BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / "Pure reason toppled by sheer melodrama"

**Posted by dienhosp3** January 10, 2016 11:59 am

Hello everyone.
I'm watching Sherlock and really, really, really.... I don't understand this sentence!
"Pure reason toppled by sheer melodrama".
'Cause English is not my native language, so I couldn't understand even if I tried.
Can you explain to me this? I'm grateful for that.
Thanks in advance.

**Posted by Harriet** January 10, 2016 12:26 pm

I'm not a native speaker either, but I will try

SH: His body was never recovered.
MH: To be expected when one pushes a maths professor over a waterfall. Pure reason toppled by sheer melodrama: your life in a nutshell.

The sentence is about the end of Moriarty, a maths professor ("pure reason") who had an end unworthy to his abilities - being pushed down a waterfall ("sheer melodrama"), and includes a warning to Sherlock not to end like that, get himself in emotionally overloaded situations he can't cope with and thus waste his potential. "Your life in a nutshell" also states that Sherlock is on the best way towards it already (in Mycrofts point of view).

**Posted by dienhosp3** January 10, 2016 12:34 pm

Harriet wrote:
I'm not a native speaker either, but I will try

SH: His body was never recovered.
MH: To be expected when one pushes a maths professor over a waterfall. Pure reason toppled by sheer melodrama: your life in a nutshell.

The sentence is about the end of Moriarty, a maths professor ("pure reason") who had an end unworthy to his abilities - being pushed down a waterfall ("sheer melodrama"), and includes a warning to Sherlock not to end like that, get himself in emotionally overloaded situations he can't cope with and thus waste his potential. "Your life in a nutshell" also states that Sherlock is on the best way towards it already (in Mycrofts point of view).

Oh, I just understand it now.
Thank you

**Posted by Harriet** January 10, 2016 12:36 pm

You're welcome I guess there are still more aspects in that sentence. Interesting question!

**Posted by Liberty** January 10, 2016 12:44 pm

I think it also kind of links to "you're not a problem solver, you're a drama queen" (I can't remember the exact quote) - Sherlock tries to let the "reason" side rule, but he tends to be ruled by emotion.

**Posted by dienhosp3** January 10, 2016 1:06 pm

It's the first time I've encountered the word "topple".
I couldn't distinguish it means "to fall" or "to overturn". According to my dictionary, it's a verb (with object) means "to overturn". So now I feel a little confused...

**Posted by Harriet** January 10, 2016 1:33 pm

My dictionary says it might be even overthrow in a political context, else it's fall or overturn.
We have the waterfall context which makes it quite clear, imho, that he's talking about Moriarty first (Moriarty doesn't overturn someone) and his fall, then applies that image to Sherlock.

**Posted by Liberty** January 10, 2016 2:37 pm

Yes, it can mean any of those, and unbalance, push over, etc., so fits both contexts well.

**Posted by Vhanja** January 10, 2016 3:48 pm

I understand it to mean letting the "drama queen" side overturn the side of reason.

**Posted by Lilythiell** January 10, 2016 6:07 pm

Yes, I understood that as well. I hadn't caught the warning to let his emotional side take over, however it does sound like a good interpretation. After all, "[Sherlock's] loss would break [his] heart", wouldn't it? I'm certain that Sherlock has internalised that assertion, even if he didn't (doesn't?) know what to make of it.

The whole scenes in the Stranger's Room show, I think, the attachment between the two brothers -who would not necessarily say it out loud, because "caring is not an advantage" and "all emotion is abhorrent to [them]"
As I've said in the thread on symbolism, the windows behind them are half-heart shaped -not the ridiculous hearts. The proper ones.

"You're not a puzzle solver, you never have been! You're a drama queen!" is what John tells him in TSoT

**Posted by besleybean** January 10, 2016 6:10 pm

Though Mary concedes that John is a drama queen, too.

**Posted by Vhanja** January 10, 2016 6:12 pm

Well, it's shown that Sherlock becomes a lesser detective when he lets "sentiment" cloud his judgement.

**Posted by besleybean** January 10, 2016 6:13 pm

Quite so.

**Posted by Lilythiell** January 10, 2016 6:13 pm

Quite so.
I can't help but think they should combine their drama -yes, that's a new euphemism.
That would make them less of one and hopefully enable them reach some balance. But that's just me.

**Posted by Harriet** January 10, 2016 7:04 pm

Not just you

**Posted by besleybean** January 10, 2016 7:07 pm

I don't think Sherlock will ever be settled as long as England needs him and has dragons for him to slay.
As for John, well, it all depends on that wife.

**Posted by nakahara** January 10, 2016 11:02 pm

Vhanja wrote:
Well, it's shown that Sherlock becomes a lesser detective when he lets "sentiment" cloud his judgement.

It´s sad that after 3 and quarter seasons of Sherlock we conclude that he would be better off as a machine.

**Posted by Lilythiell** January 10, 2016 11:07 pm

Vhanja wrote:
Well, it's shown that Sherlock becomes a lesser detective when he lets "sentiment" cloud his judgement.

But, we have to emphasise that, that's because he doesn't know how to deal/process them.
And he needs someone to bring him to understand how it all works.

**Posted by Schmiezi** January 11, 2016 5:15 am

Lilythiell wrote:
Vhanja wrote:
Well, it's shown that Sherlock becomes a lesser detective when he lets "sentiment" cloud his judgement.
But, we have to emphasise that, that's because he doesn't know how to deal/process them.
And he needs someone to bring him to understand how it all works.

I am sure that this is exactly where the character developement for both Sherlock and John during S4 and S5 will go.

**Posted by besleybean** January 11, 2016 6:39 am

Well it may seem like me wanting my cake and eating it...
But I actually want Sherlock to be a rational, calculating machine for his work.
But he has learned to love at least one person in his life, along the way.