Episode 3.2, "The Sign of Three"

[Arcadia]

There's a touch of the "sociopath" to her as well.

????

[jesskayding]

Yeah. I don't see no sociopath in no Molly. I'm not even gonna comment on her being a "rock". I guess we may define some things differently.

[T.o.b.y]

 

There's a touch of the "sociopath" to her as well.

????

 

 

Oh dear, how do I explain this.

 

Well. Um. Okay, let me put it this way. What normal kind of person, when hearing of the plan "I want to jump off a tall building and pretend I'm dead. I'm going to do it right in front of my best friend, who will then continue to believe I am dead for an indefinite period of time. Would you be so kind as to fake the necessary paperwork, find a lookalike corpse and push him out of the window at the right time, and keep silent about the whole thing for ever and a day?" would go "okay", and then just go along with it?

 

What normal kind of person would manage to keep their mouth shut for two entire years, while the friend in question is miserable as hell?

 

What kind of person would be in love with Sherlock Holmes, come to think of it?

 

I'm not thinking real world "sociopath" (whatever that would be), but Sherlock world "sociopath", which seems to mean simply a bit eccentric and a bit disconnected from people at large.

 

Molly doesn't seem to be used to talking to people a lot. I think she spends most of her time at work, where she deals with dead people and body parts, none of which seems to faze her at all (wouldn't faze me, either - the dead are peaceful, but I know perfectly well that most people wouldn't want to go near them). We get almost zero information on her private life, but what kind of person spends Christmas first at Baker St and then in the morgue?

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Molly, and I do thinks she's a sweet, good, gentle soul, but there is something decidedly unusual about her. She and Sherlock are a bit alike.

 

[Slithytove]

Molly has an inner core of strength, I think. I hope we see more of it.

 

Sally's loyalty to her boss is commendable but calling someone a freak, however much you dislike them, is an ugly thing to do. I prefer the revelation that Anderson has a conscience and feels bad about his role in the Fall, even though he was only doing his job and, frankly, he had a good reason to dislike someone who was so rude to him. Like Janine, it seems he has a big heart, after all.

[jesskayding]

Molly has an inner core of strength, I think. I hope we see more of it.

 

Sally's loyalty to her boss is commendable but calling someone a freak, however much you dislike them, is an ugly thing to do. I prefer the revelation that Anderson has a conscience and feels bad about his role in the Fall, even though he was only doing his job and, frankly, he had a good reason to dislike someone who was so rude to him. Like Janine, it seems he has a big heart, after all.

 

Slithytove we don't see eye to eye about Molly, but you my girl when it comes to that Sally Donovan! (Imagine my fist held up in the air.)

[Slithytove]

[Arcadia]

I'm not thinking real world "sociopath" (whatever that would be), but Sherlock world "sociopath", which seems to mean simply a bit eccentric and a bit disconnected from people at large.

Ah. Enough said. I keep forgetting that sociopath doesn't mean sociopath!

 

What kind of person would be in love with Sherlock Holmes, come to think of it?

Er, um, er, uh..... what kind of person wouldn't?

[T.o.b.y]

 

What kind of person would be in love with Sherlock Holmes, come to think of it?

Er, um, er, uh..... what kind of person wouldn't?

 

Yes, from a distance, with a TV screen and reality forming safe barriers from behind which we can all swoon over him as much as we like. But if he were really in front of us? I still think it'd be like cuddling a plush tiger versus meeting a real one...

 

[Arcadia]

Yes, from a distance, with a TV screen and reality forming safe barriers from behind which we can all swoon over him as much as we like. But if he were really in front of us? I still think it'd be like cuddling a plush tiger versus meeting a real one...

Aw, I'd cuddle a real tiger in a heartbeat! You just have to give 'em time to learn you're not a threat ... and prepare to be mauled, of course.

 

Nope, I'm afraid the eccentric, rude, brilliant arsehole is just the type I would fall for. The only thing that might be a deal breaker is the lying.

 

Owww, no wonder I feel for Molly..........

