Episode 3.1, "The Empty Hearse"

[J.P.]

I would let him catch me, although mostly he would just look on as I land with a thud.

When I was a kid my father always told me not to catch him while he was working at height.

 

If Sherlock would try to catch me, we would have a JPlash anyway plus a Flatlock underneath.

 

Wait..there is a hole in the plot.. why would you want to put a shelf when it's only accessible by ladder?

There is not much space in 221c, I need every inch of the walls. So I have shelves that reach to the ceiling.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Actually, it sounds more like something you'd receive in the mail....

XD :lol: :lol:

 

 

 

If Sherlock would try to catch me, we would have a JPlash anyway plus a Flatlock underneath.

I believe we have quite a lot of Sherlockian terms collected up to today. :lol:

And I suppose Flatlock can be represented by Cumberflat as well?

 

Wait..there is a hole in the plot.. why would you want to put a shelf when it's only accessible by ladder?

There is not much space in 221c, I need every inch of the walls. So I have shelves that reach to the ceiling.

Get you.. get you..! Call it..!

Had been suspicious since you posted the sticker on the door that you claimed as 221C's.

This is the ultimate proof that 221C Baker Street is still available people, Miss J.P. just tries to decoy us into believing that it's taken.

 

Here is the proof:

You don't need ladder to reach 221C's ceiling,.not even for John Watson. Sherlock can literally put a shelf on highest point of the wall using his nose.

 

Hmm? Hmm? Hmmmmmmm??

 

P.S. I am not crazy, it's not my fault that I rewatched TGG (again! and twice!) since they have it on the plane. Just need some sleep and will wake up with another type of insanity.

P.S The posts might confuse the hell out of new members. XD sorry..!

[J.P.]

Well, I'm a very small person. I need a ladder even to reach Sherlock's nose.

And the size of the room is just stupid perspective and camera angle.

 

And Flatlock sounds more in-universe. Cumberflat would occure if I asked Ben to help me with the shelf.

[Arcadia]

You two.

 

One and all, I present to you the comedy team of JP and Van Buren (aka Nut of the Week). Coming soon to a thread near you.

[J.P.]

Re: 3 Kisses. I indeed meant the kiss with Jim. I think... Not sure though. I think I'm just starting to delete things...

 

 

Arcadia: 1. Maybe the reason Sherlock had to be dead was not to go after Jim's network, but to make sure Jim's network didn't come after him and his friends. (Still doesn't explain why Sherlock was the one to go after the network, but I guess he had to have something to do. )

 

Yes. They didn't know what hit them.

 

 

Maybe I mentioned this before? But watching (the torture scene) this time, I had a sudden thought.....what if Sherlock knew it was Mycroft all along? Or at least from the moment big brother opened his mouth? The smile might mean Sherlock already knew why Mycroft was there. Although that makes his "Khan" moment less understandable.

I don't think Sherlock thinks he was beaten to a pulp; that's all part of the fun and games. I think he was irked that Mycroft was trying to take credit for his rescue, when in his own mind he had everything under control. Maybe he was just trying to annoy Mycroft when he went into Khan mode. After all, annoying Mycroft is his version of golf, isn't it? :P

 

 

Van Buren: Oh.. I like his look at that scene so much, and no coincidence I really like his potrayal as Khan.
Actually in my mind, I don't think Sherlock is traumatized by the torture at all, everything physical seems just like another unimportant things to him, unlike the time he was traumatized when he doubted himself in HOB.

 

I think the part of trauma is being out of control. Probably Sherlock always knew he would find a way to get free.

 

 

And I also believe that Mycroft is not that sadistic to enjoy his torture, he couldn't intervene sooner because he doesn't have the physicallity to defeat the torturer?

 

Don't know. I had the impression he was someone important and of higher rank. He still had to get Sherlock out of that place, past all the soldiers. I definitely don't like Mycroft's attitude here.

 

 

Having said that, it's very bad of him to say to Sherlock,"do you have any idea how it's like, Sherlock, going under cover?" Really Mycroft? Sherlock doesn't know how it's like? You are supposed to be smart!

 

Oh it could be different, Mycroft is not Sherlock, he does not do the legwork, doesn't work with other humans. He had no opportunity to learn and get accustomed to that.

