This cheating theme did not go anywhere I thought it would. There were some very odd things that looked remarkably like clues. In my former career, I was a film VFX supervisor/ post production producer and every singe shot was chosen (and filmed) for strong impact. Nothing was a throwaway or coincidence.
I mainly was suspicious because after John received the note from bus lady, we see his phone photo and the time. We cut to his kitchen, where he has the stocks/finances page of the newspaper spread open on the table. So, when is John Watson ever seriously into reading stocks and financials? We are explicitly SHOWN the paper when it cuts to a close up of his watch and the paper. It shows a flash of the paper, just full of numbers (code???? cipher????) and deliberately shows teh time on his watch- just over 11am.
I rewatched the scene. The look on his face, and the position he holds the paper from the bus lady looks like he is holding it above the paper, comparing something. And then he gets this 'aha' moment on his face, like 'really!!??' It looks like he quickly checks something, makes a decision, then we see his watch and the fact that the paper he is reading is full of numbers and potential codes to a cipher.
Just... from my former professional background, that is way, way too deliberate. Especially after planting a seed with the official birth announcement in the paper, weirdly stating that Sherlock is always on his phone. And the message the bus lady gives him is to... a phone. But now after watching TLD, I have no idea what to think. I was SURE John received a message from Sherlock, who is absolutely known to do this in previous episodes and canon (homeless network/ragamuffin network?). Then at the start of TLD, John says something like 'if Sherlock wanted to get in touch, he'd be pretty obvious/make sure you knew'. Really??? And then in TLD this is never follwed up on? It seems like it HAS to be more than a throwaway.
Anyway. I can be totally, completely wrong but why the heck did John's kitchen scene play out that way? It could have been acted/played so many ways, but like that, it leaves a TON of doubt as to John's real intentions (cheating vs ciphering).
*edited for thumbs typing on mobile...
Last edited by WhoIWantToBe (January 9, 2017 12:19 pm)