John Watson

[Arcadia]

Oh, I don't know what kind of gesture. (That's why I'll never be a writer. ) But something equivalent to what Sherlock did for him; jumped off a building to keep him from getting killed; gave the best man's speech at his wedding; murdered a man to protect his wife. Y'know, little things like that. I just thought (hoped) it would be John's turn to shine in S4, since he seemed barely there in S3. Although considering what Moftiss had Sherlock do "for" John, maybe it's just as well John didn't return the favor.

[Van Buren Supernova]

I agree about the drama queen being kind of emergency thing, although there could be other terms to use, but he probably picked that to get at the nerve of Sherlock quickly. And it worked.

 

TAB one, that was one of the moments when I feel John was being too 'demanding'. It's not the right word. I get that he cared, but those words, threatening violence is not good. However, I still think of it as just word plays between guys, nothing serious until he did just that in TLD, for even worse reason. :( huh.

 

 

Anyway.. hobby..

Oh dear.. I was hoping something like scrapbooking, origami, skateboarding.. and what we have is.. working Sherlock? Eh.. with?

[Van Buren Supernova]

Okay, welcome to the madness of hiatus.

I refuse to give up, we even know Lestrade loves football. How come we don't know much about John outside Sherlock..

 

I have to work, really, but can't start my day with curiosity hanging. Excuses!

 

So I went to MHR, and try to see what we can find in John's flat.

 

What is that folding thingy at the right corner? Is that folding table for something? Massage table? Too small. Pet grooming table? Usually comes with a pole. Tiny trampolin? Dining table? Why he needed one though.

Anyway, upon squinting, there are quite a number of half full bottles in the cabinet, most likely whiskey, I suppose, that he drinks later. There are wine glasses and bottle as well. I suppose it's not drinking problem, but only recreational drinking since we see him only pour a bit of those, the place is not a drunk's flat, and he resents Harry for being a drunk, also it seems like he still drinks coffee, or tea! from the mug.

 

Why didn't he offer Greg something to drink. Come on John, even Sherlock makes tea for Moriarty.

 

Half folded magazine. So maybe there is certain stuff he is interested with. Magazine can be very specific, or he just like general variety and gossip show like the ones he enjoys with Mrs.Hudson. The magazine is put down too neatly, as if arranged to match the other. :p and aiz! Don't fold magazine that way!

 

 

Two remotes, and can be seen later that is CD/DVD player. So he watches movies/other programs. DIY? Maybe not. Movies. James Bond. Teletubbies? Shudder. Maybe he watches The Office.

 

Look at that empty coaster! Forget the drink for Greg, John? But I applaud your excessive coaster importance.

 

 

There. The whiskey, is it?

Hey, he is probably the coaster collector. Now he has round one.

Ah, maybe he has Whiskey Tango Foxtrot DvD.

 

Another half folded magazine. I don't really get why he has two half folded magazine. It doesn't make sense unless he is researching something?

Or are they articles about Sherlock? He looks pretty sad.

 

Is that a stair?

I suppose that is quite an expensive flat then. Two stories?

I live in big cities and stair only belong to public area, rich people or older flats.

Why would he frame a leaf? Could that be his DIY project? :p Or is it artwork of the landlord? Seems random. It's totally different with earlier framed work we see on the wall.

 

 

And books. At least five books. Books that looks serious. So he may be into reading after all. And he did pay attention to comment about Sherlock's books, so he probably likes to read. Maybe he joins wine club or something too? Maybe he meets Mary outside profession? Mary and Janine seem very social. And John didn't have difficulties meeting ladies in the past.

 

 

Stray observations:

- Lestrade is so cute, and nuts as well.

Is it in his character that he would take the effort to get video message for John? He even edits those. Video message back then, and as we see it, is much more troublesome than simple whip out smartphone and send it via direct messaging. They talk about lighting as well.

I know Lestrade seems to think of them as good friends, by the way he enjoys the social meeting {Christmas and all, although he looks bored in the wedding (who doesn't?)} and the way he covers for them (how many times did he fall exactly?) and 'You Bastard' moment indicates he appreciates them much more. And they don't invite him to stag night!!!

 

- Sherlock comments about John's friends. So he hangs out with them before, or they meet in Baker Street? Does John do that often? Having a hang out, organize parties, invites people. Does Sherlock find it amusing or irritating? I suppose he disapproves that a bit, from his refusal to attend the dinner.

 

 

And, there goes the quota of my playing time here.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I think the "folding thing" you mentioned is actually the radiator that heats the room (here are some pictures of different types of radiators).  It's fastened to the wall and attached by pipes to a central steam or hot-water supply.  What I would like to know is, what is the cylindrical thing next to it -- lamp? hi-fi speaker?

 

I don't recall noticing the stairs in MHR, but I did notice them in Series 3, and was very puzzled when the production people kept referring to the place as "John and Mary's flat."  Hey, isn't a flat supposed to be, you know, flat?  I assumed they had what would be called a row house or town house over here, attached to neighbors' houses on both sides.  But no, it turns out that the stairs go nowhere, and their home is all on that one level -- which turns out to be what looks like the basement of the "town house."  All I can figure is that it really did use to be a multi-level house, but then it got divided up into flats.  At least that makes sense in the Sherlock universe -- and maybe that's what the set designers had in mind as well.