 

 

Three portions? They would order two, and one extra portion free of charge?

 

Two. The one he bought for himself and the free one for Molly. But maybe it were three. Sherlock is still occupied with the food when Mary storms in 221B.

 

 

Another thing about this episode..
Is that mean that John is the ultimate headbutter?
Sherlock headbutted Frankland, he won.
Sherlock headbutted CIA agent, he won.
I can't remember, but I guess there is one more.
Then, John headbutted Sherlock, and John won!!

Or does headbutter always win against headbutt-ee?

 

Headbutt is a great self defense trick. It's like being hit by a watermelon. You don't have to be strong, you only have to be sure that your head will reach the opponent's face.

 

 

J.P., on 18 Jul 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

Sometimes I want to ask John: "why can't you just be happy that Sherlock is alive and in one piece after all? He did it to fight the network of the man who put explosives on you! He wanted to protect you!"

 

Carol: But does John know that? I don't believe we ever saw it explained to him (other than "Moriarty had to be stopped"). And at the time, he was (understandably) kinda hung up on why Sherlock had kept him in the dark for two years.

 

IT wasn't explained on the screen... on the other hand John isn't living at 221B anymore. Maybe there was no opportunity. John isn't very good at asking the right question.

[J.P.]

What is new in TEH and what I really liked was the great rapport between Sherlock and Mary. She is able to make him behave like a normal human. Sometimes I really think they would make a decent couple. :D

Sherlock is quite intrigued by Mary when they meet. Some of it can be that little something he doesn't want to see because of his caring for John, but maybe he is stunned by his own reaction to her. "Human? Nature? Nah..." - he looks and sounds so absolutely normal, with a pinch of humor. Or the "find him a case" scene. Or the answer he gives when Mary asks about him attending the wedding... And it will continue to the end. He even kisses her in the next episode!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Sometimes I want to ask John: "why can't you just be happy that Sherlock is alive and in one piece after all? He did it to fight the network of the man who put explosives on you! He wanted to protect you!"

 

But does John know that? I don't believe we ever saw it explained to him (other than "Moriarty had to be stopped"). And at the time, he was (understandably) kinda hung up on why Sherlock had kept him in the dark for two years.

 

It wasn't explained on the screen... on the other hand John isn't living at 221B anymore. Maybe there was no opportunity. John isn't very good at asking the right question.

 

... and Sherlock isn't very good at answering it!

 

[Arcadia]

I think the part of trauma is being out of control. Probably Sherlock always knew he would find a way to get free.

That's a good point, especially for someone as self-controlled as Sherlock. He might even think of torture as just another way to test himself!

 

What is new in TEH and what I really liked was the great rapport between Sherlock and Mary. She is able to make him behave like a normal human. Sometimes I really think they would make a decent couple. :D

Sherlock is quite intrigued by Mary when they meet. Some of it can be that little something he doesn't want to see because of his caring for John, but maybe he is stunned by his own reaction to her. "Human? Nature? Nah..." - he looks and sounds so absolutely normal, with a pinch of humor. Or the "find him a case" scene. Or the answer he gives when Mary asks about him attending the wedding... And it will continue to the end. He even kisses her in the next episode!

As impossible as it sounds, considering what she did to him, I hope they still have that rapport in S4, simply because it brings out a side of Sherlock that we don't get to see with anyone else, not even Molly. Also I love that she can tell when he's lying; someone needs to!

[J.P.]

I just found another word for Sherlock's behavour aroung Mary: relaxed.

There is no competition. There is no fear of being exposed. No playing games.

He has his defense down.

Amazing, actually. Does he see her as an older sibling he always wanted to have?

 

PS: I almost called a collegue "Sherlock" because I was just typing the name. It's getting risky, that obsession lark.

[Van Buren Supernova]

What is new in TEH and what I really liked was the great rapport between Sherlock and Mary. She is able to make him behave like a normal human. Sometimes I really think they would make a decent couple. :D

Sherlock is quite intrigued by Mary when they meet. Some of it can be that little something he doesn't want to see because of his caring for John, but maybe he is stunned by his own reaction to her. "Human? Nature? Nah..." - he looks and sounds so absolutely normal, with a pinch of humor. Or the "find him a case" scene. Or the answer he gives when Mary asks about him attending the wedding... And it will continue to the end. He even kisses her in the next episode!

