Which Sherlock Holmes are you?

[Van Buren Supernova]

Same here, VBS! I am sick and tired of getting the same BC Sherlock! Not a sociopath, not unsociable, not egotistic, not an adrenaline or other kind of junkie! Enough is enough!

Actually I am not. I would say his description, if any ever fits me, are more like compliments to me. Andrenaline, yes. Unsociable, yes, I can be pain in the a** in that area, frown by families/friends I don't wish to have further encounter (apparently white lies excuse is preferable than I just don't really want to hang-out), egoistic, oh yes, I think no one is not selfish to certain degree.

 

Anyway I definitely don't have good traits of the rest of characters, he is probably the closest anyway. Or maybe Lestrade, but I never get him as result.

[softmachine]

I suffer from depression myself so have a horrid feeling I would end up with 'Brett'......!!!! (i'd much rather be the dashing, sexy, carefree Cumberbatch... or the snugly, smugly self-assured Rathbone... haha)

[Arcadia]

I know what you mean, Softmachine ... sometimes I'd rather not know the answer to some of these personality quizzes! :d

[Carol the Dabbler]

Considering how ambiguous some of the questions are, and how ridiculously diverse the choices are, I suspect that just about any of us could be "diagnosed" as just about any character, depending on which day we took the quiz.

 

They think I'm Sherlock.  Ha!

 

[Arcadia]

Oh, I think you're smart enough.... :P

[Van Buren Supernova]

I try to fool them into thinking I am as nice as John or as sweet as Molly, but they are not buying that. Instead they tell me I am as annoying as Sherlock without the smart. :p

 

Don't get depressed with quizzes, take what is fun and what you like and run with it.

[Inge l-w]

Guess what? In the wake of the Abominable episode's furore, Radio Times created a new Sherlock quiz by Paul Jones, and I was *long-suffering sigh* told for the umpteenth time in no uncertain terms that I am the high-functioning sociopath who will gladly fake his death to save his friends or avoid going to a party. As Dr Watson would have said, "Well, ta for that!"

And there are some Granada leftovers, not only in the music but live ones: Sir Eustace was John Clay in The Red Headed League and the porter, Wilder (nice one, Messers Moffat and Gatiss!), was played by the Russian Count in the Resident Patient.

[Ruthyone]

I got: Jonny Lee Miller!!!

 

You're a tricksy one and no mistake. A sneer never far from your lips and a cunning plan at the back of your mind to manipulate people into doing exactly what you want them to do. More often than not, these things have a higher purpose, but my golly it doesn't make you many friends along the way. All that rushing around is bewildering too. 

 

Should this be a concern (everyone needs at least one friend, surely?) maybe you could tone down the superiority complex. For someone who is so interested in making deductions based on people's common habits, what does it say about you that you can't keep your scathing thoughts to yourself? Scared of being ignored, are we? 

 

Whatever the reason, you may be a perfect thinking machine, but as an associate you're hard work. Whether you choose to do anything about that is entirely up to you.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I got Sherlock as well Inge. I almost expected Moriarty (assuming that was an option) with some of the answers I chose.  If anyone wants to take it, click here.

[Hikari]

   Well, here's a new member to bump this thread.

 

I got Basil Rathbone in "Hound of the Baskervilles".  I think I am happy about this, so long as I am nothing like his Watson!

 

Mr. Rathbone is the average person's conception of Sherlock Holmes, or I should say, the average person who hasn't actually read any Conan Doyle.  On the upside, he's very handsome.  But he also time-travelled to the Second World War in his deerstalker get-up and all, when according to Mr. Baring-Gould, he would have been in his nineties.  Very well-preserved, then.

 

I am not the quirkiest, the sexiest or the most active, but I dominate situations with panache,  I accept! 

[Arcadia]

I don't remember if I did this before, but this time I got Mary. Yeah, okay, I can live with that, even though I'm morally opposed to shooting people, because now I'm "one of the very few people in the world who knows how to handle Sherlock Holmes." Yep, I'll be happy to handle him....

[Hikari]

   Well, here's a new member to bump this thread.

 

I got Basil Rathbone in "Hound of the Baskervilles".  I think I am happy about this, so long as I am nothing like his Watson!

