Episode 3.2, "The Sign of Three"

[T.o.b.y]

 

This isn't from the pilot, but I'm wondering whether Lestrade's alternative first names (Graham and Gavin -- so far) might be recycled from the list that Moftiss presumably drew up when they were trying to decide what to call their "G. Lestrade."

 

Yeah, maybe that is the reason. Personally, I am getting kind of tired of that joke. But oh well. If that is the only complaint I have about this show...

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Even 221b in the longer version is more Victorian then the flat in the Unaired Pilot.

[Janie]

I find that "Lestrade's name" joke really funny but it kind of bothers me. It doesn't make much sense because Sherlock remembers all names (even Molly's boyfriend's) but not the one of one of his friends? 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

It could be a running gag just between Lestrade and Sherlock. Hard to know until or unless they make reference to it in a roundtable or the comments.

[T.o.b.y]

Exactly. If he considered names of friends to take up too much space on his mental hard disk, then he wouldn't remember others as well. It's as if he's doing it deliberately to Lestrade, just to be rude to him. Which is funny, in a way. And Sherlock-ish.

[Janie]

Maybe you're right and maybe it's just his way to express that he likes Lestrade. It's Sherlock so who knows?

[T.o.b.y]

Maybe you're right and maybe it's just his way to express that he likes Lestrade. It's Sherlock so who knows?

 

Well, actually, I don't think it's Sherlock at all, I think it's the writers who are terribly amused by their idea back in The Hounds of Baskerville and wanted to turn it into a running gag. I dislike it as such, so my brain just goes and makes some other kind of "sense" of it...

[Karie]

Exactly. If he considered names of friends to take up too much space on his mental hard disk, then he wouldn't remember others as well. It's as if he's doing it deliberately to Lestrade, just to be rude to him. Which is funny, in a way. And Sherlock-ish.

 

My own personal head canon is that he just intentionally calls him by the wrong name all the time as a joke. I equate it to Dr. Cox always calling J.D. by a girl's name in Scrubs. Especially the scene where J.D. walks up to him and we hear Dr. Cox inside his head, trying to think of a name he hasn't used before.

 

J.D.: Hi, Dr. Cox!

Dr. Cox: *Quick, think of a girl's name you haven't used before... Molly, Stephanie, Margaret, Gertrude*  What do you want, Gertrude?

J.D.: You're slipping. You called me Gertrude on Wednesday.

Dr. Cox: Like I care. *Damn*

 

I can just imagine it...

 

Sherlock: Hello, Geoff.

Greg: You called me Geoff at the wedding.

Sherlock: Whatever, George. *Damn* 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

J.D.: Hi, Dr. Cox!

Dr. Cox: *Quick, think of a girl's name you haven't used before... Molly, Stephanie, Margaret, Gertrude*  What do you want, Gertrude?

J.D.: You're slipping. You called me Gertrude on Wednesday.

Dr. Cox: Like I care. *Damn*

 

I can just imagine it...

 

Sherlock: Hello, Geoff.

Greg: You called me Geoff at the wedding.

Sherlock: Whatever, George. *Damn* 

 

  

[Carol the Dabbler]

Even 221b in the longer version is more Victorian then the flat in the Unaired Pilot.

 

Interesting that it strikes you that way -- my impression is the exact opposite.  As I recall, the flat in the pilot had red wallpaper and lots of froufrou, and struck me as fairly Victorian-ish, whereas the current 221B looks like a building of that era, where the maintenance in each subsequent decade has been done materials available in that decade.  For example, I had wallpaper very much like the bamboo design on their stairway landing back in the mid-1970's.  (I do admit that the iconic living-room wallpaper is kinda neo-Victorian.)

 

Mind you, I'm no interior-design expert!  (Just have a look at my house if you doubt me.)

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

It's the wall paper on the living room that struck me as being "neo-Victorian". I'll have to watch the UP and maybe TSoT to see what else it was that struck me so.