 

As for the artwork, could it be Mary's? or a gift from Mary?  I don't believe they ever gave us any definite idea as to when MHR happened, so it could have been within six months before TEH, in which case John was at least dating Mary.  And I believe the decor was pretty much the same in Series 3.

 

I don't think it was "they" who didn't invite Greg to the stag night.  Aren't the invitations the responsibility of the best man?  In which case John was presumably expecting a whole roomful of people -- Greg, Mike, old army buddies, et al. -- and was as surprised as us when it turned out to be just the two of them.  But Sherlock would have wanted to do his best for John, and that would be his idea of the perfect party, wouldn't it?

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

The cylindrical thing looks like lamp to me, although it's mostly more for fancy style decorations. 

I guess you are right that radiator is likely, it seems common that it's there out in the open from the link. I thought it could be noisy but maybe not.

 

Yah, flat in my term means apartment, and not good grade apartment, it's like high rise housing with rigid and limited layout.

221B is also not a flat in my dictionary. 

 

I believe the door bell at the end is Mary. 

But the artwork doesn't look like Mary. I don't imagine her as someone who likes crafting, because at the very least, she would be interested in serviette, maybe?

 

I don't think it was "they" who didn't invite Greg to the stag night.  Aren't the invitations the responsibility of the best man?  In which case John was presumably expecting a whole roomful of people -- Greg, Mike, old army buddies, et al. -- and was as surprised as us when it turned out to be just the two of them.  But Sherlock would have wanted to do his best for John, and that would be his idea of the perfect party, wouldn't it?

That's true, I can buy that.

Previously, in my mind I thought Sherlock would go around asking. Just like what he did asking Lestrade about best man's speech and Molly for the alchohol intake. So I figure he might ask Lestrade, but I buy that it's his idea of perfect party! :D And it's even themed. If I remember correctly, it's the pub of every street with murder? :D Oh Sherl..

 

P.S.

John is not a coaster collector. I repeat, John is not coaster collector.

My mistake.

The round one is the CD/DVD.

[Carol the Dabbler]

He could still *use* it as a coaster. :D

 

I agree, Mary doesn't really seem like the craft type (though crafty, perhaps) -- so maybe she bought the framed leaf? Or it could be from Harry.

 

Hey, yeah, that could have been Mary at the door! For one thing, who else would it likely be? Greg just left, he's out of touch with Mrs. Hudson, and it's clearly not Sherlock.

 

The old-fashioned steam radiators used to make hissing or banging noises sometimes, but I think most radiators nowadays use hot water -- safer and quieter.

[Pseudonym]

Yea it's a radiator and a lamp. The magazines could easily be medical journals that he's required to keep up to date with. 

 

Do we know Greg likes football? I always see John a rugby fan. 

[J.P.]

I have a blurred memory of Arwel mentioning that they decided to change a flat (shot on location) into a not-so-flat shot in studio, because they thought a flat flat would be too small for a family.

[Pseudonym]

I dunno, I've stayed in two level places I still classed as a flat, something to do with the overall size rather than it being on one level.

[Pseudonym]

Young John

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I have a blurred memory of Arwel mentioning that they decided to change a flat (shot on location) into a not-so-flat shot in studio, because they thought a flat flat would be too small for a family.

But it really was a single-level apartment. You can see that in the episodes if you know just where to look. In one of the DVD extras somebody refers to those stairs as the stairway to nowhere.

[Pseudonym]

I suppose some old converted places are like that, in one of my old flats I had an attic bedroom with a long corridor that lead to a blocked off door. I used it as a freakishly long wardrobe.

[J.P.]

They were sairs to nowhere, because they didn't built the second level. It's only alluded.

[Carol the Dabbler]

They were stairs to nowhere, because they didn't built the second level. It's only alluded.

 

OK, finally thought to check Ariane DeVere's transcript of the DVD extras, and here's the bit we were both referring to:

 

So the reason for the stairs to nowhere, as it were, it’s a nice shape. I suppose in our world it goes to another spare bedroom or, you know, it’s a communal hallway upstairs, but it’s a nice feature. It breaks up the wall anyway, so it’s kind of nice.

It's just that you heard only the first part and I heard only the second.  But in any case, it's nothing particularly significant up there.  Apparently (in real life) the stairs are there because previously they were actually filming inside the building that we see the exterior of, so they had to replicate that.  And the real place has those stairs (though I have no idea why).

[Pseudonym]

Even though I'm not sure I even like John anymore this makes me feel sorry for him. :(

 

[T.o.b.y]

Even though I'm not sure I even like John anymore this makes me feel sorry for him. :(

 

I only just realized this mirrors the ending of A Study in Pink where Sherlock is wrapped in a blanket while an ambulance flashes its light in the background. Clever Moftiss!

[Artemis]

I was looking at funny pictures and this really sad one was thrown into the mix.  Now I'm feeling sad for John.  :(  Poor John, he went through so much.


