895.

In canon, the Scandal in Bohemia case happened in 1888, so this fits with the TAB timeline. The Sign of Four (when Watson meets Mary) is said to have happened in 1888 also. I think they were supposed to have married in 1890. (I'm getting these dates from http://www.sherlockpeoria.net/Who_is_Sherlock/SherlockTimeline.html btw.) The Blue Carbuncle story doesn't mention a year, Sherlockian scholars put it around 1887-89, but I'm sure we can ignore that for Moftiss "The dog one" is also assumed to occur in 1889. The Final Problem was set in 1891 and The Empty House was 1894.

Edited to add: Emilia Ricoletti's headstone states that she died on December 18, 1894. Myrcoft also says she was buried "120 years ago" (from 2014, this would be 1894) so I think we can confirm the dates in bold are correct.

Last edited by ukaunz (January 13, 2016 2:03 am)

**Posted by Liberty** January 13, 2016 7:45 am

Watching it again, I'm sure it goes back to 1884 (not 1895). I actually wrote that, but had 1895 in my head - thought I'd mistyped, but no, it's 1884. Very odd. So possibly they've altered the timeline to make John meet Sherlock in 1884 (and the Christmas scenes are still 1894). But as the counter is still spinning, I assume it means that we're on our way back to 1881.

Last edited by Liberty (January 13, 2016 7:53 am)

**Posted by ukaunz** January 13, 2016 8:01 am

That's what I assumed (that the counter was going further when it fades out). Maybe they're being deliberately vague to cover any mismatches with canon

**Posted by tehanu** January 13, 2016 9:55 am

Liberty wrote:
Watching it again, I'm sure it goes back to 1884 (not 1895). I actually wrote that, but had 1895 in my head - thought I'd mistyped, but no, it's 1884. Very odd. So possibly they've altered the timeline to make John meet Sherlock in 1884 (and the Christmas scenes are still 1894). But as the counter is still spinning, I assume it means that we're on our way back to 1881.

ukaunz wrote:
That's what I assumed (that the counter was going further when it fades out). Maybe they're being deliberately vague to cover any mismatches with canon

Thanks, that makes the most sense.