Actually, shamelessly, on my first watch, I thought 'I like him' is I like him.

I thought, seriously? I don't need love triangle shit in this series. 

 

 

As impossible as it sounds, considering what she did to him, I hope they still have that rapport in S4, simply because it brings out a side of Sherlock that we don't get to see with anyone else, not even Molly. Also I love that she can tell when he's lying; someone needs to!

 

Even Sherlock consults Youtube :lol:

 

I just found another word for Sherlock's behavour aroung Mary: relaxed.

There is no competition. There is no fear of being exposed. No playing games.

He has his defense down.

Amazing, actually. Does he see her as an older sibling he always wanted to have?

 

 

Maybe he feels connection to him because she is smart? And she is very good to him, from helping him making his case when John is angry and yelling, to actually offers to speak to John. That is when he starts to notice that this gal is very different with the others that John had dated.

Again, on my first watch, I thought Liar is Sherlock disbelieving that Mary will fulfil her promise to talk to John.

 

Really like their chemistry together and Mary in TEH and TSoT, but HLV..... 

[Arcadia]

Actually, even in HLV their chemistry was pretty good, except for .... uh .... a slight misunderstanding, shall we say. But even back in 221B afterwards, she's sassing him, a little. ("You can talk!") Then they hug and kiss at the airport. (Sherlock! Hugging! And kissing!) It's remarkable, when you think about it. Unbelievable, even... :p

[Inge l-w]

Since S3 is my least favourite of the whole concept, I must admit that I like TEH slightly more than SoT and HLV because of its elements of comedy.

Mycroft as a super agent revealing who he is with that "brother mine" in Serbian before he even discloses the rest of his plans.

The scene in his office, which they admitted later they added as a filler.

The three scenarios of Sherlock's fall, especially Anderson's Bond version of it, which explains why Sherlock gave him the established version (not the definitive one) , because Sherlock wanted to confront him about the faked murder scene and at the same time baffle and confuse him, just another Sherlock prank, nothing unusual.

The intransigence of Dr Watson in the face of what should have been the fulfilment of his innmost wish: in TRF he asked for one more miracle, when it was finally standing in front of him in flesh and bones he proceeded to show that his anger management and trust issues do NOT make him Sherlock's best friend.

The deceptive cuteness of Mary that can pull the wool over the eyes of a man like Sherlock Holmes: he deduces "liar" and gives her a quizzical look when she talks about its being a skip code, but is otherwise willing to let her rule his flat for two episodes in a row and play hostess at the end of the episode.

The whole Houses of Parliament thing going up in flames exactly like V for Vendetta.

Sherlock and Mycroft's interaction, especially the hat-deducing sequence lifted right out of the Blue Carbuncle.

It's got everything and nothing, it's light as air or a very successful choux a la creme: pleasant to the eye, wonderfully light in consistency and equally easily devoured.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Actually, even in HLV their chemistry was pretty good, except for .... uh .... a slight misunderstanding, shall we say. But even back in 221B afterwards, she's sassing him, a little. ("You can talk!") Then they hug and kiss at the airport. (Sherlock! Hugging! And kissing!) It's remarkable, when you think about it. Unbelievable, even... :P

 

Are you quoting Sally Donovan?  :P

[Inge l-w]

Of course it's unbelievable! By the end of HLV, he has deduced Mary, her murky past, and has all the information Magnussen deigned to offer during the flicking scene! He just puts up a front to lull Mary into security and make sure she stays at John's side until the supposed birth; after all he has worked pretty #%*#*%# hard to keep those two together, and he needs to know that John will be safe, now that he himself won't be there to do so. In fact, it seems that he did such a lot of thinking at the hospital that even his "You can trust Mary" and "Mixed messages, I grant you" could be considered part of his scheme to keep Mary near John. It's a wonderful smokescreen, as evidenced by Mary's unusually strong reaction to the news right at the end. Is she more worried that Sherlock won't leave, after all, or that her possible former employer may still be alive?

