BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Not so different?

**Posted by maryagrawatson** July 13, 2014 9:51 pm

besleybean wrote:
He wasn't joking about her breasts and mouth, he was being entirely serious.

My point is that if he can look at a woman he barely tolerates and have enough knowledge of human nature to make the exact comment that will destroy her, he can most certainly joke with a good friend about sex. I really don't find it much of a leap. The comment in SIB feels much more out of character for Sherlock than does his possibly going with the euphemism interpretation of putting up shelves.

Mary

**Posted by besleybean** July 13, 2014 9:54 pm

Sherlock is extremely fond of Molly and always has been.
But he wasn't using the 'shelves' comment as a euphemism.

**Posted by Harriet** July 13, 2014 9:54 pm

Evidence?

**Posted by besleybean** July 13, 2014 9:59 pm

Only that Sherlock has never made such a joke before and it's quite clear the joke was: no I wasn't doing detective work, I was doing carpentry of course! Classic English sarcastic joke.

**Posted by Harriet** July 13, 2014 10:06 pm

Well. he didn't speak of "carpentry". Instead he used a possibly slippery phrase. Remarkable.

**Posted by besleybean** July 13, 2014 10:10 pm

Something else you can ask Mark about.
But in the entirety of things, I doubt Mark would write Sherlock making that kind of joke.
It's not very funny to even jokingly imply you've given somebody sex as a return favour... just naff.

**Posted by Harriet** July 13, 2014 10:18 pm

Why should it be a joke? Maybe it's the truth and he helped him put up his shelves thoroughly and with expertise?

**Posted by besleybean** July 13, 2014 10:20 pm

It could well be the truth, that he put some shelves up for the guy.
Again, the point being it's not something we would expect of Sherlock.

**Posted by Harriet** July 13, 2014 10:22 pm

If so, it was nice of him. Who wouldn't need such help from time to time?

**Posted by besleybean** July 13, 2014 10:23 pm

Which was the point of the comment.
So you agree with me?

**Posted by Harriet** July 13, 2014 10:26 pm

Yes. Absolutely. I would definitely want him to help me put it up

**Posted by Schmiezi** July 14, 2014 6:12 am

I think that Sherlock's comment on seeing a man about his dog in "Hounds" shows us that he is not above silly jokes like that one when he feels comfortable in someone's presence.
It has been pointed out often enough that Molly and Sherlock are closer in S3.
Hence IMO it is not out of character for Sherlock to make a silly little joke on sex in Molly's company.

QED

Last edited by Schmiezi (July 14, 2014 6:13 am)

**Posted by besleybean** July 14, 2014 7:26 am

Silly jokes are fine.
A 'gay' joke to Molly is different.
And again. Sherlock wasn't joking about the dog: he was seeing the hotel owner about the dog they'd just shot.

**Posted by Schmiezi** July 14, 2014 7:49 am

besleybean wrote:
Silly jokes are fine.
A 'gay' joke to Molly is different.

How so?

besleybean wrote:
And again. Sherlock wasn't joking about the dog: he was seeing the hotel owner about the dog they'd just shot.

Evidence?

**Posted by besleybean** July 14, 2014 8:09 am

The evidemce is they'd just shot his dog!
A dead body is about the best evidence you can get.

Last edited by besleybean (July 14, 2014 8:11 am)

**Posted by Schmiezi** July 14, 2014 8:16 am

LOL, right.

But let's assume the writers did not accidentially make Sherlock use a phrase that usually means "I'm going to the toilet." (Because what do we say about coincidence?) What was the point in giving Sherlock that line? To demonstrate that he does not know the expression and to make fun of him accidentially use it? IMo, that does not make much sense.

**Posted by besleybean** July 14, 2014 8:19 am

' seeing a man about a dog' refers to a dodgy deal.

**Posted by Schmiezi** July 14, 2014 8:22 am

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=See%20a%20man%20about%20a%20dog

Phrase used to conceal one's true destination, especially in response to an awkward question. Is commonly used in Britain when one is headed to the toilet. See also going to see a man about a dog"Are you and your wife coming out tonight?" "Uhhhh, I need to see a man about a dog."

"How come you're leaving the table?" "I need to see a man about a dog."

**Posted by SusiGo** July 14, 2014 8:24 am

Just throwing in my five cents for the shelves - please remember who wrote that episode. After having read all of Mark's novels and looked at his notorious opus "The King's Men" I will never ever believe that he would include such a remark without any ulterior motives. Just saying.

And in the online dictionary I use the toilet explanation is the first and only one that is given. So John make a toilet joke and Sherlock responds in kind.

Last edited by SusiGo (July 14, 2014 8:32 am)

**Posted by besleybean** July 14, 2014 9:55 am

Having been born in England and lived in Britain all my life.
Never how I would use that expression.
And Mark is from my part of England.
If you were sneaking out of work or something, you would say: I'm going to see a man about a dog.