 

Mr. Rathbone is the average person's conception of Sherlock Holmes, or I should say, the average person who hasn't actually read any Conan Doyle.  On the upside, he's very handsome.  But he also time-travelled to the Second World War in his deerstalker get-up and all, when according to Mr. Baring-Gould, he would have been in his nineties.  Very well-preserved, then.

 

I am not the quirkiest, the sexiest or the most active, but I dominate situations with panache,  I accept! 

 

Having just discovered I'm Basil Rathbone, I took the 'Which BBC Sherlock Character Are You?' quiz and the answer I got is:

 

Dr. John 'Three Continents' Watson, M.D., that stand-up bloke.

 

I was kind of gunning for Irene Adler, but oh, well . . .

 

I aspire to write so this is appropriate, I think.  I am percolating several ideas for Holmes pastiche stories to submit to my spirit guide David Marcum eventually . . .I would be honored to be able to do justice to channeling Doctor Watson's voice in my efforts.

 

I am proud to be like Dr. Watson, with a few tweaks:

1.  I have never been to India, nor have I much desire to go.  "The noise .  . the . . .PEOPLE!"  And the truly scary virulent diseases.

2.  I do not have a gambling problem.

3.  If I've ever tasted brandy in my life, I've forgotten it.

4.  Needless to say, smoking Shipp's in any sort of a pipe does not appeal.

5.  I do have an appreciative eye for the other sex--blokes, in my case.  Never been married, however, even once.

6.  Watson keeps his quarters far more regulation-ready than I do.  I am a slob.  More Sherlocky there.

7.  I've never fired a pistol either, but I am willing to learn.

8.  If one aspect of the fine Dr. Watson irritates me, it's most likely the somewhat cavalier attitude he displays toward the practice of medicine.  He expects the sick people just to wander around Paddington or Kensington or wherever until they stumble upon the tiny nameplate outside his house and present themselves as patients.  It's called 'marketing', man . . .look into it!  For a guy who was so stellar at marketing the exploits of his flatmate, he did next to nothing to market himself as a physician.    He needed the stronger (one should rather say 'supremely bossy') personality of Sherlock Holmes to goose him into action. But when that call came, the Doc answered it, no matter the inconvenience or the hour.  "And I said 'dangerous' . . and here you are."

[HerlockSholmes]

Well, here's a new member to bump this thread.

 

I got Basil Rathbone in "Hound of the Baskervilles". I think I am happy about this, so long as I am nothing like his Watson!

 

Mr. Rathbone is the average person's conception of Sherlock Holmes, or I should say, the average person who hasn't actually read any Conan Doyle. On the upside, he's very handsome. But he also time-travelled to the Second World War in his deerstalker get-up and all, when according to Mr. Baring-Gould, he would have been in his nineties. Very well-preserved, then.

 

I am not the quirkiest, the sexiest or the most active, but I dominate situations with panache, I accept!

The Rathbone/Bruce ‘Hound’ is still probably the best version ever made.

 

We can blame Universal for moving Holmes out of the 20th century. I still feel that Rathbone was excellent and in most polls that I’ve seen over the years he usually makes #2 in the best Holmes list (I agree.) Nigel Bruce often comes in for criticism though but, in his defence, the movie company wanted a more comic figure to offset the coldly logical Holmes. If you see Bruce in any other movies he pretty much plays the same role. Bumbling, likeable, decent, honourable etc. Sort of everyone’s favourite uncle. From all that I’ve read he was pretty much like that in real life. People are always surprised to learn that he was actually younger than Rathbone.

[HerlockSholmes]

 

 

Well, here's a new member to bump this thread.

 

I got Basil Rathbone in "Hound of the Baskervilles". I think I am happy about this, so long as I am nothing like his Watson!

 

Mr. Rathbone is the average person's conception of Sherlock Holmes, or I should say, the average person who hasn't actually read any Conan Doyle. On the upside, he's very handsome. But he also time-travelled to the Second World War in his deerstalker get-up and all, when according to Mr. Baring-Gould, he would have been in his nineties. Very well-preserved, then.

 

I am not the quirkiest, the sexiest or the most active, but I dominate situations with panache, I accept!

Having just discovered I'm Basil Rathbone, I took the 'Which BBC Sherlock Character Are You?' quiz and the answer I got is:

 

Dr. John 'Three Continents' Watson, M.D., that stand-up bloke.