If a man can fake tears (vid. TGG), he can fake smiles and hugs, they are easier!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hmm, so you think Mary is actually one of Moriarty's operatives -- maybe the real Mor(st)an?  Considering what else Moftiss have done to the canon female characters (but not -- yet? -- to their own dear Molly), I wouldn't be at all surprised.  I would be hugely disappointed, though, for two reasons:  1) Hey, guys, can't you come up with any way to make your female characters "interesting" other than to turn them into criminals? and 2) That's just about all John needs right now, another nasty surprise.

 

In your scenario, I'm assuming that Sherlock wants them together so John can keep an eye on her -- in which case it seems like John would have to be in on the plan, which seems unlikely.  Either he believes Sherlock's accusation or he doesn't.  If he doesn't, he'll raise a holy stink and quite possibly shut Sherlock out of his life.  And if he does even partly believe Sherlock, then we're right back to John is a lousy liar.

 

Upon re-reading your post, though, it sounds more like Sherlock thinks of Mary as a reformed Moriarty operative and really does trust her.  So she's keeping an eye on John, rather than vice versa.  In which case, why does Sherlock need to "lull" Mary?

[Inge l-w]

Sorry, dear Carol, sometimes I do not set out everything in logical order, as I should, conditioned training and all.

My thoughts are that from the moment he faces her in Magnussen's office and tells her he will take the case ( bound by his vow), he starts on the long path down Mary's past.

This she reinforces by visiting him in hospital and asking him not to tell John. During his first mind palace scene ghost Moriarty had strengthened his fears with "that woman" and "John Watson is definitely in danger", which both help him back to life but also trigger thoughts of Dr Watson being in danger by daily contact with Mary.

After Janine's visit he himself lowers the drug dose in order to be able to think clearly.

His conclusions lead to the whole Leinster Gardens-flat confrontation.

He needs John to know what Mary is, so that the doctor can protect himself from her and decide about their future together, as evidenced by John's chair back in the flat and the bottle of perfume on the side table.

At the same time, incapacitated by his further injuries, he cannot protect John himself, therefore he tells him to trust Mary (so that she doesn't decide to eliminate his best friend and vanish) and warns him with the "Mixed messages, I grant you" before he collapses.

He tries to keep them together, especially keep Mary hoping that she can still remain undetected by official agencies and the families of her other victims as a plain suburban housewife/nurse, so he engineers the Christmas family get-together to include Mary, where even his dad (the normal one) can pick up on the tension between the largely estranged couple.

He probably primes Dr Watson with his prepared speech for Mary in an attempt to keep her from doing any further harm. "These are prepared words, Mary", yes, but by whom?

He strikes a "deal with the devil" in order to get Mary's past evidence in his hands, so as to keep John safe by making her stick to her commitments and her avowed love for his best friend.

Lord Smallwood having committed suicide is, of course, the direct analogy from the original story of the Hon. Ms. Miles having broken up with her fiancé a day before the wedding, casting Mary's secret as Lady Eva Blackwell's juvenile letters.

Right before leaving for his mission, whose probable result he carefully keeps from Dr Watson, he still needs Mary to believe that she can remain under cover of the protection of a husband and a baby, so there are hugs and kisses. As I said, if he can fake tears, the former are much less difficult. But his overriding concern is to keep John safe FROM Mary, since he won't be there any more to do so himself.

[J.P.]

Yes, this is another interesting interpretation. Equally possible. (that's why we love the show) We could discuss it further in the HLV thread, it would be interesting to compare Sherlock's normal behavior towards Mary and towards Janine.

[J.P.]

Today I woke up and suddenly asked myself - where is Anderson's wife? :o

[joanneta1]

Very probably had the good sense to leave her half-deranged husband and possibly filed for divorce to retain her sanity, not like our bunch here! :D

[Carol the Dabbler]

I assume you're right, joanneta -- or she finally found out about Sally.  Either way, I don't think he's a married man any longer.

 

Project for anyone who's bored enough to do a screen-cap search:  Find out whether Anderson wore a wedding ring in "Study in Pink," and if so, whether he's still wearing it in "Empty Hearse."

