#it’s really Sherlock Holmes and John Watson or NOTHING

[dead-chela]

Is anyone else insane about the new sh&co episode or just me?

[immortal-in-their-way]

When I started Sherlock & Co, I thought John and Sherlock shared one braincell between them. I was wrong. Mariana has the braincell.

[sistersavelorn]

They're like an old married couple

[sakanayasan414]

Interesting facts/possible mistranslation in Japanese translation of Sherlock Holmes

I thought people might be thinking I started my Sherlock Holmes journey by bbc or s&co and while there’s nothing wrong with that, I wanted to clarify that I’ve been Sherlokian since my mom bought me the adventure of Sherlock Holmes in 1st grade and I love the canon the most. Though I don’t really read it in Japanese anymore, I wanted to show my love for the translators and just everyone who made it possible for me to enjoy SH without having to learn English as a child.

Names Changes - The name Sherlock Holmes and John Watson once got translated/adapted to 小室泰六 (Komuro Tairoku) and 和田進一 (Wada Shinichi) because people in Japan at that time weren’t familiar with European names. I find this really fun and actually impressive because the names do fit their criteria; Komuro has that royal feel Holmes has and Shinichi is just one of the most common name in Japan like John.

First person pronouns - In Japanese there are many first person pronouns (I, my, me) to the point linguists don’t even know how many there are but main one being 俺 (ore) and 僕 (boku) for men and 私 (watashi) for women and men in formal occasions. So, deciding which first person pronouns characters use is one of the first yet important part of translation. Holmes in most translations use boku which is typical but has that upper class atmosphere when used by an adult which I think fits his personality and background. But one of the translations I read used watashi when he’s talking about his deduction and I feel like it shows how serious he takes his cases as it is almost solely used by men in professional settings. And also it sort of distances the speaker from the rest, meaning he is in his own world when deducing but he’s willing to interact with others when not in case.

Surname? First name? - in most translations, Holmes and Watson call each other by their surnames like in ACD writing but in one of the translations I’ve read put 君 (kun) after their surnames. It is used to show politeness but also affection in old times. I personally love this addition because calling each other by their surnames in Japanese don’t feel the same as it does in English. It feels too distant, not in Victorian men in way but just plain strangers feel. But then First names are too intimate so putting kun just feels right.

The speckled band - ACD played with a word band in this story but in Japanese it is straight up impossible to do so because we don’t have a word like that so what do they do? As shown below, they put extra words on top of words. (Characters on top (バンド) literally reads bando meaning band and characters below (紐 and 群) mean a string and a group so they both mean band) It is commonly done in literature to either suggest double meaning or just an indication of how to read certain Chinese characters because the characters on top are phonogram unlike Chinese characters. Having three alphabets in one language enables us to have that double meaning in other languages.

Possible misinterpretation of the situation - In “A Case of Identity”, Holmes expresses a deep angst towards Windibank by saying “But between ourselves, Windibank, it was as cruel and selfish and heartless a trick in a petty way as ever came before me.” Up until this point, Holmes called him Mr Windibank but he drops the Mr. However, for some reason some translations keep the Japanese equivalent of Mr (さん) , but then he takes out his whip after this conversation. I just don’t think it was a civil conversation that Japanese translators wanted to write as. I think Japanese translators just wanted to write Holmes as an always-calm-man but he is a passionate man when he needs to be.

Possible Mistranslation - From “A Scandal in Bohemia”, Watson talks about what the woman is to Holmes by writing “In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex.” In rather recently published translation, it gets translated to something like “From Holmes’ perspective, she surpasses all other women and makes their presence fade into the background.” Which i don’t think accurately expresses his view on her and women in general. But this might differ from other people’s opinions.

As time passes and many variations get published, translation gets more natural but sometimes they lose the atmosphere of the canon. So I love going back to reading all the versions I can read.