 

I was kind of gunning for Irene Adler, but oh, well . . .

 

I aspire to write so this is appropriate, I think. I am percolating several ideas for Holmes pastiche stories to submit to my spirit guide David Marcum eventually . . .I would be honored to be able to do justice to channeling Doctor Watson's voice in my efforts.

 

I am proud to be like Dr. Watson, with a few tweaks:

1. I have never been to India, nor have I much desire to go. "The noise . . the . . .PEOPLE!" And the truly scary virulent diseases.

2. I do not have a gambling problem.

3. If I've ever tasted brandy in my life, I've forgotten it.

4. Needless to say, smoking Shipp's in any sort of a pipe does not appeal.

5. I do have an appreciative eye for the other sex--blokes, in my case. Never been married, however, even once.

6. Watson keeps his quarters far more regulation-ready than I do. I am a slob. More Sherlocky there.

7. I've never fired a pistol either, but I am willing to learn.

8. If one aspect of the fine Dr. Watson irritates me, it's most likely the somewhat cavalier attitude he displays toward the practice of medicine. He expects the sick people just to wander around Paddington or Kensington or wherever until they stumble upon the tiny nameplate outside his house and present themselves as patients. It's called 'marketing', man . . .look into it! For a guy who was so stellar at marketing the exploits of his flatmate, he did next to nothing to market himself as a physician. He needed the stronger (one should rather say 'supremely bossy') personality of Sherlock Holmes to goose him into action. But when that call came, the Doc answered it, no matter the inconvenience or the hour. "And I said 'dangerous' . . and here you are."

I’ve never even seen the test. To be honest Hikari I’d just sulk if I wasn’t Holmes

[Arcadia]

 

   Well, here's a new member to bump this thread.

 

I got Basil Rathbone in "Hound of the Baskervilles".  I think I am happy about this, so long as I am nothing like his Watson!

 

Mr. Rathbone is the average person's conception of Sherlock Holmes, or I should say, the average person who hasn't actually read any Conan Doyle.  On the upside, he's very handsome.  But he also time-travelled to the Second World War in his deerstalker get-up and all, when according to Mr. Baring-Gould, he would have been in his nineties.  Very well-preserved, then.

 

I am not the quirkiest, the sexiest or the most active, but I dominate situations with panache,  I accept! 

 

Having just discovered I'm Basil Rathbone, I took the 'Which BBC Sherlock Character Are You?' quiz and the answer I got is:

 

Dr. John 'Three Continents' Watson, M.D., that stand-up bloke.

 

I was kind of gunning for Irene Adler, but oh, well . . .

 

I aspire to write so this is appropriate, I think.  I am percolating several ideas for Holmes pastiche stories to submit to my spirit guide David Marcum eventually . . .I would be honored to be able to do justice to channeling Doctor Watson's voice in my efforts.

 

I am proud to be like Dr. Watson, with a few tweaks:

1.  I have never been to India, nor have I much desire to go.  "The noise .  . the . . .PEOPLE!"  And the truly scary virulent diseases.

2.  I do not have a gambling problem.

3.  If I've ever tasted brandy in my life, I've forgotten it.

4.  Needless to say, smoking Shipp's in any sort of a pipe does not appeal.

5.  I do have an appreciative eye for the other sex--blokes, in my case.  Never been married, however, even once.

6.  Watson keeps his quarters far more regulation-ready than I do.  I am a slob.  More Sherlocky there.

7.  I've never fired a pistol either, but I am willing to learn.

8.  If one aspect of the fine Dr. Watson irritates me, it's most likely the somewhat cavalier attitude he displays toward the practice of medicine.  He expects the sick people just to wander around Paddington or Kensington or wherever until they stumble upon the tiny nameplate outside his house and present themselves as patients.  It's called 'marketing', man . . .look into it!  For a guy who was so stellar at marketing the exploits of his flatmate, he did next to nothing to market himself as a physician.    He needed the stronger (one should rather say 'supremely bossy') personality of Sherlock Holmes to goose him into action. But when that call came, the Doc answered it, no matter the inconvenience or the hour.  "And I said 'dangerous' . . and here you are."

