Episode 3.3, "His Last Vow"

[Arcadia]

Being a bit of a fan of the fan-fic writer Tammany, I was paging through some of her more obscure work and ran across this; thought some people here might find it interesting. It was written right after she saw HLV for the first time:
 

One thing I will say: the entire sequence of being shot...

Ok. I don't have Sherlock's Mind Palace. Nor have I been shot. I have had an exciting experience with trying to bleed out from internal injury and coming much closer to succeeding than I'd prefer. They did do a very good job of catching what it's like to be working through the layers of what you have to do to even hope to keep living, and the layers of controlling even odd aspects of body control like how you manage your own shock and pain. Been there. Didn't have Molly or Anderson or Mycroft to coach me. But have done the strategic breakdowns on the way down the slope toward dead. They really, really caught the mood, at least for me.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/1124532/chapters/2291182

 

We always call that bit after Sherlock is shot a "mind palace sequence", but I was wondering the other day if that's even accurate ... to me, mind palace implies Sherlock is systematically searching his memory for data, whereas in this sequence it's more like he's reacting to the situation ... don't know. But I thought what she said about it was interesting.

[J.P.]

Read HLV script and realize that there is another little disappointment. We've had Wiggins in S4, but nobody made use of his great deduction skills. :(

[Carol the Dabbler]

It almost seemed to me like Sherlock was imagining Wiggins being there.  I never was entirely certain whether he was real or not (though I'm leaning toward real).

[Arcadia]

Well, Mrs. Hudson saw and spoke to him, if that helps.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Did she? Well then, I'll believe Mrs. H.

[J.P.]

Well, "Faith" was also real.

[Pseudonym]

There's no way she could have avoided every single camera, that was silly. 

 

I still think it's weird Wiggins was there for Christmas dinner. Mummy is smart enough to realise how skeezy he is. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I doubt that she invited him. She did say she didn't understand what he was doing there. Presumably Sherlock just brought him along, and she was too polite to bar the door.

[Pseudonym]

No, I didn't think she would have invited him. I thought Sherlock would have mentioned bringing a friend around, but then I suppose even if he had she wouldn't have known what that friend was like until it was too late. I'm always surprised Wiggins wasn't cast younger.

[Boton]

I'm glad Wiggins wasn't cast younger.  It is the one part of ACD I can't ever get through: I know that street urchins are pretty much a staple of Victorian literature, but every time I read any of the Irregulars showing up, I automatically start singing the soundtrack from Oliver, and then my entire day is ruined by that ear worm.

[Pseudonym]

Oh God, not an urchin (kids; boooo hissss) I was thinking more 18 or so. 

[J.P.]

Okay, another one:

from the script:

 

MARTHA LOUISE HUDSON (née SISSONS)
LANDLADY
WIDOW (SEE FILE)
SEMI-REFORMED ALCOHOLIC
FORMER “EXOTIC DANCER” (SEE FILE)
FINANCES: 21% DEBT (SEE FILE)
STATUS: UNIMPORTANT.
PRESSURE POINT: MARIJUANA.

 

So she is in debt and has that red rocket in her secret garage?

[Carol the Dabbler]

Maybe that's her debt -- car payments!

[Boton]

Okay, another one:

from the script:

 

MARTHA LOUISE HUDSON (née SISSONS)

LANDLADY

WIDOW (SEE FILE)

SEMI-REFORMED ALCOHOLIC

FORMER “EXOTIC DANCER” (SEE FILE)

FINANCES: 21% DEBT (SEE FILE)

STATUS: UNIMPORTANT.

PRESSURE POINT: MARIJUANA.

 

So she is in debt and has that red rocket in her secret garage?

 

What I Really Think: Moftiss hadn't fleshed out their Mrs. Hudson back story completely when they did the "file" on her for HLV, and it seemed like she should carry some debt.  Then, it was too funny to resist making her wealthy with a sports car and a Central London property all bought with drug money.

 

What I Tell Myself: If she has not completely laundered the money she got from Frank, it would make sense for her to carry a certain amount of debt for "show" so that she doesn't look like someone independently wealthy.  In fact, she and Mr. Chatterjee are in cahoots in using Speedy's as a money laundering operation, and cleaning up that amount of money takes some time. So, she carries a mortgage on 221 Baker, and that is her debt.

 

What I Want to Know:  How is that debt for everyone even calculated? Are they saying that assets minus liabilities leaves her with 21% more owed than owned?  It seems like a meaningless number.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I suspect it is pretty meaningless except in a very broad sense.  If someone appears to be wealthy but has a large percentage of debt, their wealth may be an illusion based on "owning" a number of properties but having very little equity in any of them.  For most of us, it probably translates to how much of our mortgage has been paid off, so having say, 50% debt doesn't necessarily mean that a person is financially irresponsible, merely that they haven't had that house very long.

