Favourite "Sherlock" Pictures, etc.

[sfmpco]

Yes, there is a Sherlock/Molly theme first heard when she shows up at 221B to help him solve crimes/dinner, then again a bit when dealing with Mr. Wiggybank ("and you thought he was the love of your life" he says as he turns and looks at Molly), and then again and fully at the bottom of the stairs.

 

Irene's theme is very specific.  In fact, her theme was the first piece of music from the show that I fell in love with, aside from "The Game is On." 

 

The music in TEH is just outstanding.

 

 

[sfmpco]

As for the canon thing... well, they're already off canon anyhow... even the thing with Janine taking the Sussex Downs house and getting rid of the beehives.  I can't see this Sherlock having an interest in bees.  Seems like that would be too boring and dull for him.  So if this Sherlock is ever going to retire and they keep that old Sussex Downs bit, well Janine will have to get rid of it. Or there has to be new canon.  Molly is new canon.  MI6 in the mix is new canon.  Tom is new canon.  Mary's background is new canon.  His parents are new canon.  If new canon supports their desire to wring everything they can out of Sherlock's character, then they will add new canon.  

[T.o.b.y]

 

I remember back when I was fairly new to this forum someone mentioned that the modern way to interpret fiction was to place no importance on the author's intent. It felt wrong to me at the time, but I've been trying to keep that in mind for some time now ... and it would certainly explain why so many different interpretations can be applied to a single scene of Sherlock. On some level that approach makes sense .... it's more practical, for one thing, as most of us don't have the opportunity to interview every author we read to find out what they really meant. So it makes sense that the reader's response to a work is more pertinent than the author's intent.

 

But ultimately, to me that still feels like a huge disservice to the author. Maybe it's because I'm a creator myself, and I know how incensed I would be if someone took my work and insisted it means something I never intended. I'd go to court to stop it, if I could, that's how strongly I feel about it.

 

But in the case of Sherlock, we have something that appears to be intentionally ambiguous a good part of the time. That's why, nearly a year after S3 aired, I keep parsing assorted interviews and videos, looking for clues to what is intentional and what isn't. Because it makes more sense to me to do it that way. But I think I can understand why some people take the ambiguity as an invitation to make anything of it that they want. So, ship on, shippers! Don't mind the snickering over here in my corner, it's just me being annoyingly smug. :D

 

I feel similar to the way you describe about authorial intent, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who still reads "the old-fashioned way". At the same time, my brain loves subtext, and it is very entertained by what I consider to be involuntary subtext. Poor Doyle. Take a modern perspective and the knowledge of how indirect any hint at "improper" subjects had to be in his time to his funny old stories, and you can get some very amusing results. Watson's sense memories, for example. Hilarious. If you take this poor narrator at his word (which we really shouldn't - disservice to the author but as I said above, very fun game once in a while), he must either have made goddamn notes about how it feels to hold Sherlock Holmes' hand / arm or the experience made such a deep impression on his mind that he could perfectly recall it years later.

 

So I see where the idea originally came from to play around a bit with this. Sherlock is such a very cleverly written show. It's not just an adaptation, it's a running commentary on how a modern audience would respond to this old fictional universe, and of course, some people would assume the guys are a couple, so they wrote that right into the first series, little knowing probably what a reaction they would set off.

 

It was merely a joke, I think, a joke on poor old Doyle and a joke on us modern readers who see sex everywhere. Until the third series came out, I used to think it was just that simple and people were being silly (to say the least) to take that joke in any way seriously. After all the crazy fan stuff that had become all too public during the two years after The Fall, I had firmly expected them to get rid of that particular running gag. With Mary on the scene and John getting married and all that, it seemed to me the perfect opportunity. But then came series 3, and from the very beginning, but especially after The Sign of Three, I felt as if there was a big billboard sign flashing LOVE in my face, and I went, holy shit - I can totally see this all of a sudden, and I don't even want to! I still don't see the sex bit, mind you. But I see the romance. Oh my god. I even like the romance. And I certainly cannot blame the internet. I blame series 3.

 

Just one more word about intent before I close this first section of an already all-too-long ramble: As you said, Arcadia, there seems to be a lot of very intentional ambiguity about the main character. They go quite out of their way to leave certain questions about him unanswered, among them the "is he gay" thing. And if an author makes an issue deliberately unclear, I think it's not unreasonable to assume that he or she wants the audience to make their own deductions. It's an invitation to Play The Game, and it's hardly fair to complain when that invitation is accepted. If you don't want your readers to speculate, don't give them riddles.

 

Personally, I don't care whether Sherlock is gay. He's just Sherlock. He doesn't have to fit into any category known to mankind. He's married to his work, and he's chosen to stay away from sexual relationships for the sake of that, so what does it matter whom he would theoretically go to bed with? That'd be like me making up my mind whom I want to cheat on my husband with. Waste of time. That is never going to happen.

 

 

Oh, do go on! I'm sure we can bear a recap or two. I know I could.

