Episode 1.1, "A Study In Pink"

[J.P.]

But... if the Cabbie was Jim't puppet, why did he throw away the case. Would Jim do such a thing knowing Sherlock?...

 

Aaah... wait a minute - this was a bite. Sherlock was supposed to find it. Otherwise there would be no showdown. A trace of crumbs.

 

Sometimes I can be surprisingly... slow. :D

Anyway, I do think better when I talk/write. Apparently the Forum is my version of the Scull. ;)

[J.P.]

If so - the whole Rachel thing must have also been staged... Suddenly the plot has a hole. Or is it me having a hole in my logic...

 

Okay, THINK!

 

Jim hired the Cabbie to stage the suicides, because he knew it would attract Sherlock. Was Pink Lady something special, or Jim hoped that sooner or later something like that would happen, that Sherlock would solve the case, find the Cabbie and be lured into the game.

 

Bad day for thinking, today.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Relax, I suspect you're overthinking it.  I'd go with the "hoping sooner or later" version.

 

[Shadow Dweller]

Pink Lady most likely a coincidence, she certainly break the pattern of a string of 'high-profile suicides' that happen to land in Lestrade's team's hands. If Jim was operating from assumption that Sherlock prefers unique cases that allow him to flex his brain then the politicians' is a much better bait than a Jane doe who wears pink from head to toe. It is John who named the case as A Study in Pink.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Could it be Jim's way to say hi to Sherlock?

 

I'm with hoping for 'sooner or later'.

Jim was probably playing with Jeff and Sherlock. It's fun for him to see if Jeff would make a mistake and Sherlock would catch up, or Sherlock could solve it without Jeff's mistake.

In this case cabbie was merely regarded as toys between them, he was not the proper genius as he claimed (he shouldn't pick someone with such a distinctive appearance like Jennifer Wilson. And I agree pill game has nothing to do with intelligence. Good luck in guessing what an insane person would do regardless how high your IQ is).

 

 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

IF the pills Moriarty gave to the cabbie really were what he said they were, and IF the cabbie was telling the truth about how he had dealt with his previous three victims, then I think Sherlock chose the "good" pill.  At least, that's the one I would have chosen (and he makes the same choice in both the pilot and the episode).

 

But that's a couple of huge IFs.

 

[Godolphin]

Loved this episode!

 

Loved the easy rapport between John and Sherlock, how their personalities fit so comfortably. I enjoyed how John gave Sherlock what he craved so much -- honest admiration -- and how Sherlock was able to read John so well and understand that what John really needed was some trouble ("oh god yes"). I loved how eager Sherlock was for John to be impressed by the Art of Detection, and the tasty blend of dejection and annoyance that Benedict Cumberbatch served up when John was skeptical instead. And it was a treat to see John decide that he was going to follow up the lead on his own when the GPS locator finally made a hit -- he was already hooked!

 

It was delightful how they packed the character dynamics into 90 minutes -- snarkiness between Sherlock and most of the police (except Lestrade), and then the drugs bust later to emphasize how much they'd love to pin something on him, only to have Sherlock figure out the key clues (Rachel as password) right under their noses. Lestrade as a level-headed cop who won't be bulled by co-workers who question his reliance on Sherlock, but at the same time won't let Sherlock steal the case either. That must be a tricky character to breathe life into, when Sherlock is so brilliant, but Rupert Graves really makes Lestrade hold his own. 

 

I'm still on the fence as to whether or not I liked the restaurant scene and the awkward exchange about whether or not either of the gents was interested in each other. It seems a bit out of place -- I can't see that being the first bit of small talk to pop up when they're actually on the lookout for a killer. But I did like the fact that Sherlock, who is usually so dismissive of other people, felt compelled to handle what he thought was John's interest in him as a dating partner with delicacy and respect for John's feelings. I'm convinced he was utterly truthful -- he's married to his work -- but something about John as a person made Sherlock want to let him down gracefully. Nice little spot of humanity there.