 

Doctor Watson had a gambling problem?

[Hikari]

To Arcadia,

 

Yes, the good Doctor is fond of games of chance, the ponies mostly.  Bereft of the excitement of the war, he has a tendency to waste far too much of his wound pension at the track.  There is one story that makes reference to him having given Sherlock his chequebook to keep locked in Holmes's desk drawer so as to avoid temptation.  It's a habit which was not injurious to his person in the way that shooting cocaine for example, would be.  As far as we know, Watson was far too much of a bourgeois gentleman to not make good on his debts, so he never ran afoul of gangster types threatening to break his legs.  But during periods when there wasn't much else going or he was particularly low in spirits, Watson was a familiar feature to his turf accountant.  There were quite a few times when he was skint as a result, but he never got in too terribly deep where he couldn't dig himself out.

 

Among Watsonian scholars, in some quarters anyway, there rages an ongoing debate over exactly how many wives the good Doctor ended up with.  Myself, I am content with the answer '2'-- Mary Morstan was, though certainly not his first romantic affair, the love of his life, and after grieving her loss for some 8 years, he married again in 1902.  Other persons more preeminent than I argue the case for 3 wives--one early marriage prior to Mary, and perhaps even before he'd met Holmes, seeing as this proposed nameless lady was American, allegedly.  I do not hold with this theory, since Watson never at any time gives us an American sojourn in his autobiography,  He does say that he qualified as a doctor in 1878 and went directly into the Army, so I'm not sure where they are supposing that he could have shoehorned in a sabbatical in the Colonies, long enough to meet, woo, wed and lose an entire wife.

 

There is a smaller cohort still that insist that Watson had as many wives as Henry the Eighth, with the late Miss Morstan being no less than his *fourth* wife.  Essentially, they believe that nearly every time Watson mentions an unattached female in admiring terms in one of the cases that he married her  . . .or at least cohabitated with her for some brief period.  Some crackpot 'scholars' really stretch the 'facts' to fit their theory, to the point where the offhand mention of 'the steamship Norah Creina' was Watson's veiled reference to one of his amours. 

 

Tosspots to that, say I.  Watson did appreciate a finely-turned ankle a great deal, but he was a proper Victorian gentleman through and through--and a Calvinist Scot besides.  After his oats-sowing youth at medical college and perhaps a dalliance or two in India, he was entirely respectable when he returned to London.  I am content to say that he properly wed only *two* wives and those are the only two there is actual evidence for.  I think the theory of Wife #1 being an American comes out of that slight bit of macho braggadocio he indulges in when he says of himself 'I have knowledge of  women on three continents'.  England aligns itself with Europe last time I checked; the Indian subcontinent is another.  Australia and Africa seem a bit far afield for our man so that leaves the Americas.  I still think it's more likely that a British army officer might have gone to Africa than he made love to some floozy in San Francisco or Buenos Aires but I could be wrong.

 

If, in true Victorian fashion, Watson regarded England as a continent entire unto herself as the seat of the Empire, then the 'third continent' could be as simple as one dirty weekend in Paris.  There doesn't have to be a phantom wife involved.  But the theory as to the short-lived nature of his domestic associations with females among those who attribute a half-dozen of these liaisons to him is that these women kicked him out due to his gambling habit and the resultant being short of money all the time.  So they say.  I don't believe a word.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Good heavens, if Holmes relied on such skimpy "evidence" as some of the "scholars" you mention, he'd never have gotten off the ground as a detective!

 

Watson's complete sentence (referring to Mary Morstan in Sign of the Four) is "In an experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents, I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature."  The word "experience" could, I suppose, be taken as a Victorian euphemism for sexual adventures, but considering the context, I think the good doctor is referring to a less intimate sort of interaction.  (That's not to say that he couldn't have had such adventures; I just don't think that's what he's talking about here.)  As for an American wife -- that's really grasping at straws, isn't it?

 

I haven't read the entire canon (maybe half? three quarters?), but I've seen no truly compelling evidence for more than one wife.  (Mind you, my background is in mathematics, so my standards for "proof" are pretty damned high.)  Admittedly, Watson mentions an anonymous "wife" on numerous occasions, but considering how casual he was about dating his stories, and how often he admits having deliberately obscured certain details in order to protect innocent parties, it seems perfectly believable to me that his "wife"references are all Mary.  I'm not saying that he couldn't have had more than one wife, merely that I doubt that would be necessary in order to make sense (insofar as is possible) of the stories.  (Definitely talking through my hat here.)