[Pseudonym]

You guys have probably already seen this, but I only recently saw it and thought it was pretty cool.

 

 

[Arcadia]

Such a simple but successful effects shot. Love it.

[J.P.]

Danny from RealFX brought that thingy to the con 2015. They chose a fan, put her into Sherlock's coat and demonstrated how it worked. Lucky girl. :D

[J.P.]

So, finally, I came to read the script. As it is the final draft, there are not really many differences compared to the shot episode, but there are some little things worth noticing. As it's late now, I will put them in the spoiler brackets and will comment tomorrow. If you don't intend to read the whole script, you might as well have a look.

 

 

 

 

-----

 

JOHN GARVIE

MP ROCKWELL SOUTH

ADULTERER (SEE FILE)

REFORMED ALCOHOLIC

PORN PREFERENCE: NORMAL

FINANCES: 41% DEBT (SEE FILE)

STATUS: UNIMPORTANT.

In red letters below this (so that it stands out.)

PRESSURE POINT: DISABLED DAUGHTER (SEE FILE)

 

-----

 

As John moves, we hold on one of the screens.

A photograph of John Garvie, from the opening scenes. The

headline: MP John Garvie arrested on charges of corruption.

 

-----

 

SHERLOCK

Okay. I’ll let you know if I notice. Now what was I going to say? Oh yes! Bye bye!

Sherlock has gone to the door and opened it for Mycroft.

Mycroft stares at him, simmering.

MYCROFT

Unwise, brother mine.

SHERLOCK

Speaking of which ...

Sherlock has pulled his phone from his pocket, now clicks it -

A recording of Mycroft’s voice from a few moments ago.

MYCROFT

(From phone)

I guarantee you, on behalf of the

British security services, that

there will be material found on

your computer hard drives resulting

in your immediate incarceration.

Instinctively, Mycroft steps forward to grab the phone -

- explosively, Sherlock grabs his wrist, twists him round,

and slams him against the wall. A shocking moment of

violence.

SHERLOCK

Brother mine - don’t appal me when

I’m high.

 

-----

 

SHERLOCK

... Lady Smallwood.

The figure doesn’t turn.

And now Magnussen, looking at Sherlock, bemused.

MAGNUSSEN

What? Sorry, who?

On Sherlock - flicker of a frown, of puzzlement.

MAGNUSSEN

Oh! Don’t you know?

(To the woman)

Doesn’t he know?

(To Sherlock)

Seriously? Lady Smallwood?? Mycroft

said you were slow, but I had no

idea.

Sherlock’s eyes flick to the woman standing with her back to

him. Actually, too young to be Lady Smallwood ...

MAGNUSSEN

That’s not Lady Smallwood, Mr. Holmes.

 

 

-----

 

 

MOLLY

There’s been a hole ripped through

you, massive internal bleeding.

And now surging through the doors a river of blood, in super

slow motion, cascading towards Molly, to engulf her.

MOLLY

You have to control the pain!

 

-----

 

MORIARTY

Come on, Sherlock, just die, why

can’t you. It’s easy, make an

effort. One little push and off you

pop.

(Sings)

A bullet through the brain

Stops all that horrid pain.

 

 

-----

 

 

JOHN

He’s conscious. Properly conscious -

he made four deductions and one of

the nurses cry. And you, Mrs.

Watson, you’re in a lot of bloody

trouble.

 

 

-----

 

 

One of the titles in Newspapers Janine shows Sherlock in the hospital says: SHERLOCK’S NO HOMO.

 

SHERLOCK

I was waiting till we were married.

JANINE

That was never going to happen. I

would never have said yes.

She leans in, gives him a kiss on the forehead.

 

 

Just one thing. You shouldn’t have lied to me. I know what sort of man you are - but we could’ve been

friends.

A moment’s silence from Sherlock. If he’s capable of shame, this is as near as he gets. She turns to go.

SHERLOCK

Keep the beehives.

JANINE

I’m sorry?

SHERLOCK

If you like, I’ll teach you about bee-keeping.

 

JANINE

And that will make up for everything, will it?

SHERLOCK

No, but you might learn something about bees.

JANINE

I would never have married you. Not in a million years.

SHERLOCK

I know.

She looks at him. Ghost of a smile.

JANINE

Although, if we both get really old and saggy and nobody else wants us, what do you think?

SHERLOCK

Yeah, okay.

JANINE

Might as well. I’ve got a lovely cottage and you paid for it.

She’s going now. Over her shoulder.

JANINE

(From off)

I’ll give your love to John and Mary.

On Sherlock’s face. He likes her. Then, so suddenly, the warmth just disappears. Just drops away, in a moment. The cold mask is back.

