The Sherlock Rabbit Hole

[westernredcedar]

I've been lost in Sherlock fandom again for a while, mostly thanks to bk7brokemybrain who hooked me up with some amazing meta about Season 3 and I fell down the rabbit hole and have yet to emerge out the far end. Gah, this damn show. It just can't stop making me want to think about it.

The meta I've most enjoyed has been the detailed work of loudest_subtext_in_television, and as of last night I believe I have read everything she has on her masterlist at her blog. (I really enjoy the super-meta of reading a blog about a TV show that has a blog as a major plot element.) I'm completely intrigued by her reading of the text of the show, including her fascinating analysis of A Study in Pink (oh,oh,oh her screen caps and thoughts on the scene at Angelo's in ASiP! YES! Bisexual John! Yes!) and The Blind Banker (who would have thought I'd be convinced to revisit TBB for anything other than dissecting the horrid race issues?), as well as the exuberant amount of writing she has done about Season 3. I have also been following the work of abrae, who has so much insight, especially into the use of framing and the language of film in how we can and should interpret the new season through this lens. Good stuff.

Last night I stayed up far too late reading arianedevere's transcript of The Sign of Three. Originally I just went in search of the exact text where Sherlock explains that he has taught John to dance, but then I ended up reading the whole thing.

The one epiphany I had while reading the transcript was one that is old news to others, I'm sure. It's that Sherlock reads a telegram from Magnussen (CAM) to Mary at the wedding. Oh! Oh oh! I missed this on my several watchings so far. (See, it's this sort of interwoven subtle clue that gives me hope that the deep relationship building identified by loudest_subtext might have some hope, at least partially, of being intentional on the part of the writers. Also, it makes me harken back to all the crazy predictions and text analysis of my early years in HP fandom...oh, evolving canon, you are so fun.)

Anyhoo, I don't have any added thoughts of my own, as the complexity and depth of the meta already being written far outshines any tiny thoughts I might have. I suspect I'll read another transcript tonight, and then I really, really want to try and write a plausible scene in which Sherlock teaches John to dance, alone at Baker St, because, holy shit...how would that even go down?

I get overwhelmed with UST just thinking about it.

Comments

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

First of all: you are welcome! Or, I am sorry. Whichever applies according to how happy you are to have gotten into the Sherlock time suck.

I would love to read that dancing fic. Knowing what we know about Sherlock's repressed feelings for John, how would it feel to hold him and move with him, knowing that he's preparing to give John away? SADNESS!
There's that lovely theme of Sherlock as a solo or thwarted dancer in S2E2, and (I might have mentioned) the only time we see John and Sherlock 'dance' is when John walks Sherlock backward across the restaurant to pummel him. Actually, someone pointed out that the waltzing between Sherlock and Janine and John and Mary was pretty bad - they weren't in position, slightly off to the side so they could dance properly. Oddly enough (not), John and Sherlock are properly offset to dance as John is shoving him backward, and they dance the best together even when they aren't trying. It's fate, I tell you.

Now I have to go read that earlier meta you mentioned. I'd love to see what the screencaps are for Angelo's. I picked up an awkward, backing away vibe from John the first time I saw it, but let it go in the face of all the Not Gay.

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

Bisexual John! YES!
Seriously, you must read this one about A Study in Pink and then I dare you to ever read John as straight ever again. *G* She's very convincing. Then again, so is John.

Also, I can only thank you. I'm having a ball reading all these goodies. Hell, it's only stealing the time I would be sleeping. *pfft* Who needs that?

DANCE FIC. Seriously. They practically jump each other when John accidentally touches Sherlock's knee. How they hell did they dance together????

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

Haaaa! I have that masterlist up and wasn't sure where the ASIP one was, so thanks!

And remember, in the dance fic the curtains have to be closed (curtains like the extremely fit and topless Bainbridge was standing between. SEX CURTAINS, even.) and Mrs Hudson has to catch them at it. At dancing. So they say. And then the rumors have to start. HEE.

Damn, I'm giddy from the happy. I totally missed all this conjecture with Potter, coming to it after Book 7. *slide whistles and points at penname* And there was no actual slash to hope for. Here it's just a matter of time before the veils lift and they jump each other.

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

Crud, wrong link.
Here is the right one

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

*points at time stamp*
Yes, it's zero dark thirty. But I have devoured the first two essays on the episodes. Joy!
Sleep now. Dream of what Sherlock and John's first romantic encounter will look like.