 

Arcadia, in case you're confused, we're talking about ACD's Watson.  As far as I'm aware, there's no indication whatsoever that "our" John has a gambling problem.

[HerlockSholmes]

On the subject of how many wives Watson had.

 

As far as I can recall (and I may be mistaken) the suggestion of a second wife came from the fact that Sherlockian scholars (possibly someone like Baring-Gould) calculated from the text that Watson’s wife Mary died in something like 1894 or perhaps 2 or 3 years earlier. Yet Watson is married in the story ‘The Blanched Soldier,’ which was set in 1903. Hence, two wives.

Sherlockian scholars, as I’m sure everyone knows, have studied the canon minutely. They have worked out the order in which the cases occurred (still debated though) and pored over many mysteries. These mysteries often come from errors by Doyle but scholars (who consider the canon to have been written by Watson and not Doyle) seek to find ‘explanations.’ Often these mysteries are quite obscure unlike the well known Doyle errors (the moving Jezail bullet, the use of ‘James,’ and Watson’s dog to name but three.)

 

Watson did admit to spending too much of his army pension on the turf. Let’s face it though, he was alone in London, just back from a war. Boredom would set in. The excitement of the race and the benefit of conversation with like-minded people, days at the races etc. We can possibly say that Watson might have been a bit careless with money. As Hikari has pointed out, it wasn’t a case of Watson being in debt to loan sharks! So I think that we can say for sure that he wasn’t a gambling addict but he retained a love of the turf and he was probably self-aware enough to know that he wasn’t the most judicious person where money was concerned.

[HerlockSholmes]

Holmes famously said “The fair sex is your department..” in The Adventure Of The Second Stain. Watson would certainly have had more ‘experience’ with women than Holmes. Compared to Holmes he would have been almost a casanova but we have to remember the context. As Hikari rightly said ‘Watson was a proper Victorian gentleman’; decent and honourable. There would have been no jumping in to bed at the first opportunity.

[Carol the Dabbler]

As far as I can recall (and I may be mistaken) the suggestion of a second wife came from the fact that Sherlockian scholars (possibly someone like Baring-Gould) calculated from the text that Watson’s wife Mary died in something like 1894 or perhaps 2 or 3 years earlier. Yet Watson is married in the story ‘The Blanched Soldier,’ which was set in 1903. Hence, two wives.

Sherlockian scholars, as I’m sure everyone knows, have studied the canon minutely. They have worked out the order in which the cases occurred (still debated though) and pored over many mysteries. These mysteries often come from errors by Doyle but scholars (who consider the canon to have been written by Watson and not Doyle) seek to find ‘explanations.’ Often these mysteries are quite obscure unlike the well known Doyle errors (the moving Jezail bullet, the use of ‘James,’ and Watson’s dog to name but three.)

 

The belief that Mary died is based on two things, right?  The passing comment about Watson's "bereavement" in Empty House, and that he apparently moved back into 221B?

 

Even discounting my earlier comments about the uncertainty of Watson's dates, I can think of several possible alternative  explanations (none of which is nearly as tenuous as the American wife that Hikari mentioned).  For one thing, Victorians avoided using the term "divorce" -- a divorced woman (such as my own great-grandmother) was politely referred to as a "widow."    So it seems possible that the word "bereavement" might possibly have referred to a divorce, conceivably followed at some later time by a reconciliation and remarriage.  That one sounds somewhat improbably, even to me, so how about this:  It wasn't Mary that died, it was the Watsons' young child, probably a son (who had not been mentioned in prior stories because of irrelevance to the case).

 

As for Watson moving back to Baker Street, is it ever explicitly stated (post-return) that he was actually living there?  I'm quite willing to believe that there were times (even in the interval between Sign of the Four and Final Problem) when he spent so much time there that Mary (as in Abominable Bride) hardly ever saw him.  He may even have spent some nights in his former bedroom while still maintaining his own residence with Mary.  Upon Holmes's return, he could have simply resumed that habit -- perhaps even more so than before.

