The Geek Interpreters

[Carol the Dabbler]

Thanks! But I'm afraid that leaves me just as confused ... what does picking up a girl have to do with murderers at a wedding?

 

I think John means he's happy that the murderous goings-on haven't stopped Sherlock from picking up Janine.  At least, that seems to be the literal meaning.  But I think he's being sarcastic, probably assuming that it just looks that way, Sherlock couldn't possibly be picking up a woman -- and it turns out he's right, sort of.

 

 

2. I've always been puzzled by the scene where our two boys are sitting on a bench waiting to see Pvt. Bainbridge. There's something odd about the way that scene is staged. Sherlock's stiff, he looks twice the size of John and just generally looks awkward. What (if anything) are these poses meant to convey?

 

The bench scene looks odd to me as well, even in the still shot that's often used.  It's presumably nothing to do with Cumberbatch and Freeman in real life, because they filmed on North Gower later that same day, and they looked perfectly normal then (Alex and I were there) and in those filmed scenes.  But yeah, in the bench scene, I think John looks -- different.  Maybe kind of "deflated"?  Maybe it's an optical illusion or something?  Maybe it's just not his kinda bench?

 

Or maybe Sherlock's stiffness and John's "deflatedness" are meant to convey the awkwardness between them -- they're probably both worried that John's impending marriage will change things between them.  Neither one wants it to change things, but they each think the other is assuming that it will.  I think that's all true, but not at all convinced that it has anything to do with how they look in that scene.

[Arcadia]

So John is saying (sarcastically) "Glad to see you've found a girl in spite of all that's been happening."  ?

 

Yeah, in the stills the bench scene looks even odder, and I have to believe it's deliberate because it IS so obvious. I thought of your reason (that it shows the awkwardness between them) but I can't quite work out why it should mean that. Sitting far apart conveys the same thing, but adding the difference in apparent size just makes it .... strange.

 

Also I note that Sherlock is stiff, but John is relaxed. Which does sort of make sense if Sherlock believes everything's going to change, but John doesn't.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I don't think John looks especially relaxed -- more like -- wilted?  Here's a link to a still from that scene.  It's small, and the forum software won't let me either embed it or hotlink to it, so if somebody can find a more cooperative copy, that would be very helpful!  But meanwhile, you can at least open it in another tab.

 

http://www.sherlockology.com/ImageGen.ashx?image=/images/calendar2014/uqydb_04apr2014thumb.jpg

 

... and here's a photo of Freeman and Cumberbatch as (more or less) themselves, the same day, on the same bench:

 

 

The angle isn't quite the same, but they look physically different to me.  Not that I can say exactly what the difference is.

 

[Arcadia]

One need look no further than the April calender....

 

It almost looks Photoshopped, doesn't it? Sherlock is much further forward on the bench than John. And neither of them look too happy....

 

By the way, I keep seeing references to the red thread on Sherlock's button holes having some meaning. Does anyone know what the meaning is?

[Carol the Dabbler]

All I've heard is that they wanted to give Sherlock's coat a distinctive look, rather than exactly like what was being sold.
 
Thanks for the photo -- my little copy was the thumbnail version of that, because I assumed the actual calendars were all full-screen size.

 

Compared to Freeman and Cumberbatch in the gag photo, Sherlock is, as you mentioned earlier, sitting up much straighter in the episode shot.  That's the most obvious difference.  I think the main difference with John is his facial expression -- he looks kind of drawn.  I suppose the point is that neither one of them is at ease, they're both tense.  I think the overall effect is that John and Sherlock don't quite look like themselves -- maybe because they aren't feeling like themselves?

 

Not my favorite shot of them, in any case.

 

[Arcadia]

No, nor mine.

[The Rani]

It would certainly make a good picture for a caption competition!

[Arcadia]

Finished off HLV a couple nights ago. I admit to approaching this episode with some trepidation; it was shortly after viewing it the first time that I sought out this forum, and discovered I wasn't the only one who was, shall we say, confused.

 

I DID still enjoy it, tho, and am keeping it as my favorite S3 episode, largely based on the strength of Sherlock's "mind palace" sequence. That whole scene is really something. But the sheer complexity of TSo3 is giving HLV a run for its money.

 

Anyway, I didn't come up with a single question for this episode. Maybe I missed stuff because I was so gripped by the drama, but there you are. So I'm just gonna do my usual summary of the questions/answers, then settle back and .... waaaaaahhhhh!!!!! Wait til Season 4!!! (Sniff.)

 

Summarizing answers to Season 3 questions (questions are on page 5 of this thread):

Maybe everyone else is just as mystified by this stuff as I am, cuz I didn't get too many responders this time around; and those who did wisely dodged some of the questions.

 

TEH

1. Apparently it's just me. Apparently I need to get out more.

 

2. Several sources have identified this as Mycroft's office/war room/safe room. If true, Mycroft is creepier than I thought.

 

3. Intentional? Debatable, but I enjoy believing it was, so ... there.

 

4. Apparently it's just me. Apparently I need to get out more.

 

5.

He didn't. He deduced that the man was an expectant father, and noticed that he'd received text alert. I'm pretty sure he said "maybe" she was going into labor. OK, so how did he deduce the expectant father bit? Same way he deduced "half Welsh," I assume.

Obviously.

 

7. The "beating heart" remark is apparently the only spoofy bit, as the rest is a quote (more or less) from "A Study in Scarlet". Rats.

 

8.

I assume that the mere thought of having an ordinary person as a companion makes him queasy.

