Episode 3.3, "His Last Vow"

[Zain]

Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer?

 

 

Sadly, I think he truly wants her to have good intentions. Otherwise he'd have to break it down to John, and he already has a rather weak standing after the fall. I doubt he would risk losing John again. Sherlock has become rather dependent of him. So much that it impedes his judgement.

[Arcadia]

I think I'm getting dizzy. So, Sherlock thinks he's fooling Mary into thinking she's fooling John, who thinks he's fooling Mary into thinking she's fooling Sherlock, who thinks he's fooling John into thinking that he's not fooling Mary. Meanwhile, Moriarty's laughing so hard at the three of them that he's about to die again. Does that about sum it up?

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

It did to a certain extent in canon....always running to John pulling him away from hearth, home, and medical practice and getting belligerent about it if he thinks Watson is going to refuse to accompany him.  I don't think it will be any different here. He will find himself again. He may be flawed but he's hasn't become so totally weak. He certainly isn't stupid. There has to be a good reason for what he's doing.

 

Eeerrr.....I missed your post, Arcadia......but if Moriarty is laughing himself to dead....and he's already dead....and residing in the dungeon of Sherlock's  mind palace....no wonder Sherlock is out of sorts....he must be having one massive migraine from all that belly laughter.

[Caya]

I think I'm getting dizzy. So, Sherlock thinks he's fooling Mary into thinking she's fooling John, who thinks he's fooling Mary into thinking she's fooling Sherlock, who thinks he's fooling John into thinking that he's not fooling Mary. Meanwhile, Moriarty's laughing so hard at the three of them that he's about to die again. Does that about sum it up?

 

Hard to tell, I think I'm going to need a chart .

[Zain]

Well, have your pick.

Flow chart, spread sheet, mind map, cluster, or would you rather go for the mind palace?

[Caya]

Any sounds good, really . Mind palace would certainly fit the topic.

[Arcadia]

 

I think I'm getting dizzy. So, Sherlock thinks he's fooling Mary into thinking she's fooling John, who thinks he's fooling Mary into thinking she's fooling Sherlock, who thinks he's fooling John into thinking that he's not fooling Mary. Meanwhile, Moriarty's laughing so hard at the three of them that he's about to die again. Does that about sum it up?

Hard to tell, I think I'm going to need a chart .

 

Ask, and ye shall receive.

[Arcadia]

Or perhaps this one?

 

 

 

[sfmpco]

Watched HLV twice tonight and did a little freeze framing in some spots.  So if you haven't really had a chance to read those profiles that CAM goes through, here are the 3 important ones:

 

SHERLOCK HOLMES

 

CONSULTING DETECTIVE

PORN PREFERENCE:  NORMAL

FINANCES: UNKNOWN

BROTHER:  MYCROFT HOLMES

         (SEE FILE)

OFFICIALLY DECEASED:  2011-2013

 

PRESSURE POINT

 

REDBEARD (SEE FILE) - why does Redbeard have a whole file???

HOUNDS OF THE BASKERVILLE

OPIIUM

JOHN WATSON

IRENE ADLER (SEE FILE)

JIM MORIARTY (SEE FILE)

MORPHINE (ADD TO FILE) - this was added later

 

(it looks there there is a lot more than this but they just repeat)

-------------

 

JOHN HAMISH WATSON

 

AFGHANISTAN VETERAN (SEE FILE)

G.P. (SEE FILE)

PORN PREFERNCE:  NORMAL

FINANCES:  10% DEBT (SEE FILE)

STATUS:  UNIMPORTANT

 

PRESSURE POINT:

 

HARRY WATSON (SISTER) ALCOHOLIC

MARY MORSTAN (WIFE)

 

-------------

 

MARTHA LOUISE HUDSON

(NEE SISSON)

 

LANDLADY

 

WIDOW (SEE FILE)

SEMI-REFORMED ALCOHOLIC

FORMER "EXOTIC DANCER" (SEE FILE)

FINANCES:  21% DEBT (SEE FILE)

STATUS:  UNIMPORTANT

 

PRESSURE POINT:  MARIJUANA

 

 

 

 

[sherlockandjohn]

If there is one thing I love above all else in series 3, I think it has to be the evidence of how much Sherlock cares about John Watson. For two series, it felt more evident the other way around, at least to me.

[T.o.b.y]

If there is one thing I love above all else in series 3, I think it has to be the evidence of how much Sherlock cares about John Watson. For two series, it felt more evident the other way around, at least to me.

