Series 4 (and Special) Speculation

[Arcadia]

Ak, y'all are posting so fast I can't keep up!
 
The problem to me with the "on the lam" etc theories is ... the child. John lets her go and take the child with her? Or the child stays with him and he becomes a single father? I have real trouble seeing how they could adequately pull off either of those; what makes most sense to me is for Mary to stay and show up occasionally, as Carol says, but mostly just be around to care for the child. Not very feminist, maybe, but it makes more sense to me.

I'm wondering if the thing that seems "complete" to Ben has something to do with Moriarty. We've only just met Mary, it makes less sense to me that it would have something to do with her. But when all is said and done, I haven't a clue what's up! Why is Ben the only one hinting that the show may be over for now? What does he mean by it won't appear "regularly" any more, when it never has done? Aghhh! (One thing that occurs to me is that what seems like a long break to us probably doesn't to him ... he's been rather busy with other projects.... )
 

Sorry, Carol, I think we just cross-posted.
 
Ugh, I hope the Watsons won't get divorced. That would be too fan-fic-y for my taste.
 
If Mary dies, that's okay with me, I'm just concerned about putting John through that kind of loss again so soon. And what would they do with the child? They can't kill the baby. This is Sherlock, not Game of Thrones. No dead babies, please. And bereaving the baby of its mother, that's pretty cruel too. Actually, as soon as I knew there was actually going to be a child, I thought, that's it, then Mary is safe.

Exactly, exactly, and exactly. (Which is probably why they'll kill her after all. :P )
 
 

So, Freeman says the relationship changes because there's nothing more important for John than his wife and child. That's understandable, I just wonder what's the most important for Sherlock. Either they'll force him into a romance with either Molly or Janine or somebody else (in which case I will most likely get angry and stop watching) or he'll continue to be a kind of a dark guardian angel for the Watson family, moodily looking on from the outside and pretending that this is how he wants it to be because he's a sociopath and doesn't need anybody. So there. And maybe this is how he wants it to be - although I do think Sherlock would much rather just be bachelors at Baker St again and chase criminals at all hours. Only he's matured enough to understand John has different needs and wants different things out of life.

Well, even in canon it's implied that there was quite a long period where Watson didn't really see Holmes all that often, am I right? I haven't read all of it, but enough to have gotten that impression. I seem to remember a phrase along the lines of "I hadn't seen Holmes for some months...." )

Now that I think about it, that could be a satisfying story arc for me ... they go more or less their separate ways for awhile, so that the reunion, when it finally happens, is all that much sweeter. Although I rather fear John would get the short end of the stick, screen-time-wise.

[Arcadia]

I kinda like the "dark guardian" idea.

 

I can't exactly say I like it, because those people are never happy people, and deep down inside I want my little Sherly to be a happy boy. But it seems the most logical conclusion, to me.

 

[besleybean]

I'm just going by what Benedict has said in recent interviews...something happens in the story arc that mean it's going to be very difficult for them to continue...at least for a very long time.

So what do we think it is?

[Arcadia]

The only thing I can think of, plot-wise, that would make it "difficult to continue" is if John or Sherlock winds up dead, exiled or in prison. And even those last two aren't much of a hurdle, in Sherlock-world. (Neither is death, actually! )

 

I suppose they could go the route of (I think it's) the Seven Percent Solution, and have Sherlock run off with a girl (or a boy ) at the end, with the promise to be gone a few years. But that just seems so out of the blue ... unless it's Irene he runs off to be with.

[Carol the Dabbler]

As somebody suggested ages ago somewhere on this forum, if Mary should ever exit, Little Miss Watson could become the ward of Mummy and Daddy Holmes. However, I don't see this as any improvement over the other suggestions mentioned recently. Mummy has a cloud of question marks hanging over her head, just as Mary does. Seems like it might be just well to keep mother and child together, either in some known location or in a witness protection program. But I agree, no dead babies, please.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Think I may have said this already -- if somebody else hasn't -- but one other thing that could stall the program would be for Sherlock and John to be not on speaking terms with one another. That could go on for as long as necessary, and then be resolved in the first episode of S5.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

That could work Carol. We saw John and Sherlock not talking for a bit at the beginning of TEH

[Carol the Dabbler]

Right. They'd want to come up with a new spin on that idea, of course.

 

Though *why* they'd want them not speaking to each other, I have no idea. They'd need an interesting in-universe rationale.

[Pseudonym]

Only way I see of them not speaking to each other would be if Sherlock was, not necessarily responsible for Mary's death but there is some bitterness from John that Sherlock should have seen more and done more. I can imagine John getting to the point where he is just done. Since John forgave Sherlock for faking his death it would have to be something much, much worse for John to reach that point - I think he would accept Sherlock hurting him, but not those he loves.

I read an interesting fic the other day where John didn't forgive Sherlock for faking his death and they didn't talk for ten years, I need to hunt out more like that, was an interesting spin on things.  

 

[besleybean]

I think we're over the latter....

I certainly think that Mary's death is going to cause  some rift between the boys, or at least force Sherlock into retirement.

[T.o.b.y]

Right now, I imagine series 4 is going to be like a giant explosion. There are so many fuses already lit:

 

 - Sherlock shot a man in front of witnesses. This act of murder was covered up by members of the British government and civil service.