Hope you enjoyed this post! I have A LOT like this in my draft because I’m a language nerd in STEM that can’t find anyone to talk about this with. Also please let me know if you know any fun facts from your language’s translation:)

[galaxy-with-googly-eyes]

Can we talk about Elementary for a moment? Because this show is so fucking amazing I can’t. The premise is questionable, to say the least. „We’re gonna make a Sherlock Holmes adaption. But what if John is a woman called Joan and what if she is American? Oh and the whole thing is set in New York.“

Best start for a horrible American washed gender swap romance adaption but nothing could be further from the truth. Usually when the gender of a character is changed from canon it is to push some strange heteronormative romance sub plot but NO not Elementary.

The PLATONIC relationship between Joan and Sherlock is so amazingly done. It is the best portrayal of a QPR (queerplatonic relationship) I have ever seen in media. And even if we don’t take qprs into account we see a rich, deep, trusting friendship full of so much love. Elementary had the guts to use the word love in a platonic way, something other Sherlock Holmes adaptions (I’m looking at you BBC) never dared to do. And this in a show where Holmes and Watson are opposite genders, so the association with romance is done even quicker. Meanwhile, we watch Watson struggle with traditional dating and amatonormativity until she finally finds happiness in her platonic partnership with Sherlock and later as a single mum.

Elementary is also the only adaption I’ve seen that really explores Holmes's addiction. Usually, even in ACD canon, his drug addiction is treated as some personality quirk. An annoying habit but nothing more. But that is not how addiction works. Especially not with hard drugs like morphine and cocaine if we look at Canon or heroin in case of BBC and Elementary. Elementary puts great focus on Sherlock's long, presumably lifelong struggle with addiction and the great strength and effort it takes for him to stay clean. It emphasizes his need for a stable support system and doesn’t downplay addiction like a lot of Sherlock Holmes adaptions do. This is amazing.

Another great thing is the casualness of how queer people are incorporated into the story. They are just there. Their queerness isn’t the focus of their story, it is just part of who they are. Mrs. Hutson is trans but the focus is on the many influential men she has had affairs with. Victims are queer. Suspects are queer. Police are queer. Queer people just exist in this show without making it a big deal.

Even tho it isn't a perfect ACD Holmes adaption especially if we look at Sherlock's character I love this show so much.

[meetinginsamarra]

Fanfics I really liked in February 2025

So. Since I keep a list of what I´ve read anyway (there´s always a list), I will rec all the fics I´ve wholly enjoyed on a monthly basis. Old and new, canon or AU, big or small authors, long or short but nearly always Johnlock (-ish).

-----

The Grating Roar by Engazed @engazed

In a London we almost recognise, Sherlock Holmes is a stroppy, solitary genius shirking his civic and moral duty to care for the unfortunate and dispossessed of New Britain. So what is it that possesses him to bring such a wretched, nameless creature with a dark, unspeakable past to Baker Street? Sherlock's life is about to be turned on its head, and all the world with it.

A re-read. An epic and fantastic dystopian AU. Expert world building, loads of hurt/comfort and angst, suspense galore and a beautiful character development for John and Sherlock.

Enamoured With Poetry by Lock_John_Silver @lisbeth-kk

This is basically Holmes' musings about his relationship with Watson, and the latter's poetry. There is no exact timeline, though there are some chapters that have a continuation in the next one, which will be marked as such. At present they are retired in Sussex.

Lovely and fluffy Victorian slices of life, seasoned with poetry. Written for Fluffbruary.

If Equal Affection Cannot Be by blueink3 @blueink3

Sherlock fled London a couple of years after John left him in hospital with nothing but an old walking stick and a half-hearted goodbye. Rosie grew up thinking that Sherlock died when he committed suicide in front of her father by jumping from Barts' roof. So it's somewhat awkward when they run into each other in a Sussex general store between the loaves of bread and the Mars bars...

Rosie manages a meeting between estranged Sherlock and John. It goes really well. Awesome dialogue lines between Sherlock and Rosie btw.

The Last Shred of Truth by All_I_need @the-reading-lemon

It's Christmas time, Lestrade's birthday is approaching, and Sherlock has a promise to keep.

A re-read of part 3 to get back again into the epic "Lost Myth of True Love"- series before I tackle the final part 4. Here we have the bestest development of a deeply friendly relationship between Sherlock and Sally. And I really love this OMC version of Victor Trevor who is Sherlock's epic good boyfriend.