 

[Boton]

First, that painting is really well done, and second, yeah, now I just want to hug John, even with all of his uncontrolled rage issues.

[Pseudonym]

I'd approach with caution in case he sees you coming and thumps you.

[Artemis]

In ASiP, Mycroft tells John that he doesn't seem the kind to make friends easily.

 

I might have thought that he did seem the kind to make friends easily, or at least with the same measure of ease as an average person, if he hadn't stood at Sherlock's grave talking about how alone he'd been.

 

So... why doesn't John make friends easily?

 

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

I always picture John to be someone with quite a lot of 'friends' but they are more like hang out buddies like Stamford, and not someone that he feels connection with.

 

Why he feels connection with Sherlock?

Not really sure.

For one, he admires his intelligence, which is why to be honest, I hate the red balloon. It seems like forever since John is impressed with Sherlock, although end of TFP makes me happier because it seems like they are back to around SIB times.

 

Maybe Sherlock is not patronizing or expecting John to be someone he is not. Which is why personally, I prefer to have friend like Sherlock than John. In SIP, John seems very annoyed with Stamford's remark: Not the John Watson I know.

 

I suppose John also feels that he is oddball and doesn't fit into the world comfortably. He was borderline depressed and suicidal, limping and probably felt he had nothing good left in him. And meeting another oddball, who is so confident and heck care about what the rest of the world thinks about him. (Freak. I maybe a freak but would you deny that you scrub Anderson's floor? No. That's why. I'm high functional freak. A rare kind. Deal with it).

 

Imo, it should be hell of inspiring and draws John to Sherlock, especially Sherlock didn't really give him time to procastinate. 221B, we could be roommate.

 

So I think those are some of the reasons why Sherlock is John's real friend. I think it's very similar with those people we can hang out with but 'there is no way you know me more than I let you because it's very hard to get there' kind.

 

That's also why I don't envy people who bounce around treating everyone as their close friend, because to me, a friend to everyone is a friend to no one.

They disagree though and an-soc is my middle name.

[mishab]

I always picture John to be someone with quite a lot of 'friends' but they are more like hang out buddies like Stamford, and not someone that he feels connection with.

 

Why he feels connection with Sherlock?

Not really sure.

For one, he admires his intelligence, which is why to be honest, I hate the red balloon. It seems like forever since John is impressed with Sherlock, although end of TFP makes me happier because it seems like they are back to around SIB times.

 

Maybe Sherlock is not patronizing or expecting John to be someone he is not. Which is why personally, I prefer to have friend like Sherlock than John. In SIP, John seems very annoyed with Stamford's remark: Not the John Watson I know.

 

I suppose John also feels that he is oddball and doesn't fit into the world comfortably. He was borderline depressed and suicidal, limping and probably felt he had nothing good left in him. And meeting another oddball, who is so confident and heck care about what the rest of the world thinks about him. (Freak. I maybe a freak but would you deny that you scrub Anderson's floor? No. That's why. I'm high functional freak. A rare kind. Deal with it).

 

Imo, it should be hell of inspiring and draws John to Sherlock, especially Sherlock didn't really give him time to procastinate. 221B, we could be roommate.

 

So I think those are some of the reasons why Sherlock is John's real friend. I think it's very similar with those people we can hang out with but 'there is no way you know me more than I let you because it's very hard to get there' kind.

 

That's also why I don't envy people who bounce around treating everyone as their close friend, because to me, a friend to everyone is a friend to no one.

They disagree though and an-soc is my middle name.

 

 

Red balloon was a sign of John's intelligence not being appreciated. Not the other way around.  

 

i don't think John sees himself so much of an oddball. His depression and isolation in the beginning was due to PTSD. Many soldiers who were perfectly normal before heading to war find themselves unable to adjust once they return home. usually they attend counselling sessions. In John's case, Sherlock was his counselling session.

 

John isn't a social butterfly but he doesn't have a problem making friends. At the beginning of ASIP, John's friend circle would have mostly been fellow army men who must be facing similar issues like Sholto who had cut off all ties. Also do remember the writers are stingy when it comes to giving John a background. we don't see many of his friends but they magically appeared at his wedding, it need not be a statement of how shallow his other friendships are. Moftiss don't allow John leave Sherlock's orbit even once so all major moments of John's life have to include Sherlock playing the starring role. They are afraid that even if they briefly introduce John's other friends/family members it will some how take the focus off Sherlock. So i don't consider the lack of any mention of other friends/family as a definitive proof of John's "prickly" nature.

[Pseudonym]

John seems quite guarded and closed off. I agree that he probably has a lot of casual friends, or at least did when he was at school, uni, etc but not all that many people he actually lets in and he's close to. I would so much have preferred S4 be about John's background rather than focus on a made-up character like Eurus. Keep T6T and TLD and then instead of TFP delve into John's history, which might made the beating a bit more understandable too. 

[T.o.b.y]

I think John is one of those people who attend first glance seem open and approachable but really aren't. They have plenty of casual acquaintances, buddies, but only very few real friends.

[Carol the Dabbler]

How many real friends can a person actually have, though? I think there's something akin to the Law of Diminishing Returns at work as a person acquires more and more friends.