 

[kornmuhme]

Well, a man with such a HORRIBLE beard - which woman could find him attractice?? *shudder*

[Carol the Dabbler]

Maybe he let the beard grow after she left him?  However, I don't think it's particularly unattractive (though certainly not an asset).

[J.P.]

Officially bored - I did the research. Unfortunately we never see if Anderson wears his wedding ring in seasons 1-2. In TEH he definitely has none.

But - as it happens too often - I got stuck, watched more than planned and something struck me in the deduction duel scene.

 

MYCROFT: Tell me.

SHERLOCK: Plain as the nose on your ...

MYCROFT: Tell me.

SHERLOCK (turning back to him): Well, anybody who wears a hat as stupid as this isn’t in the habit of hanging around other people, is he?

MYCROFT: Not at all. Maybe he just doesn’t mind being different. He doesn’t necessarily have to be isolated.

SHERLOCK: Exactly.

(He looks down at the hat again. Mycroft blinks several times, apparently confused.)

MYCROFT: I’m sorry?

SHERLOCK (looking at him)[a bit sarcastic*]: He’s different – so what? Why would he mind? You’re quite right.

(He lifts the hat and perches it on the top of his head, then looks pointedly at his brother.)

SHERLOCK: Why would anyone mind?

(Mycroft opens his mouth but seems to struggle to speak for a moment.)

MYCROFT: ... I’m not lonely, Sherlock.

(Sherlock tilts his head down and looks closely at him, then steps nearer with an intense expression on his face.)

SHERLOCK: How would you know?

*my addition

 

What I saw this time is that Sherlock ironically asking his brother who would ever mind to be different, is putting the cap on, somehow taking the place of the guy in funny hat (= a weirdo). So his question is actually: "why someone different like me (and you, Mycroft) would ever mind to be isolated?" As if he was questioning their no-involvement philosophy.

 

Does it make sense to anyone but me?

 

On the lighter note: again - the shortage of costumes at BBC :D

[Arcadia]

Officially bored - I did the research. Unfortunately we never see if Anderson wears his wedding ring in seasons 1-2. In TEH he definitely has none.

But - as it happens too often - I got stuck, watched more than planned and something struck me in the deduction duel scene.

 

 

MYCROFT: Tell me.

SHERLOCK: Plain as the nose on your ...

MYCROFT: Tell me.

SHERLOCK (turning back to him): Well, anybody who wears a hat as stupid as this isn’t in the habit of hanging around other people, is he?

MYCROFT: Not at all. Maybe he just doesn’t mind being different. He doesn’t necessarily have to be isolated.

SHERLOCK: Exactly.

(He looks down at the hat again. Mycroft blinks several times, apparently confused.)

MYCROFT: I’m sorry?

SHERLOCK (looking at him)[a bit sarcastic*]: He’s different – so what? Why would he mind? You’re quite right.

(He lifts the hat and perches it on the top of his head, then looks pointedly at his brother.)

SHERLOCK: Why would anyone mind?

(Mycroft opens his mouth but seems to struggle to speak for a moment.)

MYCROFT: ... I’m not lonely, Sherlock.

(Sherlock tilts his head down and looks closely at him, then steps nearer with an intense expression on his face.)

SHERLOCK: How would you know?

*my addition

 

What I saw this time is that Sherlock ironically asking his brother who would ever mind to be different, is putting the cap on, somehow taking the place of the guy in funny hat (= a weirdo). So his question is actually: "why someone different like me (and you, Mycroft) would ever mind to be isolated?" As if he was questioning their no-involvement philosophy.

 

Does it make sense to anyone but me?

 

Um... before now, what did you think he meant? Because what you just wrote is what I've always thought he meant; just because he and Mycroft are different, why does that mean they have to be isolated? I don't see Sherlock as being sarcastic, exactly... I think he pretends he's losing the argument, and thereby leads Mycroft into saying exactly what he wants him to say. (High five, Sherlock!!)

 

This is one of my favorite scenes in the whole series, by the way. More like it, please!

[joanneta1]

Nope, not the same colour, not the same length, Martin would be dwarfed in the light blue one, and Lara Puller also mentioned something about the length of Benedict's arms in SIB commentary.

The brothers know they are different, but Sherlock at leapt tries to socialise with "goldfish"!