Coming of Age and companion piece  Public, Private, Secret by  221b_careful_what_you_wish_for @  221b-carefulwhatyouwishfor

It’s not easy growing up when your father is best friends with Sherlock Holmes. It’s even harder when you stumble across their secret.

and

To the outside world, Sherlock and John are just friends. In private, they're much, much more. They've agreed to keep their relationship a secret to protect John's daughter, but it's not going to be as simple as they hoped.

First fic is Rosie POV of John and Sherlock's relationship and its change through the years. Second fic is Sherlock and John's view.

[lisbeth-kk]

Sherlock fandom.

Poignant Invocation

It wasn’t until the little girl they raised together was six years old, the two men realised they had experienced something quite similar, numerous times, in their childhoods. The girl, Rosamund Mary Watson-Holmes, only her uncle Myc addressed her that way, everyone else, even her teachers, called her Rosie. Her fathers also called her Bee, sweetheart, darling, precious girl, and sometimes, Watson. It was she, who asked the question, that lead to this revelation from Sherlock and John’s past.

“What were your grandmothers like?” Rosie asked one Sunday after they’d come back from visiting Sherlock’s parents. They were the only grandparents she had.

“Eccentric,” her papa rumbled.

“Thought she was clairvoyant,” her dad said, earning him a raised eyebrow from his husband.

“Really?” the detective asked. “You’ve never said.”

“I guess I haven’t. Never seemed to be an appropriate occasion for it,” John shrugged. “How eccentric was yours, then? The normal Holmes quirkiness, or something spectacular?

“Same as yours, actually,” Sherlock replied slowly.

“No way!” John exclaimed.

“Way,” the other man assured him.

“What is clair – that thing?” Rosie asked a bit affronted, feeling left out of the ongoing conversation.

“Clairvoyant,” Sherlock said patiently, making his daughter repeat it until she pronounced it perfectly.

***

Neither John, nor Rosie, was the least bit surprised when they came home the next Friday afternoon, finding their home redecorated.

“At least it smells nice,” was John’s response.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, before kissing his husband and kneeling in front of Rosie to give her a welcome home hug.

Five scented candles were placed on the mantlepiece, purple in colour, the scent something citrusy with a touch of lavender. The curtains were drawn, and all the lamps were covered in black fabric adorned with silver stars and golden moons. 

John half expected a crystal ball or a Ouija board on their coffee table, but instead, a large book rested there; a book John had never seen before. 

Rosie stood, mouth agape, then moved around the room, carefully.

“What’s all this, love?” John inquired silently.

“A tribute to our grandmothers, John. To Annabelle and…”

He waited for John to fill in the blank.

“Hester. Her name was Hester,” John murmured.

Sherlock repeated the name, then gestured for them to take a seat. 

Large oriental-like cushions were placed around the table, all in different colours, reminiscent of gemstones. Ruby-read, emerald-green, sapphire-blue, topaz-pink, tourmaline-yellow.

With his usual agility, Sherlock seated himself closest to the book, while John and Rosie sat down on either side of him.

“This book is one I remember from my childhood. Annabelle, my grandmother, used to read it to Mycroft, and later to me. The legends are from Japan, where she grew up,” Sherlock began.

John cried out, horrified that he knew nothing about this.

“She was Japanese?” he asked, searching his husbands face for Asian features.

“No, John,” Sherlock smiled. “Her father worked there. As a chemist. They moved to England when she was twelve.”

John looked at the book, realising it was written in Japanese.

“Do you? – “

“Yes, me and Mycroft both. She taught us.”

“Wow!” Rosie exclaimed. “That’s amazing, papa.”

“Quite extraordinary,” John said and reached out a hand to squeeze Sherlock’s arm.

“Can you teach me too? Please,” Rosie asked.

“Of course, Bee,” Sherlock said.

The little girl rose quickly and threw her arms around her papa’s neck and murmured her thanks into his cheek. 

John looked fondly at them, his eyes a bit blurry.