[T.o.b.y]

I'm beginning to wonder what is left of the 60 min pilot that has not appeared in one of the actual episodes. Is there anything major left to look forward to? They even did an extended (and "for real") version of Sherlock being drunk. (Oh, did I ever appreciate that one.)

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I don't think they have done an "invisible car" reference but we have talked about that one before. I can't think of anything right off the top of my head.

[sherlockandjohn]

 

 

For me, the beauty of the friendship between Sherlock and John is mainly how they 'show' rather than 'tell'. Which is exactly why I loved this episode. If the two men always spoke like that to each other, the words would loose their meaning and power. In this case, it felt all the more powerful to me, because they have never, mutually, been so open with their feelings for one another. I do believe that Mary can take some of the credit for that, having secured the affections of both John and Sherlock in each their way. In this episode, she certainly seemed more like a bridge than a gap between them. Let's hope that continues, though in reality it might not always be thus

 

 

I think you're right. I just wonder how the "showing" will work now that it has been "told" - did they do it too soon??  (I say that in the hope that there will be about another 10000000000000000 episodes to come!!!) Now that it's out in the open, will there be that same poignancy? Or will we just get another level of their relationship....

 

I have to say it's been 12 hours since I rewatched it and I still keep playing that bit in my head and welling up so perhaps I was affected by it in exactly the way I was meant to be - the recognition that it was such a profound moment for both of them (Sherlock especially because of the public nature of the declaration).

 

 

 

I know exactly what you mean, and to be honest, I share your 'fears'. I think something has shifted in their relationship after their open declarations, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for me. It depends on how the friendship is treated from hereon after. The writers have hopefully been aware of the change in the dynamics between John and Sherlock (I assume they have; it's pretty obvious) and will be truthful to the development, yet keep it subtle. I would not want them to "go back" to the way things were when the two men had more difficulty expressing their feelings (not that I minded that time - as I've said, it was important to have that sort of dynamic first, and I loved it), but I would also dislike them dwelling on it. The best man speech was very moving, as was fitting for the situation, but it was a one-time thing. Time to move on. Not go back, but move on. There still seems to be quite a bit of the high-functioning sociopath left in Sherlock, and I hope he never vanishes entirely.

 

May there be lots of new episodes to come, and may the loving sociopath survive and thrive!

[Carol the Dabbler]

I still miss John saying "I'll shut up now."  (Not that I actually want him to, just liked the way he said it.)

[sherlockandjohn]

I've just finished the episode a 6th time (obsessed, I know), and I'm wondering if the loneliness that Sherlock feels will continue to haunt him in His Last Vow. Mycroft mentions 'Redbeard' when he talks to Sherlock about the "danger" of getting involved. In one of the teasers for His Last Vow, it is said that

Redbeard will play a role.

If so, it could indicate a continued delve into this aspect of Sherlock's character. I think I'd like that. It is one of the most compelling parts of TSoT.

[T.o.b.y]

I've just finished the episode a 6th time (obsessed, I know)

 

So what? I think one of the many strengths of this series is that all the episodes bear re-watching really well. You keep seeing little bits and details that you never noticed before (well, I do, anyway). And The Sign of Three especially is destined to have a lot of runs on my DVD player once I get the discs. It's perfect comfort television. That speech. Oh my god, that speech. The things he came up with... like the insult to the bridesmaids and the priest and all that about love being opposed to Sherlock's beliefs. Or the cases he chose to talk about - at a wedding! A gruesome stabbing and the Mayfly Man. The sociopath is definitely very much alive.

 

My favorite bit (currently...) is when everybody starts to cry and Sherlock says "why are you all doing that? John!" in that wonderful bewildered, irritated manner.

[sherlockandjohn]

I still miss John saying "I'll shut up now."  (Not that I actually want him to, just liked the way he said it.)

 

Yeah, me too

I miss several things... Sherlock walking into a room and insulting everybody (okay, he kind of did that in his speech, but he quickly added that he himself was rude and obnoxious). John shutting him up. Everyone, except John, hating Sherlock. Hm, that is terrible of me, isn't it?