 - Mary shot God knows how many people in the past, she has enemies still living whom she is hiding from and has by her own admission committed some serious crimes

 - The Holmes family has some dark secret concerning "the other one"

 - Moriarty might be alive, and if he's not, at least his legacy is

 - Sherlock has a drug problem (and since The Abominable Bride, I don't really believe him any more when he says he's not an addict, just a user...)

 

... and to really raise the stakes, there's a defenseless baby in the mix now.

 

Theoretically, the series could end with all major protagonists being in jail: Sherlock and Mary for murder, John and Mycroft for witnessing / having knowledge of said murders and keeping silent, Molly for faking Sherlock's death certificate and granting him access to corpses and body parts, Lestrade for continuing to share investigation details with Sherlock and John... Mrs Hudson might go free, I guess. To take care of Baby Watson. If she doesn't overdo it with the herbal soothers.

 

 

Nah. Of course I don't think that will really happen. But it wouldn't be the least realistic option.

 

 

I'm hoping that series 4 will wrap up and more or less explain the entire show so far, like they do with Sherlock's cases within an episode. Then give us a not completely depressing ending and I will be happy.

[besleybean]

I'm just flailing all over the place at the moment...I need S 4!

[Arcadia]

I don't quite follow all of this (haven't had time to read it carefully :( ) but it looks pretty interesting ... some speculation about what some of the teasers and blog posts over the past few months could be pointing to. One involves a (I think) real life case.... ?

http://welovethebeekeeper.tumblr.com/post/153587553373/deducingbbcsherlock-tjlcisthenewsexy

[J.P.]

Need to research on it. Never heard about it before.

My ears perked for a moment until I looked it up and it turned out Mycroft was referring to 1972 in TRF. Ah, well...

[J.P.]

Now, if you consider us crazy nitpickers:

 

http://londongypsy.tumblr.com/post/153999027114/calling-our-musicians

 

and don't miss the soundcloud file.

[besleybean]

Yeah, like the promo pic shows Sherlock and John are enjoying a bundle of laughs in 221B.

[J.P.]

Squeeee! Spotted a real Lil'Billy at 221B!

 

 

Would you say the thing far right is also a skull?

 

BTW do someone remember a setlock pic showing a bus stop(?) with big poster showing Toby Jones' face? What did that poster say?

[Boton]

I think we're over the latter....

I certainly think that Mary's death is going to cause  some rift between the boys, or at least force Sherlock into retirement.

 

If we're in for a long hiatus (what, exactly, constitutes a "long" hiatus in a Sherlock Holmes universe?), I hope this is the route they go.  Sherlock is the proximate cause of Mary's death (which doesn't have to mean it is his fault), and he feels responsible and John is angry.  They can pick up 7 or 11 or how many ever years later in show time (not necessarily in real time) when little Miss Plot Problem is old enough to go to boarding school.

[Arcadia]

Squeeee! Spotted a real Lil'Billy at 221B!

 

 

Would you say the thing far right is also a skull?

 

BTW do someone remember a setlock pic showing a bus stop(?) with big poster showing Toby Jones' face? What did that poster say?

 

As they say in the Washington Post, "Congrats! Or something." :D

 

TBH, to me the thing on the far right looks like a Chinese doll in a bell jar. Or something similar.

 

Is Sherlock screaming in frustration or shouting in triumph, do you think? And there's way too many pictures of that creepy Mr. Smith plastered all over the walls to suit me....

[besleybean]

Looks like he's breaking down...

[Arcadia]

I know... :( I'm so worried ....

[T.o.b.y]

I know... :( I'm so worried ....

 

That's what Watson was in "The Dying Detective", and it turned out to be nothing but one of Holmes' little charades.

 

I think it's interesting that the original Culverton Smith really didn't seem like much of a threat and Sherlock Holmes had the upper hand against him the whole time. Don't expect it to go like that in series 4 at all, but lets not get too concerned about our beloved hero until we know how much trouble he's really in. I am not inclined to believe every sign of distress from him is genuine...

 

My prediction is that the big issue in series 4 is going to be "the other one". Something to do with the Holmes' past and possibly Moriarty. Maybe Smith is somehow tied up with that, who knows.

 

I'd love it if they devoted an entire episode to the case of Mary Watson, but I don't really think they will. I think we'll learn more about Mycroft than about her in series 4 - and about Sherlock anyway.

 

[T.o.b.y]

So... I have been wondering what "darkest secrets" Smith is talking about in the trailer a very kind person linked to in this thread:

 

http://www.sherlockforum.com/forum/topic/1916-series-4-news/page-72?do=findComment&comment=111066

 

I mean, what do Sherlock's friends already know? He's done drugs. He's lied to all of them, he's used his flatmate as a test subject for experiments without his knowledge or consent, he's faked suicide and let them mourn for him for two entire years and he has committed murder.

 

What would it take to shock them at this point?

[besleybean]

God I was on the wrong thread again...

Anyhow, to answer the above question...reveal the truth about 'the other one'?

[T.o.b.y]

Possibly... if so, what on earth could Sherlock have done to him?