Once Rosie was seated on her green cushion again, Sherlock started to read, translating effortlessly, as if he read an English book.

“This is a bit sad, but the moral can easily be transferred to our everyday lives. It is called The Legend of the Grateful Crane.”

Rosie curled up in John’s lap as Sherlock got the end of the story, but she didn’t cry. She was as resilient as one would expect a daughter of the infamous Baker Street boys to be.

“One more, please,” she begged once Sherlock had finished reading.

“After dinner,” John said sternly, and she knew it was futile to protest.

She sighed dramatically, not unlike how her papa used to indicate his disapproval. 

***

“This was a brilliant idea, love,” John said after they’d put Rosie to bed.

“You think so?” Sherlock asked.

“Of course, Sherlock. Couldn’t you tell how enchanted she was? Me too, for that matter. God, we’re so lucky to have you.”

Sherlock sighed contentedly and made himself comfortable on the sofa, his head placed in his husband’s lap. As John carded his fingers through his curls, Sherlock purred like a big cat. When they made love some hours later, the sounds escaping Sherlock’s throat reminded John of those made by dragons of the legends.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

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[dragonnan]

Saturday Sherlock Fic Recs

Gathered from my bookmarks :)

It's Not The Violin by copperbadge - M Somewhere between Alejandro and the fistfight, John Watson became someone Sherlock Holmes would kill for.

Sound of Silence by SailorChibi - G Sherlock returns from the dead but nothing is like it was. He doesn't speak and John doesn't understand, not until an encounter with the Yard explains the depths of Sherlock's trauma.

Lost for Words by awanderingbard - M Sherlock is assaulted by an unknown assailant while John is away at a medical conference, leaving him with a severe brain injury. While his intellect and personality are intact, he's lost the use of his right-side limbs and his ability to speak freely. John suddenly finds himself as the main source of support, and possibly a caregiver, to a flatmate who is struggling to do the things he loves most. And Sherlock Holmes has never been the best of patients.

Following On by in_in_in_in_in_in - G ‘Well,’ says Sherlock, throwing the empty bottle down into the foot well. ‘I did think I was going to die.’

‘You thought you were going to die?’ Donovan chokes out. ‘I knew you were a freak, but are you really so self-centred? I thought he was supposed to be your friend, and instead of worrying about him you’re worrying about yourself? Did you push him in front of you or something?’

When something happens to John, Sherlock doesn't understand why everyone's so surprised that he was worried for his own life.

Flinch by Salr323 - G "We hated him."

Oubliette by CherryBlossomTide - T After a traumatic incident, Sherlock becomes trapped in the darkest part of his Mind Palace. The only thing that can still reach him is the sound of John's voice.

A Cure for the Final Problem by Saasan - T (Warning for Character Death) As far as Sherlock knows, he's back in rehab, but something is amiss. Why won't John come visit him?

The Holiday by Scriblit - M (Warning for offscreen noncon) A month following an horrific, sadistic attack during a case, Sherlock is still physically incapacitated and emotionally damaged. A holiday is suggested, but even stuck out in the middle of nowhere, he and John happen upon a case that could make Sherlock begin to feel like his old self again - or could kill him.

Paying Back by Dayja - M Some men do not appreciate Sherlock's handling of their cases. They decide to pay him back.

Harmless Things by J_Baillier - M This is definitely not how John had imagined their Saturday night.

It takes John Watson to save your life. by Sparkypip - T A series of One shots where John saves Sherlock's life in so many ways. Will be updated sporadically as and when I get any time to write. As always I like my characters hurt, so plenty of angst, H/C, whump and bromance.

Seek Out The Unworthy by squire - T Set after the events of His Last Vow - but this time, the plane carrying Sherlock off to Eastern Europe never turned around, and John's life is very different as a result.

Hopeless Wanderer by Cyane (orphan_account) - Not Rated Mycroft wakes up in a cold, dark, cliche. Normally this would be fine, except this time, his captors were smart/stupid enough to drag Sherlock into this.

And they're going to be there for a while, until his agents and Scotland Yard figures out where they are.

This would be a hell of a lot easier if Mycroft wasn't blindfolded, tied up, and forced to listen to Sherlock's screams.