 

Sunshine calls outdoors!

 

[J.P.]

 

But I did like the fact that Sherlock, who is usually so dismissive of other people, felt compelled to handle what he thought was John's interest in him as a dating partner with delicacy and respect for John's feelings. I'm convinced he was utterly truthful -- he's married to his work -- but something about John as a person made Sherlock want to let him down gracefully. Nice little spot of humanity there.

 

Well said. :D

[Carol the Dabbler]

... it was a treat to see John decide that he was going to follow up the lead on his own when the GPS locator finally made a hit -- he was already hooked!

 

Thanks for pointing that out, Godolphin.  During this semi-coordinated rewatch of the early episodes, I've been noticing that John seems to be given far more credit for his astuteness than in later episodes.  But I hadn't thought to add that scene to my list.

 

I think one thing that initially drew me to the show is that Freeman's Watson was NOT the oblivious bumbler so often portrayed in other adaptations.  Unfortunately, John has been edging closer to that territory with each successive series.  I hope they get back to acknowledging John's brain in the upcoming episodes.  Of course he's no Sherlock Holmes, but he's a doctor, for heaven's sake!

[Arcadia]

if it's any consolation :p I do think there's been an element of "oh, Sherlock will figure it out, I just need to back him up" in John's attitude as the series progresses. I.e., he trusts Sherlock so implicitly he's stopped trying to compete. Which, if true, makes me think those two need to sit down and have a good heart to heart.

[Godolphin]

 

I think one thing that initially drew me to the show is that Freeman's Watson was NOT the oblivious bumbler so often portrayed in other adaptations.  Unfortunately, John has been edging closer to that territory with each successive series.  I hope they get back to acknowledging John's brain in the upcoming episodes.  Of course he's no Sherlock Holmes, but he's a doctor, for heaven's sake!

 

 

You know, I hadn't thought of that until you pointed it out, but it does bother me. Magnussen was dismissive of John and referred to him as Sherlock's damsel in distress. And it does seem that in S3, John Watson didn't have as much opportunity to demonstrate his own incisive perceptions. 

 

But, then, S3 had broken up the duo. The first episode was really Sherlock on the case, and John coming to terms with his return. The second episode was the wedding, and that case, too, was largely solved in Sherlock's head. The third episode yet again highlighted that John had "moved on" (to the suburbs), and the sleuthing was largely Sherlock's business. John had turned into more of a friend and less of an intellectual sounding board. 

 

I hope the writers haven't painted themselves into a corner. While I know that John Watson's life will necessarily change now that he's married (and a father), it would be nice to see him continue to be a real working partner for Sherlock.

[Arcadia]

Yes, it's bothered me too, hope it's temporary. One of the things I really DO like about TBB is John's level of involvement in the case. Although to be fair, in TS03 "The Bloody Guardsman" case showed his contribution to the partnership (interviewing the commander, saving the kid's life). I don't think John being married will be a factor in how deeply he's involved, though; I think it's the emphasis on the boy's friendship over the crime-solving that's the primary factor. Since I'd like to see more of that, too, I'm not sure what to hope for in S4!

[Godolphin]

Still hoping for Sherlock to find himself arrested and have to reason a way to get himself released from prison...

[Carol the Dabbler]

I do think there's been an element of "oh, Sherlock will figure it out, I just need to back him up" in John's attitude as the series progresses. I.e., he trusts Sherlock so implicitly he's stopped trying to compete.

 

I don't think John's trying to compete with Sherlock in the early episodes, he's just using his head.  I suppose "Sherlock will figure it out" could account for some of his more passive attitude later on, but I still don't care for it.

 

... it does seem that in S3, John Watson didn't have as much opportunity to demonstrate his own incisive perceptions. 

 

But, then, S3 had broken up the duo.