[jesskayding]

I think I would cancel all dates, for fear of punching him in the face. My love language is words of affirmation. I would feel hated by Sherlock in real life, so in turn I'd probably despise him!

 

I love him on television though.

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

I'd probably just follow him like a puppy the way John did with Major Sholto!

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

Just rewatched part of this episode, and I noticed something. When Sherlock reads the telegram from "Cam", Mary looks uneasy. And the telegram is really mushy to the point of disgust (next bit's from Ariane DeVere) --
 

SHERLOCK (reading the next card): “Mary – lots of love, ...”
...SHERLOCK (disparagingly): “... poppet ...”
...SHERLOCK: “... Oodles of love and heaps of good wishes from CAM.”

(Mary’s smile fades. Sherlock continues reading the message.)

SHERLOCK: “Wish your family could have seen this.”
(John looks round and sees Mary’s face. He reaches out and takes her hand.)
JOHN: Hey. Hmm?
(She smiles reassuringly at him.)

I think this was a warning, a very subtle warning but a warning nonetheless. Just a little hint at the enormity of HLV. And John notices but Mary dismisses it, indicating that she understands the telegram.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Oh yeah CAM looms large. Casting a big black cloud of despair over everything and everyone he touches.

[Carol the Dabbler]

CAM does indeed cast a huge shadow over Series 3.  In fact, he's already looming in "Many Happy Returns," before the series properly begins:

 

 

Some time later, a man walks across to a display of newspapers. The “CAM Global News” front page headline reads “Trepoff ‘Guilty’ Sensation!” while a German newspaper beside it reads “TREPOFF SCHULDIG!” [Trepoff guilty!]

 

 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I re-watched this episode the other day and when Duh when I heard CAM in the telegrams.  I know a Cameron and know that Cam is a nickname for him so it didn't faze me at all.  Then I realized it was our annoying Series 3 villain (had watched the episode probably close to 10 times by then and 2 more times after).  But I do love the episode.  It is my son's favorite as well. (he likes the concept of Benedict having so many pages of dialogue that are just his)

[jesskayding]

Foreboding Magnussen, lurking in the shadows.

 

 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Lars Mikkelson is handsome and does a good job at playing Magnuson that I actually find him creepy.  I don't find Andrew Scott nearly as creepy and he's handsome and does Moriarty brilliantly as well.  What's with that? 

[jesskayding]

Lars is far more experienced than Mr. Scott.

[Pamela]

It is a mystery how a good actor can portray spine-tingling evil with nothing but his face.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

It is a mystery how a good actor can portray spine-tingling evil with nothing but his face.

 

I know.  There are not many who can do that even in the horror film genre.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Lars Mikkelson is handsome and does a good job at playing Magnuson that I actually find him creepy.  I don't find Andrew Scott nearly as creepy and he's handsome and does Moriarty brilliantly as well.  What's with that? 

 

In my opinion, Moriarty is heartless and loopy as hell, but Magnussen is far, far creepier.  Yet I don't find Mikkelson creepy at all -- in fact, he seems really charming in the interviews I've seen.  And Andrew Scott himself comes across as just plain lovable.  I agree with Pamela, they are both excellent actors.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

They are both definitely excellent actors. And I'm sure Lars is more of a sweetheart than a creepy power hungry person in real life.  I think I need to see if there is anything besides Sherlock on Netflix streaming that Lars is in.

[jesskayding]

I wasn't saying they're not both brilliant. You hope that a person would grow in time with any profession. There are obvious skills that Lars has gained with experience.

[Pamela]

There's a word Moffat and Gatiss have both used to describe Andrew Scott's portrayal of Moriarty - "unhinged" - isn't that perfect?

[Arcadia]

Lars Mikkelson is handsome and does a good job at playing Magnuson that I actually find him creepy.  I don't find Andrew Scott nearly as creepy and he's handsome and does Moriarty brilliantly as well.  What's with that? 

Maybe because Jim is obviously nutz, so one can feel for him a bit? I mean, it's not his fault his mind is broken. I assume. Whereas CAM is sane (?) so he's a sociopath by choice? And I mean sociopath in the English language sense, not the Moftiss language sense.