John Watson

[T.o.b.y]

I doubt that two women would be any more or less likely to compete against each other than two men would. Seems to me that's more a matter of personality than gender.

 

I find the idea of a female incarnation of both Sherlock and John very interesting and if I had time to write fan fiction, that's exactly what I would do. My brain has the first few chapters all mapped out. But I don't think it will ever happen.

[Pseudonym]

Shadow - Okay, that's all you had to say, I wasn't trying to get into an argument over the whole thing. 

 

T.o.b.y - Aw, that's a shame. Can I ask what type of plot you had or are you keeping it shtum? 

[T.o.b.y]

Shadow - Okay, that's all you had to say, I wasn't trying to get into an argument over the whole thing.

 

T.o.b.y - Aw, that's a shame. Can I ask what type of plot you had or are you keeping it shtum?

Of course you can ask and I will even answer :-)

 

I would have Joan (the feminized John) be the narrator, start at the beginning (the meeting / flat share) and while I would base the setting and characters (loosely) on the modern version, I would mostly try to write case-fics based on Doyle stories because I love to try my own hand at updating those.

[HerlockSholmes]

I haven't gotten my head around a female Dr Who yet but a female Holmes! You'll have ACD spinning in his grave

[T.o.b.y]

I haven't gotten my head around a female Dr Who yet but a female Holmes! You'll have ACD spinning in his grave

[Boton]

 

Shadow - Okay, that's all you had to say, I wasn't trying to get into an argument over the whole thing.

 

T.o.b.y - Aw, that's a shame. Can I ask what type of plot you had or are you keeping it shtum?

Of course you can ask and I will even answer :-)

 

I would have Joan (the feminized John) be the narrator, start at the beginning (the meeting / flat share) and while I would base the setting and characters (loosely) on the modern version, I would mostly try to write case-fics based on Doyle stories because I love to try my own hand at updating those.

 

 

Oh, I hope you write that, Toby.  I would love to read the meeting and the flat share.  

 

I do think there would be differences in tone and interaction that would come from having two females, but I also think that women have been successfully sharing living spaces and co-existing as best friends forever.  I think you could give this a very interesting tone and approach.

 

Anyway, count me in as a reader if you ever decide to write!

[Arcadia]

By the way, talking of 'subverting the original stories' you can't get much different to the originals that Watsons reaction to Holmes 'reappearance.' In Sherlock its rage and trauma. In The Empty House its fainting and euphoria! You can't imagine any of the great 'traditional' Watsons like Hardwick, Burke or Morell reacting in that way.

 

Moving Holmes forward to the present day definately worked. What about a suggestion for Moftiss? The did 'The Abominable Bride,' set largely in Victorian times so what about a one-off Sherlock set in the future? Or even a one-off Steampunk version?

[HerlockSholmes]

I've just thought of a slight 'moan' from me. It's been 20 years since the Brett series. An incredibly hard act to follow. Now with the success of Sherlock I'm wondering if anyone will ever do another Holmes series based on the canon in my lifetime? Mixed feelings about that for me. I want more Sherlock but I'd also like to see another bash at the canon. Who knows?

[Carol the Dabbler]

I don't like Irene either. I wish there was a female character I liked more. I like Mrs H and Molly fine, but I'd like someone who has a bit more oomph. I'd still like to see a female Sherlock, but I think I'm quite particular in what I like in a character and there are too many ways it could go wrong. 

 

My favorite non-Irene, non-Mary female characters (counting only those who have appeared in at least two episodes), from most favorite to not quite so favorite, are:  Sarah, Janine, Mrs. Hudson, and Molly.  Though ask me again tomorrow and you may get a different arrangement.

 

I would have Joan (the feminized John) be the narrator, start at the beginning (the meeting / flat share) and while I would base the setting and characters (loosely) on the modern version, I would mostly try to write case-fics based on Doyle stories because I love to try my own hand at updating those.

 

You go, girl!  Only suggestion I'd make is to call your she-John something besides Joan, because that would make readers think of the Elementary character, which probably isn't what you have in mind.  I'd recommend Jane, since its look and feel are similar to John.

 

Note to everyone else:  Tobe did me the honor of letting me read one of her stories a while back, and I loved it.

[Arcadia]

Or Johanne. Jean. Jo. Jawn?