I haven't done anything like a thorough analysis, but it seems to me that things were already different by Series 2, or even late Series 1. John thinks Connie Prince was poisoned by her cat's claws, but Sherlock stomps all over that theory. John is treated like Sherlock's lab rat in "Hounds."

[Godolphin]

John is treated like Sherlock's lab rat in "Hounds."

 

 

Yes, and Sherlock leads us to believe that he's used John as a lab rat on many other occasions, too. Slipped him drugs to make him lose entire days, according to the best man speech at John & Mary's reception.  :o

 

Sherlock is definitely a risky friend to have around. 

[Godolphin]

Although...upon further reflection, John was the one who noticed the invoice for way more meat than a vegetarian restaurant needed, and suggested that Lestrade intimidate the restaurant owners for some clues. He didn't solve the entire mystery about project H.O.U.N.D., but he was instrumental in figuring out what George had been seeing all those years. When I watched that segment again, I thought I saw a tiny glimmer of Sherlock deciding that John's hunch was at least satisfactory...

[sfmpco]

Anthea's real name is Andrea?

 

http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Sid401k/media/BBCS1E1-StudyinPink-scriptpage.jpg.html

[Carol the Dabbler]

Anthea's real name is Andrea?

 

http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Sid401k/media/BBCS1E1-StudyinPink-scriptpage.jpg.html

 

Well, the script for "Study in Pink" really has been released to select fans:

 

My collectors' edition had the script for Pink included, if that helps.

 

Martina, could you check that page and see if the character's name is indeed shown as Andrea?

 

 

We definitely need some new episodes!

[Arcadia]

Anthea's real name is Andrea?

 

http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Sid401k/media/BBCS1E1-StudyinPink-scriptpage.jpg.html

 

Well. That's a bit ... anticlimatic?

 

Well, the script for "Study in Pink" really has been released to select fans: 

Martina, could you check that page and see if the character's name is indeed shown as Andrea?

 

We definitely need some new episodes!

 

Yes we certainly do....

[SherlockedCAMPer]

 

Anthea's real name is Andrea?

 

http://s62.photobucket.com/user/Sid401k/media/BBCS1E1-StudyinPink-scriptpage.jpg.html

 

Well. That's a bit ... anticlimatic?

 

Well, the script for "Study in Pink" really has been released to select fans: 

Martina, could you check that page and see if the character's name is indeed shown as Andrea?

 

We definitely need some new episodes!

 

Yes we certainly do....

 

 

 

Agreed on the episodes.

 

 

I prefer Anthea to Andrea.  There's something more mysterious about it.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I prefer Anthea to Andrea.  There's something more mysterious about it.

 

Maybe that's why she told John her name was Anthea -- she's always wished her parents had named her that instead of Andrea.

 

At least that's a more satisfactory explanation than a serious attempt to hide her real name. That'd be about as effective a disguise as me claiming my name was Caroline or Carrie.

 

[Inge l-w]

Yes, but Carrie would have a certain cachet about it, like Ms Bradshaw in Sex and the city!

[Caya]

Martina, could you check that page and see if the character's name is indeed shown as Andrea?

 

 

We definitely need some new episodes!

 

Yep, that's a pic from that script. She's referred to as Andrea throughout. I think I mentioned it back when I got it, but my memory may well fail me, in which case, sorry!

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

If you did, the forum search function is not bringing it up.  So twenty lashes with a wet noodle!

 

Honestly, though, you can't be expected to deliver a point-by-picky-little-point analysis of the script vs. the episode -- assuming you have anything like a life, that is.  I'm just glad that you're willing and able to answer questions as they arise. 

 

[Arcadia]

Since you've proved so willing to do all this research for us, Martina :P ... if she's referred to as "Andrea" throughout, does John still ask if that's her real name in the script? And if so, does she say "no"? Just wondering if maybe it was ad-libbed....
 
And actually, I'm surprised you haven't scanned in the entire script by now and posted it in the "Favorite Pictures" thread! :d