 

Well, short version: I think they use a hell of a lot of romance tropes for the story of this friendship. People often associate romance with sex. I don't. But I'm not surprised that others take that leap, and I don't think it's fair to call that absurd. Also, if in the very first episode you show your protagonist behaving completely indifferent towards a nice girl's attempt at flirtation but make him interpret a man asking whether he's taken as "flattering interest", plus you let characters who have known this guy for some time assume that he's found himself a boyfriend, well, then you can't really blame your audience for at least considering a few possibilities, and I don't think it's fair, either, to be surprised that some members of said audience fall in love with these possibilities and run away with them. People have gone to town with much less (see Kirk and Spock...).

 

As for the canon thing... well, they're already off canon anyhow... even the thing with Janine taking the Sussex Downs house and getting rid of the beehives.  I can't see this Sherlock having an interest in bees.  Seems like that would be too boring and dull for him.  So if this Sherlock is ever going to retire and they keep that old Sussex Downs bit, well Janine will have to get rid of it. Or there has to be new canon.  Molly is new canon.  MI6 in the mix is new canon.  Tom is new canon.  Mary's background is new canon.  His parents are new canon.  If new canon supports their desire to wring everything they can out of Sherlock's character, then they will add new canon.  

 

Of course they will. As I've said before, I don't think it at all unlikely that they'll make Sherlock and Molly a proper romantic couple some day. Or have Sherlock live with Janine at the cottage, as they suggested during the His Last Vow commentary. They can and do just as they please. All I was saying was that I wouldn't particularly like some of their options, and that my main reason for that is how I come to this series from reading the books, and therefore have certain ideas in my mind about Sherlock Holmes that are hard to shake.

 

My best bet is that the ambiguity will continue infinitely, and we'll all be left guessing and shipping 'til doomsday. That would be fine with me. I'm primarily interested in Sherlock as a character, and that's basically the title of the show, so I don't think I'll be disappointed on that head. And I also don't particularly care how exactly his friendship with John will play out in the future, just as long as it continues in some form. I could do with less side arcs and secondary characters and more cases, but oh well. There's got to be something for everyone...

[T.o.b.y]

... to get back to pictures: Here's one that fits our current discussion. Sherlock dancing alone at Baker St.

 

 

You can imagine anyone you like in his arms. I wonder whom he had mentally placed there. But there's still nobody actually occupying that space in reality. Now you can decide whether you think this is sad.

 

I love that scene.

[Arcadia]

Agreed on all points. I believe on the TEH commentary they say it's "time" to retire the "John must be gay" joke, but I'll bet anything they can't resist keeping it ... it's part of what makes the show special. But I do think there is some discomfort with how seriously some people have taken it -- to the point where Moftiss are at risk of being accused of "gay-baiting" if they don't eventually make John and Sherlock a couple. And I empathize with them there ... I can't believe that was ever their intent, and I don't think it's quite fair to punish them for something they didn't actually do.

 

Also, I think the pornographic nature of some of the fan response is a bit of a bother. It's taken something that's meant to be fun and turned it into something that is quite inappropriate in "polite society". I wouldn't want my name attached to pornography, and I bet most of the people associated with Sherlock don't either. I know it's fashionable these days to defend pornography as just another life style choice, but I'm old school ... I still think it genuinely harms society ... and I don't blame anyone who wants to disassociate themselves from it.

 

On the other hand, Moftiss did go to the trouble to establish that everyone's porn preference is "normal" on the show ... define normal, plz? Wait ... nevermind, I don't really want to know!

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

Also, I think the pornographic nature of some of the fan response is a bit of a bother. It's taken something that's meant to be fun and turned it into something that is quite inappropriate in "polite society". I wouldn't want my name attached to pornography, and I bet most of the people associated with Sherlock don't either. I know it's fashionable these days to defend pornography as just another life style choice, but I'm old school ... I still think it genuinely harms society ... and I don't blame anyone who wants to disassociate themselves from it.

 

It's worse when you're shown NC-17 stuff starring you. Case in point: the interview Graham Norton did with Martin Freeman awhile back.

 

     NORTON: (imitating Sherlock fan) Y'know, I really do like that Sherlock programme. How should I show my appreciation -- I'll draw this picture!"

     NORTON: (flashes NSFW Sherlock fanart at poor Martin)

[Carol the Dabbler]

Well, to be fair, they had put a sticker over the naughty bits.  Which makes it perfectly OK to show on television, because of course no one can tell what's supposed to be happening!

 

[Arcadia]

 

Also, I think the pornographic nature of some of the fan response is a bit of a bother. It's taken something that's meant to be fun and turned it into something that is quite inappropriate in "polite society". I wouldn't want my name attached to pornography, and I bet most of the people associated with Sherlock don't either. I know it's fashionable these days to defend pornography as just another life style choice, but I'm old school ... I still think it genuinely harms society ... and I don't blame anyone who wants to disassociate themselves from it.

 

It's worse when you're shown NC-17 stuff starring you. Case in point: the interview Graham Norton did with Martin Freeman awhile back.