Redemption by sgam76 - G The reappearance of James Moriarty means an initial reprieve for Sherlock Holmes. But the consequences of that reappearance put not just the Holmes boys, but most of the world, at risk. An emerging threat in Eastern Europe brings visions of the plagues of the Middle Ages--but that's the least dangerous part.

English as a Foreign Language by standbygo - G Sherlock is not quite right after Mycroft pulls him out of Serbia.

When Your Belly's in the Trench by Morgan_Stuart - T The next time that door opens, John Watson will kill the person on the other side.

The Least of All Possible Mistakes by rageprufrock - M If ever a people deserved tasering, it’s Holmeses.

Define Vulnerability by TheGracefulBlueCat - T Shortly after Sherlock's return John realises something is very wrong with his friend. He, Greg and Mycroft try to help Sherlock as he falls deeper and deeper into the abyss called PTSD. But Sherlock is not ready to allow anyone in, but then the events of the current case cause him to hit bottom hard.

Into the Gloaming by Vulpesmellifera - M She lays the sage bundle down in one of his seashells, avoiding the label. How he loved cataloging natural items. That sharp mind of his so naturally tended to the sciences, and she’d taken great joy in encouraging him all his life. All the first thirteen years of it. The last year has been entirely different.

His hand lies just outside the white comforter. When she touches it, the chill of his skin sends a shiver down her spine. His lips move, his voice as soft as dead, dry leaves.

“What’s that, love?” she says.

“In the trees,” he says, his eyes still closed. “Is it John there in the trees? I think he’s waiting for me.”

Viola turns her gaze out the window and to the closest tree, a resplendent cherry in the throes of autumn. In the branches there, for just a second, she thinks she sees it: a black bird, feathers gleaming in the sun.

Learning the Heart by Calais_Reno - T An android tries to understand love and grief.

The Ancillus's Tale by Chryse - E (Warnings for noncon and MPREG) Once Sherlock’s body had been his alone. He was free to treat it with great care or none at all; to live on cigarettes and coffee and cocaine and then sleep it all off for days on end. He was free to stay in and sleep alone or to go to clubs and choose someone to touch him, mark him with nails and teeth or to kiss him with sweetness and care, according to his whim. Every part of it had been his decision. No more. Now he was property of the Crown, tagged and marked like one of the King’s deer, to be bred like one of his horses.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Five Fics Friday: February 14/25

Happy Friday everyone! Check out this week's collection of fics on my radar, and make sure to read the JFC fic for Sunday's meeting! Enjoy!

JOHNLOCK FIC CLUB

If Equal Affection Cannot Be by blueink3 (E, 31,156 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Family, Retirement, Grown Up Rosie, Angst, Reunion, Loneliness, Sussex, Fluff, Sexy Times, Happy Ending) – Sherlock fled London a couple of years after John left him in hospital with nothing but an old walking stick and a half-hearted goodbye. Rosie grew up thinking that Sherlock died when he committed suicide in front of her father by jumping from Barts' roof. So it's somewhat awkward when they run into each other in a Sussex general store between the loaves of bread and the Mars bars...

RECENT MFLs

An Authorized Biography by scrub456 (G, 2,644 w., 1 Ch. || ASiP Divergence, Angelo's, Epic Friendship, Humour, BAMF Angelo, BAMF John, Pawn Shop, John's Cane) – An account of what really  happened that night at Angelo's. It's possible maybe the biographers got it wrong. Part 2 of Reader Appreciation Prompt Extravaganza  || Part 7 of Singular

Golden Ticket by DiscordantWords (M, 6,167+ w., 2/? Ch. || WIP || Wonka AU || Crack Treated Seriously, Angst with Happy Ending, Suicidal Thoughts, Temporary, Character Death, Candy, Falling in Love) – Years after an odd, gruesome, and highly publicised breakdown ruined his career, a disgraced candymaker has abruptly reopened his factory. His motives are shrouded in mystery, something that only serves to inflame the curious public. To celebrate his triumphant return, he launches a contest: five golden tickets hidden at random in chocolate bars distributed throughout London. The lucky recipients of those tickets are promised an experience they will never forget. And so, on one cold morning in January, five winners gather to claim their prize. John Watson is among them.