 

I think there will be canon-based Holmes coming along sooner or later. Someone won't be able to resist. And has it really been only 20 years since Brett? Could've sworn it was longer.... must be feeling my age these days.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Well, it actually has been a bit longer -- 23 years.  Do you feel better now?

[Arcadia]

No! I have a clear memory of watching that show with my Dad when we lived in North Carolina, and we left there in the late '70's! Aggghhh! I've been infected with false memories! Help!

[Inge l-w]

Oh, dear, shadowy teddy bear! You must have a TARDIS hidden somewhere, because Granda started in1983-84 and went on until 1995.

As for Shadow Dweller, been there, done that: no less than a Queen of Crime fiction posited the female co-habitation and what one friend (totally platonic) would do for another in Shroud for a Nightingale, way back in the 1960s. If you find the series on YouTube, it's a marvelous Dalgliesh case.

[Shadow Dweller]

Oh, dear, shadowy teddy bear! You must have a TARDIS hidden somewhere, because Granda started in1983-84 and went on until 1995.

As for Shadow Dweller, been there, done that: no less than a Queen of Crime fiction posited the female co-habitation and what one friend (totally platonic) would do for another in Shroud for a Nightingale, way back in the 1960s. If you find the series on YouTube, it's a marvelous Dalgliesh case.

 

Well duh, where in real life ever there's females cohabitation without some frictions first at the very least to establish the pecking order? Pass through that stage first before thinking about peaceful coexistence. Most females compete against each other even after they are no longer in reproductive age and you only have to take a look at random group where they are the majority of the population. Some are desperate for attention-adoration while the others might be doesn't even care and swatted away the first's snarling and snapping like pesky bug. John the male already showed the first's tendency, how do you think he would react if the girlfriend he brought back suddenly developed attraction to Sherlock?

[Boton]

 

By the way, talking of 'subverting the original stories' you can't get much different to the originals that Watsons reaction to Holmes 'reappearance.' In Sherlock its rage and trauma. In The Empty House its fainting and euphoria! You can't imagine any of the great 'traditional' Watsons like Hardwick, Burke or Morell reacting in that way.

 

Moving Holmes forward to the present day definately worked. What about a suggestion for Moftiss? The did 'The Abominable Bride,' set largely in Victorian times so what about a one-off Sherlock set in the future? Or even a one-off Steampunk version?

[Pseudonym]

Yup, I seem to be more concerned about who's looking after Rosie than John is half the time.

[Boton]

I'm seriously considering turning my mental 221B into a communal living situation with the whole cast living there, thus insuring that there is someone to watch Rosie at any time.  :-)

[Pseudonym]

The classic is having someone useful (and always available) moving into 221a. 

[T.o.b.y]

Yup, I seem to be more concerned about who's looking after Rosie than John is half the time.

Maybe he found a nice daycare for her? Or an au pair?

[Pseudonym]

He's probably done that or enrolled her in a creche if he has the money. Depends if Mary have life insurance or left him any of her ill gotten gains.

[HerlockSholmes]

You've all just given me the mental image of Rathbone and Bruce looking after a baby! Can anyone picture Basil Rathbone doing all that 'Coochie-coo' stuff?

[Boton]

He's probably done that or enrolled her in a creche if he has the money. Depends if Mary have life insurance or left him any of her ill gotten gains.

 

Probably true, which is part of my in-show problem with adding Rosie to John's life.  I feel like they just really wanted to do the cliche story lines: oops, I'm pregnant; giving birth precipitously in the car; showing the dad in an "aw, how sweet" moment.  But they didn't think whatsoever about what the addition of a child to John's life does to the John character, especially in a modern context.  So, they are left essentially with either hampering John with continual childcare and school pick-up problems, or housing her somewhere until the next time they need a cliche joke that involves a kid.

[Artemis]

Boarding school (when she's old enough)? Those are still around, right? Would that be acceptable to an audience, or too much stigma?

[Boton]

I'd be fine with boarding school, except you do still have the problem that you've created a character that you intend to "warehouse" until you need her for something or other. 

 

But I don't think boarding school has a stigma.  My cousin's daughter (in the US) goes to one, and she is getting a great education and having a great time.

[Artemis]

In my experience, some people look on boarding school as lazy or neglectful parenting, somewhere you "dump" children you don't really want to take care of. I don't feel that way but I've seen other people have some quite strong reactions to the idea of it.