 

Well, it makes sense that Sherlock should have learned to appreciate his friend a bit more after having been on his own again for two years and after being left in doubt as to whether the friendship would continue when he returned. Isn't it quite often that one doesn't learn the value of something until it's gone? John, on the other hand, spent those two years moving on and putting Baker St and its inhabitants behind him, so no wonder the dynamic has changed a bit.

 

I appreciate seeing any emotion on Sherlock's part that is pretty surely genuine. It is so hard to figure him out in the earlier episodes (though it's a lot of fun, too).

 

In a way, Sherlock's characterization in series 3 is one long dragged-out take on the famous scene in "The Three Garridebs"...

 

I wonder what's next. A "proper" romance, maybe? After all, Molly is available again (I knew Tom wouldn't last). Gach, no. Lets hope they can think of something better (I suggest cases! There are - how many Doyle stories they haven't tackled yet?)

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Somewhere between 45 and 50 anyway?

[sfmpco]

A few interesting points in this one:

 

- Sherlock is still high when CAM visits the flat (he would not have completely come down from the high yet)

- Notice that CAM's henchmen move the fireplace grate out of the way before he urinates in the fireplace, as if CAM has pulled this stunt before and they are anticipating him doing it again.  He's like a dog marking his territory.

- Interesting that Sherlock talks openly about CAM when Janine is within earshot.  

- Love the way he strong-arms Mycroft.  Mycroft may have the superior intellect but Sherlock definitely has the brute and can bring Mycroft under control with his mere strength.

- Finally figured that when Molly says "clean" it should really be like "Clean?  Are you kidding me?"  I misinterpreted the "clean" for a while as being real, that he had somehow managed to provide a fake clean sample.

[Arcadia]

A few interesting points in this one:

 

.....

- Interesting that Sherlock talks openly about CAM when Janine is within earshot.  

.....

- Finally figured that when Molly says "clean" it should really be like "Clean?  Are you kidding me?"  I misinterpreted the "clean" for a while as being real, that he had somehow managed to provide a fake clean sample.

 

Well, he's been getting information about CAM from Janine, and she seemed like the type who wasn't afraid to trash talk her employer. Anyway, I presume Sherlock wasn't saying anything she didn't already know.

 

Yeah, I think that bit with Molly threw a lot of us at first. Love her in that scene.....

[sfmpco]

 

Yeah, I think that bit with Molly threw a lot of us at first. Love her in that scene.....

 

 

 

Yeah she's great, really gets to lay into him and no one stops her.   Although if she had continued to slap him, someone might have intervened.  But 3 slaps - he had it coming.  Nice that he uses that, however, in the mind palace after he's been shot to keep him focused.

[sfmpco]

Hmm.... maybe a little time problem between when Isaac's mother goes to John and Mary's house to when Sherlock goes to take a bath - it's only 8:00 A.M.  Seems like a lot of stuff happened in between and it would be much later in the morning than that.

[Arcadia]

Well, Isaac's mum did say it was early when she woke them!

[T.o.b.y]

Yeah she's great, really gets to lay into him and no one stops her.   Although if she had continued to slap him, someone might have intervened.  But 3 slaps - he had it coming.  Nice that he uses that, however, in the mind palace after he's been shot to keep him focused.

 

Actually, that mind palace scene seems like a blend of Molly and Irene. The way she goes "I - said - focus!" reminds me of Miss Adler saying "I - said - drop it!" in A Scandal in Belgravia. It seems Mr Holmes has a liking for "energetic" women...

 

[sfmpco]

I do think that Janine saw a different part of Sherlock's personality than anyone else has.  Although emotionally engaged with her, he did some flirting with her at the wedding and did look to dance with her at the end although she was found to be dancing with someone else.  She says she knows what kind of man he is (which I believe she means to be a good man) even above all the lying, and you can see he has a little regret about how he handled the whole situation.  His character is in such different place than ASIP.  I love the character growth.  It's almost painful to watch how disconnected he was in ASIP.

[Redbeard]

I agree Janine probably did see a side of Sherlock that we weren't privy to.  And it was probably at least three-quarters B.S., but, I'm sure there had to be a little bit of his true self in there somewhere (A disguise is always a "self-portrait" after all. )  Its like the getting high "for a case" but I get the sense that some part of him was really more than happy and a little relieved to "have" to do that.  Probably same with Janine.  He did it "for a case" but I'm sure some part of him enjoyed it.  And he probably HATES  that he enjoyed it and will probably not want to put himself through it again!!

[T.o.b.y]

Its like the getting high "for a case" but I get the sense that some part of him was really more than happy and a little relieved to "have" to do that.  Probably same with Janine.  He did it "for a case" but I'm sure some part of him enjoyed it. 

 

Yes, I am sure he did. And "for a case" (past, present or potential future) seems to be his standard excuse for anything he's not usually "supposed" to do or like, be it folding serviettes, dancing, dating or drugs.

