BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / How will John react when he finds out Sherlock isn't dead?

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** May 20, 2012 12:36 am

Yeah very true...and those are certainly things which stand out as "not quite making sense". But I think it would be a shame if they went down that route and had John working it out before Sherlock's return...it's not canon for a start off, hehe.

**Posted by Molly Hooper** May 20, 2012 6:10 am

Wouldn't it be AWFUL if John got a new flatmate, a NORMAL one!
I think Sherlock is staying with Molly () or one of her relatives (you never hear about Sherlock's family, maybe you will in S3!)

**Posted by sherlockskitty** May 20, 2012 6:34 am

It was said by Mark Gratiss that they won't have John fainting. I'd love to see John punch Sherlock and knock him to the floor---that's what I keep thinking abt when I lay down to sleep. Some swear words by John would not be amiss. Question is, WHERE will this happen? I would LOVE to see Sherlock holing up with Mycroft in their mother's house, and their mum happens to be away. Of course Molly knows the secret of how sherlock survived and so does Mycroft. and I have no idea as to how long it will be before sherlock reveals himself....but I cannot WAIT!!! waiting is the hardest part, and I also read somewhere that Ben knows how this episode will play out. But he's not talking. drat.

janeco I love your snoopy dearstalker avatar. or icon.

Last edited by sherlockskitty (May 20, 2012 6:35 am)

**Posted by JaneCo** May 20, 2012 8:07 am

Thank you sherlockskitty. Achieved with the 'advice' of a teenage daughter in that exasperated tone they do so well, (can't imagine where she gets it from).

I'd love Gatiss and Moffatt to find a twist on Sherlock's return in which John deflates his ego.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** May 20, 2012 8:11 am

In the canon Sherlock is in Europe still working as a detective solving crimes but under a different name, and helping to capture members of Moriarty's gang. He returns to London when he gets a tip off about Sebastian Moran which is where it leads them into the Adventure of the Empty House. Great story by the way, would recommend reading it if you haven't done so yet.

**Posted by Molly Hooper** May 20, 2012 8:29 am

I think I should watch the S3 first (I know, the wrong way around!)

**Posted by JaneCo** May 20, 2012 8:31 am

Yes, I agree that they will most likely have him out there having adventures rather than lying low with friends or family. He would go mad and it would be impossible to contain him (think of how 'twitchy' he gets when he has't solved a crime since this morning!).

I've been wondering since my last post if the thing that Sherlock did in the last episode that fits with the Moffatt clue, (much talked about at the time) that Sherlock did something 'out of character', was his total lack of concern for Mrs Hudson when he heard that she was dying. Although, as others have pointed out he seemed to do so much in TRF that was out of character. How typical of Moffatt and Gatiss to hide a tree in a forest.

**Posted by Davina** May 20, 2012 1:43 pm

Perhaps Sherlock could go to NY city to work there in disguise.

**Posted by Irene Adler** May 20, 2012 2:06 pm

Davina wrote:
Perhaps Sherlock could go to NY city to work there in disguise.

Oooh... I see what you're trying to do...

**Posted by sherlockskitty** May 22, 2012 6:44 am

If I remember correctly, Mycroft DID know that Sherlock was alive, and they kept in touch with Newspaper want adds. It was their little code. Mycroft supplied info as to where Moriarty's gang was hiding, and Sherlock offed them, one by one. Sherlock also solved the murder of the then prime minister of England. The last gang member, Moran, ended up in the states, in the EMPTY HOUSE and that's where Sherlock and John finally met up, to catch Moran.

In this series, I don't see it quite happening that way. We saw the empty house already, in the unaired pilot, where John shot the cabby from. So----hmmmm. I can't stasnd the suspense. can someone put a bee in the producer's bonnett, to speed things up a little?

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** May 22, 2012 10:17 am

They're definitely doing The Empty House as the first episode back - it's been confirmed...

**Posted by Davina** May 22, 2012 11:11 am

Woo hoo! Yippee! Golly! Can't wait...but got too!

**Posted by sherlockskitty** May 22, 2012 10:26 pm

I can't wait for the Empty House episode. But I still wonder WHERE and HOW Sherlock will meet up with Watson. And I still don't think that meeting will happen in the empty house...like it did in the canon. booo hooo!! we have to wait!!! whatever shall we do, till then?

**Posted by kazza474** May 23, 2012 3:09 am

I'm pleased that they are basing it on the Empty House, it shows that they aren't going to get too 'full of themselves' and divert too much from the canon.
Not that I had any doubt that they would really; I've always stated that they will stick close to the true 'feel' of the original. But always good to get some extra confirmation.
It means the success hasn't gone to their heads.

**Posted by Davina** May 23, 2012 7:12 am

Can we expect the unexpected? Some sort of Moffgiss play on the idea of an empty house? Just thinking.

**Posted by JaneCo** May 23, 2012 4:09 pm

They do delight in 'wrong footing' the fans

**Posted by Sammy** May 23, 2012 7:32 pm

Hm, it really depends on 1. how much time has passed and 2. how John will find out.
For example, if there is a lot of foreshadowing and John thinking he's seeing Sherlock's ghost or something like that. Or whether he learns it via text or phone call or meeting Sherlock in person... or whether he learns it through Sherlock at all or maybe Molly or Mycroft.

But I guess it's gonna be more like a dramatic appearance of Sherlock, very surprising for John.
In that case, I guess John will be very shocked and speechless at first, just staring at Sherlock for some seconds.
Then, now convinced this is actually happening and Sherlock is actually alive, a stream of swear words, shouting, maybe pushing Sherlock. I don't think he will hit him, like, in the face... that would be kinda inappropriate.
And then his anger is subsided and it will be quite emotional and a hug .
I NEED a hug! I swear, if they're not gonna hug...

**Posted by tobeornot221b** May 23, 2012 7:38 pm

Avoiding a hug after all that? No-one, not even John and Sherlock, could be supposed THAT British!

At least, I hope not...

**Posted by Smoggy_London_Air** May 25, 2012 4:51 pm

Someone evil on tumblr suggested that John will not react and instead just allow Sherlock to slip seamlessly back into his life. Only after a while, Sherlock will notice that he's a little on edge all the time. He won't mind though because he'll think he deserves so much worse.

It's only when Lestrade or Mrs. Hudson or someone asks Sherlock a question or talks to him that John will freak out and exclaim "Jesus, you can see him too?!?"

I don't think Moftiss would do this to us but it'll be interesting to see.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** May 25, 2012 6:48 pm

LOLOL, that would be hilarious...but no I don't think they'll do it like that, even though it's very funny. That's a fan version definitely...

In The Empty House Sherlock pulls a cruel trick on Watson by dressing in disguise then revealing his true identity at which point Watson faints...I think there'll go for something equally dramatic but more modern...Sherlock will just turn up out of the blue and surprise John expecting him to just be happy to have him back, not really thinking about the deeper emotional effect that it will have had on him thinking his friend was dead for three years or however long they decide to make it.

After John freaks out and possibly punches Sherlock I definitely think there'll be a hug. A manly hug though. Obviously.