This is a brilliant answer.

 

9. Since it involves Mary, it's anyone's guess.

 

10. Larry Grayson is real; he's a comedian. Kudos to "FOX" for noticing that Daddy Holmes did in fact have his glasses on a string later.

 

12.

... I would guess that he's just noticed that he and Tom even put on their scarves the same way.

Well, duh. Why this was a mystery to me is a mystery.

 

 

TSo3

The bogs are the toilets. Good one, Mary!

 

Unknown, but Carol and I agree it's weird.

 

Apparently John is (humorously, we assume) congratulating Sherlock for having found a girl to spend the evening with, in spite of all the murderers running loose. Which leads to another question; how did Janine not realize Sherlock was expecting to dance with her? Ditz.

[Arcadia]

By the way, thanks everyone for indulging my little whimsy and offering answers! (Esp. since some of them were just a google away.) Hope some of you enjoyed the results. Now I have to find something ELSE meaningful to do with my life...

[T.o.b.y]

another question; how did Janine not realize Sherlock was expecting to dance with her? Ditz.

 

Well, he had told her she wasn't good at dancing in his opinion and he had spent most of their time together that day suggesting other men for her to date. I can't really blame her...

 

[Arcadia]

Well, he had told her she wasn't good at dancing in his opinion and he had spent most of their time together that day suggesting other men for her to date. I can't really blame her...

He also said something like "we're about to dance together" and "I love to dance" which I would've thought were rather obvious clues...

[Carol the Dabbler]

You can't stop now, Arcadia!  How can I find any purpose in life with no more questions to answer?

 

Any questions on "Many Happy Returns"?

 

Aaaurggh!  Withdrawal!!!

 

[Arcadia]

Geez, the pressure! I guess I could watch the pilot episode again... I'm sure I'll struggle thru it somehow.....

[jesskayding]

Great thread idea and title , Many of these can probably be answered best by our resident Brits.

 

I thought the cups were from the Criterion Bar, for canon reasons - they couldn't film there again as they'd done in the unaired pilot, so they used these cups instead.

 

Una Stubbs is an old friend of Benedict Cumberbatch's mum and practically his aunt, so he was naturally affectionate with her and they worked it in, afaik.

 

From the tombstone, one can see that Sherlock was born on January 6, but the year hasn't been confirmed yet, I think.

 

The photogenic building is locally known as The Gherkin.

 

Locum work is filling in for the regular doctor when he's not in (off day, on holiday or whatever).

 

An ASBO is a specifically British civil order, somewhat of a cross between a probation and a restraining order if I understood that correctly.

 

Ha! ASBO... I totally thought he said they're giving me an a** bow. You know like I thought it was like being humiliated..

[jesskayding]

You know I had to Google Boffin per had no idea what that meant.

[jesskayding]

Thanks! But I'm afraid that leaves me just as confused ... what does picking up a girl have to do with murderers at a wedding?

 

You probably have all your answers by now. Hope your mom is still doing well.

 

Any-who

.. I took that to mean ... How did you find time to pick up a girl with murders running about.

[Arcadia]

You know I had to Google Boffin per had no idea what that meant.

Oh, I missed that! (Maybe I thought it was "boffo"!) What DOES it mean?

[Arcadia]

 

Thanks! But I'm afraid that leaves me just as confused ... what does picking up a girl have to do with murderers at a wedding?

 

You probably have all your answers by now. Hope your mom is still doing well.

 

Any-who

.. I took that to mean ... How did you find time to pick up a girl with murders running about.

 

Thank you, she's doing very well! Altho she fell again a couple days ago, so apparently that is going to be a concern from now on.

 

And I think you are right about the meaning! Altho it seems strange to me that John doesn't act surprised to find Sherlock with a girl, but I guess he was just making a joke. He sure was surprised by it later on!

[Caya]

Glad to hear your mom's doing better, Arcadia! Good thing her new fall wasn't as hard.

 

Maybe John expected Janine to latch onto Sherlock during the wedding (that is a bit of tradition with the maid of honor and bridegroom, isn't it?) but was surprised when Sherlock didn't beat her off with a verbal pointy stick as soon as the day was over .

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Hope your mom is on the mend, Arcadia. Those falls can be scary and disconcerting for everyone involved. Not fun.

 

   Hhhmmm Sherlock isn't into using slang?  He certainly is a "boffin" being the forensic scientist that he is....and rather geekish about it.

[Arcadia]

Thanks everyone, "The Mommer" (as we call her) is here on vacation with me & my siblings, so I expect to see even more rapid recovery soon! As soon as this hurricane blows itself out.

 

So, are you saying boffin is slang for a geek? That we should, in fact, be the "Boffin Interpretors?" I rather love that, actually.....

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I'll place the link here for "boffin".

 

 

                             http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/boffin

[jesskayding]

 

You know I had to Google Boffin per had no idea what that meant.

Oh, I missed that! (Maybe I thought it was "boffo"!) What DOES it mean?

Here read this

 

http://thesherlockblog.blogspot.com/p/boffin-sherlock-holmes.html?m=1

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Well Mycroft did refer to London as Sherlock's battlefield so that connotation makes sense too. Thanks for the link jess.

[jesskayding]

Now I could see why Boffin upset Sherlock so much... Although he pretends not to care what others think of him... In this modern day version it's important to Sherlock that he looks "cool".

 

 

Turning up the collar on his coat.

 

When returning from the dead, doesn't want to be seen running round town with " an old man".