 

He seemed really smug about Janine. As if he had felt the need to prove to himself (and John) that yes, he can do this too. He's alone by choice, damn it, not because he can't find a girl to go out with him... I really liked how the whole Janine episode played out. And she was so cool about it. Almost understanding. Really, considering how underwhelmed I was by her in The Sign of Three, she turned out to be a surprisingly lovable character.

 

I'm not quite sure what she meant by "what kind of man" she thinks she knows Sherlock is. Probably a man unfit for a regular relationship. Or simply a "heartless manipulative bastard".

 

[sfmpco]

No, I think that despite how Sherlock used her and she him, she still got a glimpse of a little Sherlock charm although he rebuffed her constant advances.  Even so, he took the time to work with her on dancing, demonstrated his own love of dance.

 

The one thing about sociopaths, psychopaths and all the "paths" that is a prominent and consistent character trait is that they are charming.  All the time.  It's all manipulation, though.  Sherlock is not charming.  He's anti-social and disconnected with how his actions/words/behaviors affect others.  We're seeing him connect more now, and maybe he realizes too late that he's been inappropriate, but he does realize it now, even if he doesn't fully understand it.  John correctly labels him aspergers in Baskerville.  I have always thought aspergers from the very first episode of Series 1, and we get to see it constantly but even with the introduction of his parents, how he has no spacial boundaries with people, and he just steps onto the sofa between them to work on his information wall, and this behavior doesn't set them off.  He's been in his own world his whole life.  And when his dad gets him to promise to call his mother because she worries, he finally gives in, but as soon as she tries to touch his face with a little gesture of affection, he is quick to shut the door on her.  They only do Christmas as a family in HLV because he's just out of hospital and his mother wanted them all together, but he's not really interacting with them.  He's only biding his time to sell out his brother (seriously, how did he ever think he'd get away with that???).  There's no real sense of familial warmth with the Holmes boys towards the parents.  It's just tolerance of them, probably tolerance that they are intellectually inferior and that the boys had passed them up well into their early youth.  Although we are told the mother was at the very least a mathematical genius.  She quit her work in mathematics to raise the family, but perhaps she HAD to quit  to deal with Sherlock's' issues.  Cumberbatch has said he feels Sherlock is slightly autistic, but autism isn't pronounced in adults.  Perhaps it was more severe when he was a child, which would have required a lot of therapy and daily hands on intervention to work him out of it.  Mycroft apparently didn't suffer any "conditions" except being a genius, but if he'd had to watch Sherlock struggle through things before Sherlock's own genius manifested itself, it would have always made Sherlock seem terribly slow to him.  

 

 

I would also add that he is a savant, a trait that shows up in the autism spectrum but is usually associated with a low I.Q., and he clearly is a genius. 

 

All speculation.  We'll no doubt get more pieces of the puzzle in Series 4.

[Arcadia]

No, I think that despite how Sherlock used her and she him, she still got a glimpse of a little Sherlock charm although he rebuffed her constant advances.  Even so, he took the time to work with her on dancing, demonstrated his own love of dance.

 

The one thing about sociopaths, psychopaths and all the "paths" that is a prominent and consistent character trait is that they are charming.  All the time.  It's all manipulation, though.  Sherlock is not charming.  He's anti-social and disconnected with how his actions/words/behaviors affect others.

John thinks he's charming, or at least he says so in his blog: http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/blog/29january

 

I admit, I don't see it either :-).... I just find him outrageous and therefore funny. Yes, Sherlock, I am laughing at you, not with you!

 

..... autism isn't pronounced in adults.....

 

I'm sorry, I have to disagree ... I've met quite a few autistic adults, and their symptoms are quite noticeable, especially if the autism is fairly severe to begin with. I don't see Sherlock displaying any of the behaviors of the autistic people I've met, though. He CAN control his behaviour; he just thinks he's too superior to bother with it. (*cough* Narcissist! *cough*)

 

(Unfortunately for me, I know a couple of narcissists too. Soul-crushing to be around them. But after watching Sherlock I think I've figured out how to deal with them; laugh at them!)

[sfmpco]

 

 

I'm sorry, I have to disagree ... I've met quite a few autistic adults, and their symptoms are quite noticeable, especially if the autism is fairly severe to begin with. I don't see Sherlock displaying any of the behaviors of the autistic people I've met, though. He CAN control his behaviour; he just thinks he's too superior to bother with it. (*cough* Narcissist! *cough*)

 

 

 

No, I don't really see the autism thing either.  I think that's a BC misdiagnosis.

[Arcadia]

Actors!