The Secret of Agra by Calais_Reno (T, 17,921+ w., 4/19 Ch. || WiP || Alternate Universe || Post-TRF, John on a Case, Missing Person, Liminal Spaces, Otherworld, Minor Character Death, Eventual Reunion) – A year after The Reichenbach Fall, John learns that Sherlock isn’t dead, but has now found himself in a spot of trouble. John goes after him. This is a "down the rabbit hole" story, a London Below, a wonderland, an impossible place where missing people find themselves. It's also a love story about our two heroes desperate to find one another, realising things about themselves and each other.

The Second Smartest Man in London by FairSinner (E, 73,699 w., 14 Ch. || ACD Canon || Angst, Romance, Smut, Mystery, First Kiss / Time, Drug Use, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Falling in Love, Gay Sex) – Dr John Watson returns from Afghanistan to Victorian London, wounded, traumatised and alone. When he meets Sherlock Holmes, his life begins to seem worth living again. But Holmes is a man who despises sentiment and Watson cannot seem to expunge it from his heart.

[under-loch-n-key]

Longggg Sherlock & Co plot rant. You have been warned.

I know the creator of Sherlock & Co. found the idea of writing Moriarty into the series intimidating. Plus, not knowing how to do Sherlock's "death" over a podcast and such. But I had an idea.

I love the idea of Professor Moriarty being some sort of hacker/online troll and MORIARTY is the name of a dark web corporation that is trying to hack into the Sherlock & Co. Company to send Sherlock puzzles/cases. You lot know those shady anon hackers on the dark web in films and certain websites? Like that.

I think it would be cool if at first Moriarty leaves hate/weird comments on John's podcasting sites and Watson just thinks it is some hater and thinks nothing of it and deletes the comments. He just grumbles about the comments being a continous thing.

Suddenly the comments stop. Watson isn't complaining about it, he is relieved by that because they were really annoying him. (no matter how many times Sherlock & Mariana told him to ignore them.)

Later on, Watson gets these emails from an unknown email of some shady guy (Moriarty) taunting Sherlock (and the rest of the company) and sending them on goose chase cases (Like the BBC did in that one episode with the phone calls, in a way?)

When Moriarty becomes the main centre of the podcast episodes, instead of Sherlock dying, he gets kidnapped by Moriarty's network. Watson and Mariana embark on and have to solve their most important case yet "Where is Sherlock Holmes?" This would give us some cool dynamics and more screentime between Watson and Mariana.

Watson starts to panick because he thinks he isn't like Sherlock and Sherlock did tell him that he would never be able to figure out stuff the way he could. Mariana is there to support and be there for him. Watson and Mariana have to channel their inner Sherlock Holmes to solve the case.

Idk whether I like the idea of Sherlock expecting this to happen and leave behind clues in some way. I do know though, that I like the idea of the following cases being them trying to work on finding Sherlock.

When they do, Sherlock is banged up and Sherlock tells him "I trusted that you would find me, Watson. You really are a persistent fellow."

And Watson just runs up and hugs him and Mariana joins in and they are just mother henning him like crazy.

Watson tells Sherlock "Don't do that to me again. Don't disappear on me again, you hear?"

And Sherlock is like "It's not like I was expecting to kidnapped, John. Besides, your podcast wouldn't last without me."

Watson just huffs and tells him "No, no, it wouldn't. Just come here," and then goes to hug him again.

Mariana pulls away from them both in realisation and she tells them "Boys, I don't mean to break up our moment, but we still do have one problem."

They both look at her and Sherlock nods and says "Moriarty. He's still out there."

I want it to be implied that they came face to face while Sherlock was kidnapped.

"He? Sherlock, you saw him?" Watson replies.

"Indeed, Watson and I think I know where he'll be waiting next."

*cue Sherlock & Co. End of episode music.*

Anyways, then we get to the episode of the Reichenbach fall, they have their final facedown. Sherlock doesn't die, but Moriarty does fall.