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

Ha! Got you back in the no-sleep contest. ;p
I was dreaming of how to get them dancing.

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

How to get them dancing is easy: Sherlock is throwing all his talents at prepping the wedding, so he'd insist he teach John.
I'd like to know how much he'd tell John about his love of dancing and training/abilities. Sherlock is really opening up to John, letting himself be vulnerable, all the way up to his epiphany and the baby deduction and their shared look. After that he clamps down on his feelings and pushes John away, makes himself look like a machine again, so I wonder if he'd regret showing John that hidden part of his desires for himself.
Also, I wondered if there wasn't a barre hidden in 221 somewhere, where he exercises. :) He's in great shape for a man who never seems to work out.

Have you seen the Ritchie films? In the second, H&W are at a diplomatic ball and H takes W for a spin around the dance floor (!!!) to scope out an assassin. That thrilled and shocked me, since I wasn't sure how much of a spectacle they were making of themselves, but Holmes asks Watson who taught him how to dance, and Watson tenderly recalls, "You." Lovely moment!

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

I have not seen the second Ritchie film, only the first. I'm stuck home with a sick kid today, so if she takes a nap, perhaps I can look it up. Sounds delicious and sweet.
Is Holmes a dancer in ACD canon? I'm still only an ACD canon novice.
Also, if the kid naps I might take a crack at writing up a dance lesson scene. You'll be the first to know. I think all the nuance you are talking about about how much he would share or not is the part I'm curious about, and want to see what would happen in a fic...especially knowing they get interrupted by Mrs. Hudson. So much potential there.

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7d_-A1ju9M
That's the dance scene.
RDJ has said he is playing Sherlock as gay and in love with Watson, the script supports it. He is not as gracious about Watson's marriage as Cumberbatch's version. Still, he grudgingly, petulantly supports Watson as he gets him to the church on time, etc.
I really did not like the first movie. The second was much better, and then the first grew on me a bit. Mostly, it was too far from canon for my taste, sexualizing Holmes who was always above it all in canon. This version is dirty, scruffy, in touch with his (gay) sexual self, but turns out to be huggy and kissy with Irene Adler in a more fraternal way. I have grown to love RDJ's version, after all. It has everything to do with RDJ himself and his chemistry with Jude Law.
Oh, and Game of Shadows has a freaking hot pseudo sex scene between the two with Holmes on his back, Watson trying to throttle him, angry, ripping Holmes's clothes off, Holmes wrapping his legs around Watson. Holy hotness, Batman. So much passion.
Okay... here's a link to that scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbHsOZyhTNY If you hate spoilers, then don't watch. If you don't care, then watch, but get a towel ready because your hands will be sweating by the time it's over. Here, Holmes is putting himself in the place of the new bride, just as our Sherlock was doing all through TSoT. It's the first 1:20 that is pertinent. The entire train sequence is fantastic.


I don't know if ACD's Holmes was a dancer at all. I haven't read all the stories. I imagine he'd have been given lessons as a boy, at minimum.
Jeremy Brett could do the Safety Dance, though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSiK0-Nh65M Trippy.

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

Gah! Gorgeous dance scene.
I'm 1000 words into the dancing. Oh yes I am. Hoping to get a draft finished this evening, this is just meant to be a little thingy for fun and not a multi-day writing exercise.
Around tonight if I could use a read-through? No worries if not.

I'll be all over watching Game of Shadows when I get this thing finished.

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

Please send it whenever. I'd love to see it.
Game of Shadows has a better 'case' in it, too. Enjoy it.

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

Up super late, got impatient with self, posted the thing to be done with it. Thanks for being willing. *hug*

[inkgeist.livejournal.com]

SPOILER FOR EPISDE3
I don't know if gouge seen it yet but hopefully you have, I need some one to talk to about it.


Okay, so if blackmail guy has a mind palace, what's with the actual copies of the letters and the thumb drive he gave Mary? Are they leaving that in as future plot? So perplexed. Sorry not really in fandom yet but OMG this is eating my brain!

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

HI!!!! *hugs* It's been so good to see you back around, even though I have missed chatting with you so far. How's the writing plan going?

I have to say, the mystery plots this season were definitely weak, and that thing with the letters also really bothers me. It's weak writing I think, or possibly means something more? I hope, but I can't think what. bk7, in a previous post where I griped about that very thing, suggests it is just part of Magnussen's manipulation to show fakes, so perhaps that's it. I'm with you though.