 

     NORTON: (imitating Sherlock fan) Y'know, I really do like that Sherlock programme. How should I show my appreciation -- I'll draw this picture!"

     NORTON: (flashes NSFW Sherlock fanart at poor Martin)

 

 

 

Well, to be fair, they had put a sticker over the naughty bits.  Which makes it perfectly OK to show on television, because of course no one can tell what's supposed to be happening!

Gah, I saw that. I cringed in embarrassment, and it wasn't even me in the picture. Or even a picture by me! :P People, people, use your heads......

[Consultingdetectivephysco]

I love Sherlock Pictures although this one is wonderful

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

That part of the mind palace scene made me tear up some... "They're putting me down too... It's no fun, is it, Redbeard?"

[Consultingdetectivephysco]

Yes it was wonderful to see them together but heartache that the fall and the mind palace thing does have feels even though i'm a sociopath <3 -CSHP @Bendydoodlecantaloupe

 

[T.o.b.y]

Also, I think the pornographic nature of some of the fan response is a bit of a bother. It's taken something that's meant to be fun and turned it into something that is quite inappropriate in "polite society". I wouldn't want my name attached to pornography, and I bet most of the people associated with Sherlock don't either. I know it's fashionable these days to defend pornography as just another life style choice, but I'm old school ... I still think it genuinely harms society ... and I don't blame anyone who wants to disassociate themselves from it.

 

I don't know. I think the problem is time and place. If someone enjoys pornography, especially the kind that does not require real live people to have sex on camera, so there's not even a question whether maybe someone was forced to do something they didn't want to, that's basically fine, in my opinion. It seems like one of these things that gives some people pleasure and does nobody any harm.

 

On the other hand, pornographic images of my two favorite characters make me feel deeply uncomfortable. And they are literally all over the place. Pop up in any random google search where I'm looking for screenshots or old promotional pics or whatnot, and on some blogs they are just stuffed in there at random without so much as a friendly announcement of what the blogger has to "share".

 

I don't want to be a prude, and I don't want to crop other people's pleasures or belittle their artistic talent (which, in some cases, is considerable, I must say), but I do wish there was a little more thought put into where such images are displayed. Anything is fine inside your own room, but once you approach public ground, you might stop and consider, and the more public you get, the more careful you should be, especially if you are messing with characters who belong to another author and look like the real-life actors who play them.

 

I understand the wish to share pictures and fantasies (I obviously have a wish to share random thoughts, otherwise I wouldn't be here typing stuff into a totally public forum), but it would be nice if the sharing of pornographic content was limited to spaces where people can go if they have an active interest in seeing it. Same goes for so much "out there", though. Sexual content is actually the least of my worries. I've been confronted with depictions of violence online that made my blood run cold, and then there's really harmful and illegal stuff involving minors and animals and go knows what all over the place too, in the light of which a drawing of two men sharing a bed lovingly is really nothing. The internet is a wild place, and that won't change in a hurry, which is probably a good thing in a way, since it's also a pretty free place.

 

So I'll settle for an appeal to talk show hosts and interviewers to at least not shove provocative fan art in the faces of actors and show writers unbidden. It's not funny, it's embarrassing, and if their goal is to shame people into stopping the production of more or at least stopping them from making it public, it doesn't seem to be working. So just let it go, will you?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hear, hear! 

[T.o.b.y]

On to more pleasant things... Look at this:

 

 

It's really hard to believe all that emotion was fake, isn't it? Sherlock is such a bastard. That face alone could melt the pavement.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

On to more pleasant things... Look at this:

 

 

It's really hard to believe all that emotion was fake, isn't it? Sherlock is such a bastard. That face alone could melt the pavement.

Mixed about wanting to like the post just because of what Sherlock does moments later.

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

On to more pleasant things... Look at this:

 

 

It's really hard to believe all that emotion was fake, isn't it? Sherlock is such a bastard. That face alone could melt the pavement.

 

That face did damage the pavement... by hitting it at terminal velocity.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

 

On to more pleasant things... Look at this:

 

 

It's really hard to believe all that emotion was fake, isn't it? Sherlock is such a bastard. That face alone could melt the pavement.

That face did damage the pavement... by hitting it at terminal velocity.

But was it his actual face or was it a double? To quote the tootsie pop commercial, "the world may never know".

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

 

Or was it Moriarty's body, with a mask on?

[Ruthyone]

Still love this one of Moriarty...........

[Arcadia]

That face did damage the pavement... by hitting it at terminal velocity.

Or (Moftiss's voice) did it?

[T.o.b.y]

Some of the Sherlock screenshots just look like art. This for example:

 

 

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

Moriarty is so adorable in this picture:

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Of course, that's not the real Moriarty -- that's the one from what's-her-name's head canon.

 

[Bendydoodle Cantaloupe]

That One Scottish Sherlockian Girl.

 

Also known as me if I didn't have self-control.

 

:P

[sittything]

In honor of Christmas...

 

 

Can I just say how much I want their flat?  I'd live there in a minute.