 

As I mentioned, I haven't even read the entire canon, let alone spending much time studying it, so it's entirely possible that my theories are neatly refuted somewhere, in Watson's own words.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh, regarding Watson's "bull pup," there's an interesting theory in another thread.  If you have comments on that, or on other theories, you could post them there and reopen the discussion (unlike some forums, we encourage that). 

[HerlockSholmes]

 

 

As far as I can recall (and I may be mistaken) the suggestion of a second wife came from the fact that Sherlockian scholars (possibly someone like Baring-Gould) calculated from the text that Watson’s wife Mary died in something like 1894 or perhaps 2 or 3 years earlier. Yet Watson is married in the story ‘The Blanched Soldier,’ which was set in 1903. Hence, two wives.

Sherlockian scholars, as I’m sure everyone knows, have studied the canon minutely. They have worked out the order in which the cases occurred (still debated though) and pored over many mysteries. These mysteries often come from errors by Doyle but scholars (who consider the canon to have been written by Watson and not Doyle) seek to find ‘explanations.’ Often these mysteries are quite obscure unlike the well known Doyle errors (the moving Jezail bullet, the use of ‘James,’ and Watson’s dog to name but three.)

The belief that Mary died is based on two things, right? The passing comment about Watson's "bereavement" in Empty House, and that he apparently moved back into 221B?

 

Even discounting my earlier comments about the uncertainty of Watson's dates, I can think of several possible alternative explanations (none of which is nearly as tenuous as the American wife that Hikari mentioned). For one thing, Victorians avoided using the term "divorce" -- a divorced woman (such as my own great-grandmother) was politely referred to as a "widow." So it seems possible that the word "bereavement" might possibly have referred to a divorce, conceivably followed at some later time by a reconciliation and remarriage. That one sounds somewhat improbably, even to me, so how about this: It wasn't Mary that died, it was the Watsons' young child, probably a son (who had not been mentioned in prior stories because of irrelevance to the case).

 

As for Watson moving back to Baker Street, is it ever explicitly stated (post-return) that he was actually living there? I'm quite willing to believe that there were times (even in the interval between Sign of the Four and Final Problem) when he spent so much time there that Mary (as in Abominable Bride) hardly ever saw him. He may even have spent some nights in his former bedroom while still maintaining his own residence with Mary. Upon Holmes's return, he could have simply resumed that habit -- perhaps even more so than before.

 

As I mentioned, I haven't even read the entire canon, let alone spending much time studying it, so it's entirely possible that my theories are neatly refuted somewhere, in Watson's own words.

Hi Carol,

 

You asked if it’s ever explicitly stated that Watson had moved back to Baker Street (post return) ?

 

Yes it is. In The Adventure Of The Norwood Builder (which comes after The Empty House.) Watson, narrating, says: “At the time of which I speak, Holmes had been back for some months, and I at his own request had sold my practice and returned to share the old quarters in Baker Street.” There’s no doubt that Mary Morstan/Watson had died. I’m sure that Watson refers to it elsewhere too but I can’t recall where I’m afraid.

[HerlockSholmes]

I just found this Carol. You might not feel inclined to read it all but here’s someone who agrees that Watson’s bereavement could have been a child. You could spend your whole life investigating this stuff

[Doe]

"Your result: You are Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock from 'Sherlock'

 

You're an odd fish, aren't you? Not content with being blessed with a singular mind you proceed to behave in as anti-social and provocative a manner as possible, never passing up the opportunity to prove your superiority as an observer, whether of scientific phenomena or human interactions. But while other people of your ilk may sneer or take a lofty position above the hubbub of humanity, you can't quite decide whether you want to remain a breed apart or dip your toes in the communal waters from time to time. From what you've observed, social affection can be rewarding, but you're not really motivated by any form of self-indulgence that doesn't feed your almighty intellect. That said, small kindnesses go in very deep with you, and this is something that you sometimes feel the need to acknowledge. You're not quite the imperious snoot you'd like everyone to believe you are, and you're all the better for it."

 

Yay!

[Carol the Dabbler]

I just found this Carol. You might not feel inclined to read it all but here’s someone who agrees that Watson’s bereavement could have been a child. You could spend your whole life investigating this stuff