He reaches up with his hand and turns off the morphine again.

 

 

-----

 

 

MYCROFT

Don’t be absurd. You know what we did to our sister. In any event, there is no prison in which we could incarcerate Sherlock Holmes

in, without causing a riot on a daily basis.

 

 

-----

 

 

 

SHERLOCK

He was a rubbish big brother.

Keep an eye on Wiggins for me. Has the makings of a detective, if he can be kept off the drugs. Think you could do that.

 

 

-----

 

JOHN

I’m not naming my daughter after you.

SHERLOCK

I think it would work.

JOHN

Shut up.

Another silence. What the hell to say. Finally.

SHERLOCK

They were good days, weren’t they?

JOHN

Yeah, they were good. They were very good.

SHERLOCK

Baker Street. Solving crimes. You and me. Don’t ever forget those days.

JOHN

Of course I bloody won’t.

Sherlock extends his hand to shake John’s

SHERLOCK

To the very best of times, John.

John just gives him a look.

SHERLOCK

Oh, if we must.

A proper, manly embrace.

 

 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Heavens, there were some differences, weren't there!

 

There's some fertile ground for fanfics.

[Pseudonym]

I know there were quite a few comments on Tumblr about the fact it had to be 'a proper, manly embrace' and then even that was cut out.

[J.P.]

Honestly, I like it better as it is, however the reasons. It's more gut wrenching this way. I also like that they cut the dialogue, even if mentioning Wiggins was kind of cute.

 

I'd love to see some earlier drafts and how they evolved. (Have read some early scripts and e.g. Legend was a totally different story, and elements from the first Alien script were used for Prometheus)

 

The differences are not really that big tbh.

 

The most jaw-dropping moment though was Mycroft so openly mentioning sister, and that they did something to her. Cannot believe Moff was about to reveal that! So they had the idea of a sister at least. So she didn't entirely jumped out of a cake in S4. 

 

Re John Garvie - don't know if it's in the show, but apparently the guy who was too inquisitive to CAM's doings had to pay for it, like Mr Smallwood later.

 

 

Re: Brother mine scene: someone mentioned it a while ago, that they actually shot the scene with Sherlock recording Mycroft on his phone. If you look closer, there is a moment we can see Sherlock fidgeting with his phone in the background, but it's quite blurry.

 

There is also a difference where CAM is "reading" Sherlock. Originally we are not supported to recognize what actually are the informations that flow through the screen, so there is no mention of Redbeard there, but he's still in a dialogue line.

 

John's line about Sherlock being conscious after he came back actually make no sense - He wasn't that conscious later while CAM and Mary visited him.

 

Janine is a bit different here, isn't it? It actually makes her more powerful and their break-up have a slightly different mood this way. But I still don't know what to think about the line I bolded. Did Sherlock care or not? Was the cold mask a prooof he didn't, or it's a proof he can momentarily switch off emotions, when there is work to be done. It also guestions the similar moment when Janine leaves 221b after kissing Sherlock.

 

The part about them wanting to keep bees was mentioned, I think by Moff himself.

 

Again, the tarmac scene - I am surprised that there are no instructions how to play the dialogue. It "sounds" very dry in the script.

[Pseudonym]

Did CAM know the truth about Redbeard I wonder?

[J.P.]

This is the question. He also knows that Mycroft called Sherlock slow in the script.

[Boton]

Honestly, I like it better as it is, however the reasons. It's more gut wrenching this way. I also like that they cut the dialogue, even if mentioning Wiggins was kind of cute.

 

...

 

John's line about Sherlock being conscious after he came back actually make no sense - He wasn't that conscious later while CAM and Mary visited him.

 

Janine is a bit different here, isn't it? It actually makes her more powerful and their break-up have a slightly different mood this way. But I still don't know what to think about the line I bolded. Did Sherlock care or not? Was the cold mask a prooof he didn't, or it's a proof he can momentarily switch off emotions, when there is work to be done. It also guestions the similar moment when Janine leaves 221b after kissing Sherlock.

 

 

 

I like it as filmed better, but I like to see the intent behind some of the scenes.

 

You're right, the line about Sherlock being conscious makes no sense if he's going to be hallucinating/not quite with it for the scene with Mary.  I still wonder whether that really happened as we saw it or if that was partially Sherlock's post-anesthesia haze.

 

I like the Janine scene as written better than with the cuts.  (But of course I do, since I root for them.) I think the line you bolded reads to me very much like what we saw on screen: he lets some wistful affection come through, and then he steels himself to dial down that morphine and get some work done.  I've always seen the prior scene, where Sherlock's face recomposes after Janine leaves 221B, the same way -- not any kind of distaste, just a reorienting toward work.