Una Stubbs RIP

[Carol the Dabbler]

1 minute ago, SherlockandKey said:

There's no show without her.

She'll obviously be missed, and they'd need to explain her absence somehow.  But #221 could be owned and/or managed by "Mrs. Turner next door."  The only roles they've said would never be recast are Sherlock and John.

 

[besleybean]

Mrs Hudson owns the building, I expect she would leave it to Sherlock and John.

[Carol the Dabbler]

6 hours ago, besleybean said:

Mrs Hudson owns the building, I expect she would leave it to Sherlock and John.

Good point -- assuming that she trusted them to take proper care of it.  Not so sure they'd want the responsibility, though, since they're in a different line of work that keeps them busy enough.  Mrs. H. had a sister, who might have been her heir.  She lives elsewhere, so might not want to keep the building -- though of course she could retain ownership and hire someone else (e.g., Mrs. Turner) to manage it.  Or if Mrs. H. did leave the house to the boys, they could hire Mrs. T. to manage it.

Guess we'll find out if/when there's another series.

 

[besleybean]

I thought of the sister...maybe she was older and went first!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Yeah, I wondered about that too.  But she could just as easily be younger -- or merely very long-lived.

 

[besleybean]

Whatever her circumstances, she may not want the bother of a London tenement.

Or perhaps Martha stipulates in the deeds, that a permamnet home has to be offered to Sherlock, John and any of their family!

[Carol the Dabbler]

16 minutes ago, besleybean said:

perhaps Martha stipulates in the deeds, that a permanent home has to be offered to Sherlock, John and any of their family!

One would hope!

 

[J.P.]

Oh, there could be a daughter or niece of her who would inherit the house. We would have a Mrs Hudson 2.0.
Almost as we've had a Watson 2.0 aka Mary.

[Carol the Dabbler]

1 hour ago, J.P. said:

there could be a daughter or niece of her who would inherit the house. We would have a Mrs Hudson 2.0.

Except that a niece wouldn't likely be a Hudson, assuming she's the daughter of Martha's sister (who is the only sibling we've heard of -- though that doesn't actually prove there's no brother).  Or if she's Martha's daughter, she could be Miss Hudson, but likely Mrs. Something-Else.  Then too, "she" could be a he.  

 

[besleybean]

@J.P. Isn't Rosie Watson 2.0?!

[J.P.]

Not yet.
Once I thought that Mary Watson would be an even more fitting partner for Sherlock, while John would take care of Rosie.

[SherlockandKey]

On 12/21/2021 at 3:09 PM, Carol the Dabbler said:

She'll obviously be missed, and they'd need to explain her absence somehow.

 

You know what...they honestly could just say she did stuff without actually showing her doing it and that would suffice.

[Carol the Dabbler]

24 minutes ago, SherlockandKey said:

You know what...they honestly could just say she did stuff without actually showing her doing it and that would suffice.

Keep her alive, you mean, but we never see her?  They could, true, but (speaking only for myself) it might distract me right out of the Sherlock-verse with a hey, didn't she die? feeling.  I think I'd prefer that they acknowledge her death in some way, wouldn't need to be anything elaborate.

 

[besleybean]

Oh heck I agree...I think there is much more story fodder from Mrs H's death and the boys' life afterwards...

[Carol the Dabbler]

10 hours ago, besleybean said:

there is much more story fodder from Mrs H's death and the boys' life afterwards...

Quite true!  The status quo is rarely newsworthy.  (And in fact, Moffat & Gatiss seem to abhor it.)

 

[SherlockandKey]

On 1/4/2022 at 6:39 PM, Carol the Dabbler said:

 I think I'd prefer that they acknowledge her death in some way, wouldn't need to be anything elaborate.

 

They'd likely dedicate an episode to her memory.

[Carol the Dabbler]

1 hour ago, SherlockandKey said:

They'd likely dedicate an episode to her memory.

True, to acknowledge Una Stubbs' death.  But I'd also like them to acknowledge Mrs. Hudson's death (or absence) within the episode.

 

[besleybean]

My thoughts entirely.

[DistantView]

The story fodder from her death is intriguing... is something unexpected unearthed from her apartment that leads Sherlock & John to a 10/10 case?

Or maybe there is an unanticipated visitor at her memorial service whose appearance sets off a chain reaction of events?

And... is Sherlock smoking again!? (must've been all those stupid cigs form the Power of the Dog set)

[besleybean]

I would love that.

[SherlockandKey]

On 1/19/2022 at 12:09 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

True, to acknowledge Una Stubbs' death.  But I'd also like them to acknowledge Mrs. Hudson's death (or absence) within the episode.

 

My point being that the writers do not have to kill Mrs. Hudson, at least, not right away.

[Carol the Dabbler]

1 hour ago, SherlockandKey said:

the writers do not have to kill Mrs. Hudson

That's always a tough call when an established cast member dies.  There seem to be basically three options: 1) recast the role and pretend nothing has changed, 2) say that the character has moved away, or 3) say that the character has died.  I've seen each of these done respectfully, so I can't say that I have an absolute favorite.

However in the case of an older character, it seems most realistic to have them either retire or die.  So I suppose they could either say that Mrs. Hudson has gone to live with her sister (or run off with a young salesman), or else say that she has died.  Since they can't very well have her back for a visit, I'd personally opt for the latter.  Though if they wanted to postpone her death for a bit (for example, if they needed to keep the character alive (though of course off-camera) for the first episode of a a new series, but then wanted to do a proper funeral in the second one), I wouldn't complain, as long as it was all done respectfully.

 

[besleybean]

No 1 would never be am option for Mark and Steven.

[Carol the Dabbler]

15 hours ago, besleybean said:

No 1 would never be am option for Mark and Steven.

Yes, I seriously doubt that it would be!  And as far as I'm aware, they've never recast any role that had already been aired.  They did recast Sally Donovan, but that was between the unaired pilot and series 1.  When Vinette Robinson wasn't available for a later episode, they did cast another actress to do her scene, but as a different character.

I believe that all they've actually said, though, is that they would not recast Sherlock or John.

 

[SherlockandKey]

On 1/20/2022 at 5:09 PM, Carol the Dabbler said:

However in the case of an older character, it seems most realistic to have them either retire or die.

 

Since the writers have complete control, it would be realistic for them to opt to do just about anything. But, I suppose if we really had to go that route you could write up two cases for Sherlock as a Part 1 and Part 2 celebration of life type of angle. One involving her husband and his crimes, and/or supposed crimes, and the other involving her death, either she gets killed or her death reveals some sort of overarching mystery about her life hitherto unknown to our heroes.