However, I've given up being annoyed at the weak elements of the mysteries in favor of being so darn excited about the ideas presented in some of the meta I recced about how the John/Sherlock relationship is being developed within the show. It really helps. :)

[inkgeist.livejournal.com]

After how strong the first two season were, I'm going to go with its an excuse for further plots. I mean the wedding episode was terrible,but did give way to the third one... Here's the thing, Magnussen also had John's rescue playing on loop on many screens. I'm sure there is a room - I mean would Mycroft really be on edge about Sherlock messing with Magnussen if there wasn't something there? Okay, now I'm sounding like Anderson.

For whatever reason, I'm more into the original Victorian SH/JW than fandom/slash in the BBC version. It might be too new for me still or more realistically, I'm still working at getting back into SS/RL. The writing is going kinda meh. I have a lot written, but I think I need to pare it down. My solution is ti read a lot of ficcage and remember how to write non-science. I've left Cold marinating for a bit, but it might be time ti take a look at it again. My mind has fast forward through the story in a choose your own adventure way, so it might be time to outline it and get to typing.

I'm stoked to have finally touched base with you! And even more excited that you're still around Coming back after so long was weird but its good to be home :)

[westernredcedar.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
Well, I have to take issue with "the wedding episode is terrible," seeing as it is my favorite episode, but I'll happily agree to disagree. ;) Since I've been convinced it is an episode entirely created to illuminate the moment Sherlock discovers he is in mad love with John, I simply have to adore it, and I do. What makes you have such a strong dislike?
Hahaha, I love that you're turning into Anderson over Magnussun's mind palace. Poor you. I agree with you that the inconsistency over the physical parts of Magnussen's blackmail is frustrating. In the end, I think we are meant to believe that in fact he does not keep physical evidence, just knows what he can do to take down various people in print through his amazing memory. He's like Sherlock if Sherlock really was a sociopath, so when Sherlock kills him, he kills that cold, clinical part of himself in favor of love of John. Lovely. It's necessary for Magussen to be nothing but a "brain," in order to make this parallel, so I do think the letters are just a ruse to fool Sherlock into getting further involved.
I'm excited that you are still working on the writing. It's so hard to get going again, as I've experienced, with lots of starts and stops. The outlining sounds like a great idea. Aww, some ink Snupin will make me so happy!

[inkgeist.livejournal.com]

Anderson? Ouch. (Sorry, I just saw this - that will teach me to try to do LJ over the phone >.<)

I like your theory about Magnussen being there to show us what a real sociopath looks like and that being nothing like what Sherlock is. In contrast to him, Sherlock is entirely human and I agree that in killing him the way that he did, he chose to fully embrace the parts of him that have weaknesses consciously. Still the physical evidence... I'll wait on the creators to fill us in on that.

Well, with my thermodynamics project out of the way, there's a bit of a break to think about Sherlock but more importantly, to Snupin. Chapter one of the fic is up and two will be ready by the end of the week if the quantum deities will allow it.

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

Did Magnussen give Mary that drive? I thought it was just her collection of info about herself. Magnussen has no need for a drive, and I'm sure those letters in his pocket were just props for Sherlock's sake. That looked like girlie handwriting on the drive, too, probably Mary's.
Did anyone notice that it said A.G.R A - I think her initials are AG and RA stands for something else.

[inkgeist.livejournal.com]

I'm not so sure a out the props, Sherlock, I would think, would have caught on to that. And there's no evidence he gave her the flashdrive but if she's starting over, why would she have all that info around? Now, I'll own that Magnussen doesn't trust computers, but a flashdrive seems safe enough, a condensed version of a hard copy....
This season was so weird.

[bk7brokemybrain.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't think that flashdrive had anything to do with Magnussen. It only makes sense if it was Mary's little stash of info on herself. Agra referred to ACD canon, where Mary's father was stationed in India. So A.G.RA was purposefully written that way. I still think it was the only link Mary had to her old identity, maybe JPEGS of her old IDs and files from the CIA or whatever agency she worked for, her birth certificate, maybe family pictures etc. That was a gigantic thumbdrive, lol. If it was hidden information thrust upon her by Magnussen, she would have burned it herself.
The letters in his pocket I'm sure were a prop purely to snag Sherlock. Magnussen had no intention of selling the letters that day, but he made Sherlock believe he would by bringing them into town and showing them. Lady Smallwood's case was his entree into manipulating Sherlock Holmes, and thereafter Mycroft Holmes. He needed bait and he needed to perpetuate the myth of his vaults stuffed full of physical treasure.