Episode 2.1, "A Scandal In Belgravia"

[sfmpco]

Don't know if this is true or not, but it just appeared on one of the Sherlock Facebook fan pages:
 
Fun Fact A Scandal in Belgravia Sherlock taking Irene’s pulse was not originally in the script and was improvised by Benedict Cumberbatch.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Don't know if this is true or not, but it just appeared on one of the Sherlock Facebook fan pages:

 

Fun Fact A Scandal in Belgravia Sherlock taking Irene’s pulse was not originally in the script and was improvised by Benedict Cumberbatch.

 

Ok, now I want to see a copy of the script to see if that is actually true or not.  But it would be cool if it was an improvisation.  Comparing TBB script to transcript shows a lot of improv on lines.

[Arcadia]

 

Don't know if this is true or not, but it just appeared on one of the Sherlock Facebook fan pages:

 

Fun Fact A Scandal in Belgravia Sherlock taking Irene’s pulse was not originally in the script and was improvised by Benedict Cumberbatch.

 

Ok, now I want to see a copy of the script to see if that is actually true or not.  But it would be cool if it was an improvisation.  Comparing TBB script to transcript shows a lot of improv on lines.

 

 

I've seen that said in a couple other places, so I'll take that as a sign it's true.

[Inge l-w]

Hi! In the commentary to Scandal he mentions that he improvised leaning on her right side, into the shadow, as he explains his reasoning, because it is such a dark thing he is playing with, but did not mention anything about the pulse, but then, he can improvise as well as Martin Freeman, so I wouldn't put anything past them!

[J.P.]

Hmmm, I don't know. The pulse thing is quite important for the final confrontation scene as a proof that Irene let her heart rule her head. 

[sittything]

Hmmm, I don't know. The pulse thing is quite important for the final confrontation scene as a proof that Irene let her heart rule her head. 

 

I would suppose if he improvised that, that they changed the final scene to include that?  It's rather brilliant of him, as I can't imagine that end scene without it. 

[Inge l-w]

Not just brilliant! One can dream of BC getting his hands on the franchise and then foregoing Mr Moftiss' s untrustworthy nature and working together with Mr Gatiss in crating the PERFECT modern Sherlock, one so focused on his persona and the other so emphatically an ACD fan! But, for one reason or another, BC watches Sherlock new episodes only when he has to, a bit like Ms Stubbs, and has not taken his iconic character to heart yet. No one should forget that he is not only a brilliant, versatile actor, but a gifted, intelligent man.

[sittything]

Not just brilliant! One can dream of BC getting his hands on the franchise and then foregoing Mr Moftiss' s untrustworthy nature and working together with Mr Gatiss in crating the PERFECT modern Sherlock, one so focused on his persona and the other so emphatically an ACD fan! But, for one reason or another, BC watches Sherlock new episodes only when he has to, a bit like Ms Stubbs, and has not taken his iconic character to heart yet. No one should forget that he is not only a brilliant, versatile actor, but a gifted, intelligent man.

 

When I first read this, I was like "Noo!!!"  I <3  Gatiss, but then I see you mentioned him later.  

 

Out of curiosity, I looked up who wrote what episodes.  The breakdown goes like this:

 

 

Moffat:  A Study in Pink, A Scandal in Belgravia, His Last Vow

 

Gatiss:  The Great Game, The Hounds of Baskerville, The Empty Hearse

 

Thompson:  The Blind Banker, The Reichenbach Fall

 

Co-written by all 3:  The Sign of Three

[SherlockedCAMPer]

But, for one reason or another, BC watches Sherlock new episodes only when he has to, a bit like Ms Stubbs, and has not taken his iconic character to heart yet. No one should forget that he is not only a brilliant, versatile actor, but a gifted, intelligent man.

 

A lot of actors/actresses never watch their own work.  They watch it and see everything they could/should have done differently. So I'm not surprised that he hasn't watched any of the episodes beyond the commentaries he is apart of and any watching party that Moffat and/or Gatiss have had.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Sigh.. everytime I watch Scandal in Belgravia, I always feel the same, of how much I love this episode.

It's Sherlock at its best balance, imho, very beautifully written and done. Love every single second.

 

My most favorite episode.

 

1. Very good balance of all great characters beside Sherlock and John; Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade, Molly, Mycroft.

 

2. Favorite scene of Sherlock saving and caring for Mrs.Hudson in his own unique way.

 

3. Gorgeous hand shots of Sherlock, him touching the wall, checking on Mrs. Hudson and checking Irene Adler's pulse, twice.

 

4. Rare scene of Sherlock eating undisturbed, when there was no one digging into his olive, or when he had to go save his best friend from bonfire.

That poor genius needs to eat.