Anyway, I guess things change, and I don't dislike the changes... it's just different. A bit sad in one way, and yet I find myself increasingly emotionally invested in our lovely characters, especially Sherlock.

But I still have faith that we'll see more of the stuff we miss. There were reasons for the last two episodes being so different. First, we had the reunion, in which we needed to see Sherlock struggling his way back into John's life. Then, of course, there was the wedding.

[sherlockandjohn]

 

As for the special "Sherlock" vocabulary and phrasing, I absolutely agree - it's beautiful and certainly a big part of his appeal to me. (And concerning Sherlock not being aware of how attractive he is - I think he's always known that. Look at how he used it on Molly as early as series 1! In some interview recently either the actor or Moffat, I don't remember which, said Sherlock wasn't vain, but aware of his appearance as part of his "armor".)

 

 

I guess you're right It just became more obvious to me here.

[sherlockandjohn]

 

This isn't from the pilot, but I'm wondering whether Lestrade's alternative first names (Graham and Gavin -- so far) might be recycled from the list that Moftiss presumably drew up when they were trying to decide what to call their "G. Lestrade."

 

 

There was one more in the wedding, wasn't there? Sherlock told 'Geoff' (of Jeff) to go to the loo while texting him to lock the place down.

 

The joke annoyed me with "Graham" in TEH, but by now it's just so ridiculous that I laugh it off. Don't even care if Sherlock doesn't remember or is just joking He might always be 'Lestrade' to Sherlock.

[Karie]

 

I've just finished the episode a 6th time (obsessed, I know)

 

So what? I think one of the many strengths of this series is that all the episodes bear re-watching really well. You keep seeing little bits and details that you never noticed before (well, I do, anyway). And The Sign of Three especially is destined to have a lot of runs on my DVD player once I get the discs. It's perfect comfort television. That speech. Oh my god, that speech. The things he came up with... like the insult to the bridesmaids and the priest and all that about love being opposed to Sherlock's beliefs. Or the cases he chose to talk about - at a wedding! A gruesome stabbing and the Mayfly Man. The sociopath is definitely very much alive.

 

My favorite bit (currently...) is when everybody starts to cry and Sherlock says "why are you all doing that? John!" in that wonderful bewildered, irritated manner.

 

 

 

I loved that, as well, and also when he said,"It later transpired that I had said none of this out loud..." and everyone laughed, and Sherlock looked very startled like he didn't know why. He can be so obtuse and that's adorable.  

[Carol the Dabbler]

This isn't from the pilot, but I'm wondering whether Lestrade's alternative first names (Graham and Gavin -- so far) might be recycled from the list that Moftiss presumably drew up when they were trying to decide what to call their "G. Lestrade."

 

There was one more in the wedding, wasn't there? Sherlock told 'Geoff' (of Jeff) to go to the loo while texting him to lock the place down.

 

Thanks, I didn't quite catch that dialog.  I am so looking forward to having the DVD subtitles!

 

So OK, it's now Graham, Gavin, and Geoff.  Wonder what he'll call Lestrade in the third episode?

 

Maybe Greg.

 

[sherlockandjohn]

That might be a nice change Eventually, he'll get it right, and Greg will be baffled. Or he'll give up and go back to 'Lestrade'.

[parv]

I liked it a lot. It was better than first one. Anyway I still do not understand what was the role of woman-client who came to Sherlock to solve ghost dating. What was her original intention?

[sherlockandjohn]

I love the song choice for the ending. 'Oh What a Night' is upbeat and the kind of song that makes you want to dance. It makes the moment when Sherlock realises that Mary's pregnancy really will mean the 'end of an era' for him and John all the more bittersweet. The song choice is great because of the contrast it highlights: John and Mary's joy, and Sherlock's sadness.

That being said, I imagine that Sherlock is happy for his friends, but the ending is definitely on a sad note.