BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / What does everybody think of chibi/baby Sherlock in this series?

**Posted by Willow** January 19, 2014 7:12 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
Sherlock is just about the most nepotistic show on the BBC so...

GATISS: "We need someone to play Mary?"
MOFFAT: "How about Martin's missus?"

GATISS: "We need someone to play Sherlock's parents?"
MOFFAT: "How about Benedict's parents?"

GATISS: "We need someone to play kid Sherlock?"
MOFFAT: "How about my kid? He has curly hair, perfect."

Haha, I'm not complaining, just taking the piss. I think he was cute and did a good job. I liked seeing kid Sherlock, especially in that context. Pretty heartbreaking stuff. Typical of Moffat to use his son to break the fandom.

I think the actors really worked their socks off to prove that they were absolutely the right people for the roles; they probably worked harder than non-relations would have done to ensure that the nepotism charges wouldn't stick!

**Posted by SusiGo** January 19, 2014 7:20 pm

Actually, in my headcanon Archie from TSoT was Little Sherlock. Not just because of the curls but his wonderful and eccentric curiosity about murders was how I imagine Sherlock at that age.

But his does not mean that I do not like Louis in the part. Of course they could not use the same child actor twice. And I like the idea of showing hints of Sherlock's childhood but they should not overdo it.

**Posted by besleybean** January 19, 2014 7:25 pm

Oh I think it's clear nepotism.
But so what?
It's up to them.
All those in the roles are right for them, cos they're all good actors.
They could have chosen any number of other good actors, but they just happened to choose these ones.
The British Isles has plenty talent!
Just one thing,
Martin: please don't pretend that Amanda had to audition, I don't beleive it for a minute.But she's fine
I mean, I think they would have all been called in to read. But I do not think any of the family members will have been up against anybody else.

**Posted by besleybean** January 19, 2014 8:29 pm

Well I think things would be odd if there hadn't been chemistry between Martin and Amanda,
And betwen Benedict and Timothy and Wanda!
Martin and Amanda had worked together before...
And Benedict has worked with his dad before, of course.
But I know what you mean.
My ponit was, they wouldn't have applied and been sat in a corridor with half a dozen other candidates!
I'm sure all parts could have been written for them.

Last edited by besleybean (January 19, 2014 8:31 pm)

**Posted by stoertebeker** January 19, 2014 8:30 pm

Moffat confirmed in an interview that Louis had to go through audition to get the part and that he and his wife did not intervene with the decision.

**Posted by besleybean** January 19, 2014 8:34 pm

Yeah, like who's gonna say: No?!
If he'd been rubbish, they would have done.
But obviously he was good enough, so why look elsewhere?
Remember, Benedict was their only choice.
I repeat.
They all got the roles through talent.
But there are other talents who could equally have had the roles.

**Posted by dartmoordoggers** January 19, 2014 8:46 pm

I have no problem with it if it works. And clearly it does. Not that anyones going to complain. Benedict has his mum and dad. Moffat and Vertue have their son. Martin has his wife. And Gatiss has his husband.
And in some ways it adds to the warmth of the show. Benedict has said the clutch with Una in the 'game is on scene' from ASiP and the pinching food out of the fridge during the 'england would fall' were both unscripted moments that were taken from his past relationship with Una. And I like to think 'I'm going to have words with your mother' had already been said by Una to Benedict sometime during his childhood.

**Posted by besleybean** January 19, 2014 8:52 pm

Or even on set!

**Posted by Davina** January 20, 2014 11:36 am

Personally, I do have a problem with excessive nepotism in any walk of life. There is a fine line here. Wanting a particular actor in a role for a potential series is not exactly the same thing at all.

**Posted by silverblaze** January 20, 2014 1:11 pm

besleybean wrote:
Yeah, like who's gonna say: No?!
If he'd been rubbish, they would have done.
But obviously he was good enough, so why look elsewhere?
Remember, Benedict was their only choice.
I repeat.
They all got the roles through talent.
But there are other talents who could equally have had the roles.

Agreed wholeheartedly.
Nepotism is a way too strong word for this process. They know a lot of very talented actors, some of whom happen to be very good candidates for the roles that they create. Naturally they're gonna think about those people. Sure there would be plenty of other talented people who are also good for the roles, but why go through an audition process when you already know someone who fits very well? It's not science. It would be nepotism if the actors were very bad, that's not the case.

I think Sue and Steven really tried to not influence the audition but I hardly believe the production team would be completely unbiased. It's simply not possible to remove bias ever. What they did do is cast a very good young actor.

**Posted by Mrs. Watson** January 20, 2014 1:58 pm

dartmoordoggers wrote:
And I like to think 'I'm going to have words with your mother' had already been said by Una to Benedict sometime during his childhood.

LOL I thought the same.