 

5. Hauntingly great scene on the plane with Conventry lot

(with coincidence of BC's relevant role in The Immitation Game, Oscar worthy performance)

 

6. Generous deduction scenes, with one of the best in 5 seconds.

 

7. Funniest moments: Buckingham Palace, John's multiple priceless reactions to Sherlock and Irene, plethora of Mycroft's annoyed and surprised reaction; Buckingham Palace and getting scolded by Sherlock and John.

 

8. So much relevance to life, all lives end, all hearts are broken.

 

9. How obvilivious John to Sherlock's feeling when he thought Irene doesn't mean anything to him, but love the double take at the end when he figured out that it might not be the case.

Also, love that his first reaction to see Irene alive, was to insist that she told Sherlock.

 

10. My 'enlightenment' after multiple watches, that both Irene and John, who are supposed to be attracted to women, are attracted to Sherlock in their own unique way. It's amazing how there are always somehing new for every rewatch.

 

11. Mycroft and John's care for Sherlock on danger night.

How Mycroft said sorry that he didn't know.

 

An the very best, always: The very human of Sherlock Holmes; hurt, lost and pain.

John is right, he is the most human.

The promise of love, the pain of lost, the joy of redemption. It's textbook.

[sfmpco]

I also love the Skype type chat  between Sherlock at home in only a bedsheet and John out in the field.  "There is a mute button and I will use it!"  LOL

[J.P.]

Oh, thanks for the list.

 

I would add the Christmas scene when Sherlock realizes he went too far. You can spend hours just pondering on his behaviour here.

 

And the fact that you can watch two different stories, dependent on how you interprete Irene's "death" and Sherlock's reaction to it.

[sfmpco]

Sometimes I get the feeling that Sherlock WOULD have agreed to dinner with Irene if the world were ending and there was just one night left... darn Mrs. Hudson for interrupting that moment!

[Van Buren Supernova]

I also love the Skype type chat between Sherlock at home in only a bedsheet and John out in the field. "There is a mute button and I will use it!" LOL

Up a bit! I'm not talking from down here! :lol:

Followed by another funny scene when he deduced the client who was behind him. 'What did you say? Heart what?"

I like the patient old inspector guy.

 

 

Oh, thanks for the list.

 

I would add the Christmas scene when Sherlock realizes he went too far. You can spend hours just pondering on his behaviour here.

 

 

 

If you meant mine, my pleasure.

 

Precisely.

Molly, Lestrade and John's reaction to his apology are priceless.

 

 

Sometimes I get the feeling that Sherlock WOULD have agreed to dinner with Irene if the world were ending and there was just one night left... darn Mrs. Hudson for interrupting that moment!

Even when he is not hungry?

He did lean to her and looked captivated.

In my mind, they have their dinner after Karachi. Everyone would get hungry after extensive sword fight, even Sherlock Holmes.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Ah, how did I forget the iconic Hat scene?

 

I don't know anything about how Sherlock in other adaptations thinks about his hat (I suppose he likes it)

I really really love how much BC's Sherlock hates it.

 

How could I forget to mention Sherlock left the room when John insulted his blog. :lol: and I love the parade of clients!

[Arcadia]

I love love love the cinematography. And the music. In addition to all the above, that is.

[T.o.b.y]

I think A Scandal in Belgravia gained by comparison after series 3. I used to think it was the closest to "burger TV" Sherlock could get, but after the motorcycle chase, the fire, the whacky cases mentioned in Sherlock's wedding speech and the general melodrama of His Last Vow, this episode seems positively subtle.

 

It certainly is very cinematic. I didn't really, really take to it after I saw it on a big screen. The humor is a bit too much for me - but again, series 3 puts it all into perspective, and the ending makes up for that, anyway.

 

I just love the last what are they, fifteen minutes? Everything from where Sherlock talks about the Coventry conundrum in the cab to "sorry about dinner". And of course I love Irene, period. Perfect casting.

[sfmpco]

Ah, how did I forget the iconic Hat scene?

 

I don't know anything about how Sherlock in other adaptations thinks about his hat (I suppose he likes it)

I really really love how much BC's Sherlock hates it.

 

How could I forget to mention Sherlock left the room when John insulted his blog. :lol: and I love the parade of clients!

 

Yes, I would like to have seen more about the comic book guys because even Sherlock was intrigued by that one.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Other realization that come into mind, which I really like is,

Sherlock is the glue for that group.

What are the odds? Our Sherlock.

Sally Donovan would never ever dream of this.

It's validated that the group never get together during his two-years death.

 

It certainly is very cinematic. I didn't really, really take to it after I saw it on a big screen. The humor is a bit too much for me - but again, series 3 puts it all into perspective, and the ending makes up for that, anyway.

 

I have just wondered whether I would feel the same if I saw this episode in big screen.

Did they ever do it before?

[J.P.]

The List: I think we should make lists of what we like about the other episodes too.

[Arcadia]

The List: I think we should make lists of what we like about the other episodes too.

 

We have one somewhere, I think, maybe even a couple of them. I'll see if I can find them.

[sfmpco]

What happened in Karachi stays in Karachi?

 

https://twitter.com/youremylokistar/status/599245832202817536

[Arcadia]

 

The List: I think we should make lists of what we like about the other episodes too.

 

We have one somewhere, I think, maybe even a couple of them. I'll see if I can find them.

 

 

I thought there were two, but this is the only one I could find; will this do?

 

Favorite Scenes

[Arcadia]

Clearly, we need something to discuss on this forum! So I went spelunking, and found this on another forum ... and stole it. I don't think we've discussed quite this scene quite from this direction before? Anyway, let's see if any of you are interested in commenting on it.

 

Here's the quote:

 

I would like to muse over the happy little Christmas party scene in Scandal. I found it very telling. Again, those tricky writers have let us catch glimpses of character and character motivation on a variety of different levels - leaving any number of interesting ideas open to interpretation. I suppose the first level is the simple entertainment value of watching Sherlock use his razor sharp intellect to cut the guests to ribbons. In one way it is rather humorous - but it certainly is not very nice. Okay, Sherlock is often 'not very nice' but this was perhaps a bit above and beyond even for him. So why? Okay, on the next level we could say he is simply unhappy his home has been invaded for a social occasion. Sherlock Holmes just doesn't party and it's pretty safe to say he loathes having his privacy invaded. So why has he allowed this event to happen? Most likely because John wanted it and John thought it would be good for them to have friends in and John talked him into it....John, John, John. I can picture Sherlock trying every trick in the book to dissuade him from this nonsense but then giving in because, well, John wanted it.

This is where my interpretation of events comes in and feel free to disagree. It's the actor in me always looking for the subtext for my motivation. Bad behavior just doesn't spring from nowhere. Something usually triggers it. Sherlock has gone along with the party grudgingly for John's sake but now here's Jeanette the girlfriend - a major threat to his comfortable domesticity. Whether he knows it or not, jealousy rears its ugly head. Jeanette is the first to feel the cut. She's not the last. Lastrade hears it about his 'cheating' wife. Then in comes poor Molly who innocently let's it slip that Sherlock has been complaining that John is going away to his sister's for the holiday. (Watch the scene and you'll see Ben's eyes flash angrily toward her when she says it). Big mistake for her to reveal something so private. Sherlock lets her have it with both barrels wounding her deeply. Even he realizes he's gone too far and I loved the touching apology he gives her - surprising even John. But then that embarrassing text tone from Irene happens and suddenly its John complaining about the number of texts Sherlock's been receiving - revealing he's been counting every one of them. Everything about this scene for me was very funny, very touching and very revealing about the characters.

Jealousy. For me, a major theme in ASiB and a lot of fun to muse on.

 

 

So .... comments? Are we witnessing jealousy? What DID prompt Sherlock to behave so badly? Etc etc

 

Also I'm still a little puzzled why he apologized to Molly .... he didn't apologize to anyone else. Once he realized how horrible he was being, what made him stop and apologize, of all things, to Molly?

[J.P.]

Didn't we discuss it already?

 

Okay, first - invasion of the private sphere... Yessss. If you want me to show my Smaug face, just stay too long and too close when I don't want no one to be around. So I can surely relate to his state of mind. Plus it's Christmas. All should be happy and cuddly and... bleh. He might even not be fully aware of what he's doing, but he's trying to spoil the others' mood by telling them inconvenient truths.

An element of jealousy? Maybe even two. One is because everyone, included John, has a person who is more important than Sherlock and with whom they want to spend the Christmas. The second - now I project my own emotions on him - jealousy of people who are able simply to enjoy things like Christmas.

 

Then comes Molly, looking like a Christmas Tree herself, and first thing she reveals is Sherlock's actual emotional state (he was complaining) Then he sees the present she has in her bag: he realizes that even she finally found someone else. He gets jealous, even if not on a "love" level, he just needs to be the most important person in others' lives. So he grabs the opportunity and vents in the most cruel way.

 

Well, he makes a brilliant deduction that Molly has a love interest, then probably for the first time, he realizes her love interest is HIM. He discovers her feelings by deducing them "from outside" so to say, because he would never dare to acknowledge he could be loved.

 

The other possibility is that he'd known about Molly's crush on him, and "just" got jealous. I know, he would never admit this even to himself, but we often react based on emotions we aren't even aware of.

 

Why he apologize? Even he can recognize when he's gone too far. He was so nasty to her just because she loved him.

And maybe he also felt exposed, because I think everyone in the room guessed whose name was on the card, alone by his reaction.

His own deduction backfired on him.