Watson would 100% be grumbling about how he can't pick up any audio over the sound of the falls.

Sherlock and Moriarty would begin fighting and Watson would start describing the scene in a panicked tone.

Sherlock calls over "Not helping, Watson!"

After more sounds of fighting and nervous ramblings from Watson. Sherlock & Moriarty turn the corner of the falls into a blind spot.

All Watson hears and sees is a cry and someone fall and crash into the water.

Watson panicks and shouts "SHERLOCK!" then dashes up to where they were fighting. Sherlock is sitting down and catching his breath.

Sherlock would probably make a smartarse comment like "Ah, John. Glad you make it. Help me up will you?"

"You're not dead."

"Clearly, or else we wouldn't be speaking. Now, would you please help me up?"

"Right, yeah." Watson helps him up.

"So, you, erm, you killed him?"

"I did. His baritsu was lacking, so his demise was inevitable."

"You're a clever, bugger, mate. Now, lift home?"

"Yes, of course."

I think it would be funny if the episode ended like this. They get home and Mariana starts mother-henning them both and she is scolding them both in Spanish about being more careful, how much she cares for them both, etc. Then she hugs them both.

Later on, we cut to them sitting in their chairs and talking about, well, everything.

"It's good to have you home, you know? I- well, Mariana and I both missed you."

"Mm. It's good to be home, Watson. I prefer the smell of our flat to the vile odour of where I was."

"Do you want to talk about it? Because, I, erm, am always here if you need a good talk."

"Not at the moment, Watson, but I will keep that in mind."

Long pause.

"So, Moriarty's network.. is it?-"

"Gone? Mm. No, but it will be taken care of."

"How? They are bloody HUGE, Sherlock. Shouldn't we, I don't know, contact Lestrade? Actually, the whole bloody Scotland Yard?"

"They're useless here, Watson. I'll leave this to the government."

"The government? Sherlock, we both know what they are. The government is not reliable in the slightest."

"Mm. The government you are discussing, yes. They are indeed unreliable, but in this instance I am discussing a WHO not a what."

"Friends in high places?"

"No. Much much worse."

"Oh, erm, an enemy then?"

"Mycroft is not an enemy, but certainly not a friend."

"What the devil is a 'Mycroft'?"

"My brother."

There's a long silence in the audio

"YOUR WHAT!?"

*Cue end of episode music*

I think this concept would be a cool way to be introduced to Mycroft, Watson realising his capibilities since meeting Sherlock, more screentime with Mariana and John's friendship, a way to do the podcast without killing Sherlock and having the time gap between Sherlock's "death" and resurrection, etc.

If you made it to the end of my Sherlock & Co plot concept ramble, good for you. Lol. Anyway, I just thought this would be a cool concept. The rant kinda blended into a fic, but oh well.

Do you lot like this idea? I thought it would be neat.

If John (or even the creator of Sherlock & Co) sees this ever, I will spontaneously combust. 😳

Enjoy my story/plot rant-

(Sorry for any typos, I am sick and half-asleep)

(I am so normal about them, I swear-)

[calaisreno]

Nobody

663 Words / Prompt: Hero

No one ever calls John Watson amazing. As far as he can recall, no one has ever said he was extraordinary. 

His father laughed when he said he wanted to be a doctor. His mother said nothing. 

His sister came out when she was thirteen. John was ten that year, and learned from her experience that it’s better not to stand out. While Harry was being dramatic, having angry confrontations with their parents, making everyone love and hate her, John flew under the radar. 

At school, he stayed in the upper third. He worked hard, took part-time jobs to help with the bills, got regular haircuts, and never even considered a tattoo. 

Harry was a full-blown alcoholic by the time John started uni. He also drank, but kept his family history in mind and focused on what he was there for. 

His father was a gambler who always had a new plan; his mother poured her energy into charity and church. Harry seemed determined to fuck up in every way imaginable, as if she had a sacred destiny to be the black sheep. Blood was not destiny. John was the responsible one.

His army buddies gave him the nickname Three Continents. As a child, he’d spent a few years in Australia (one of his father’s schemes to get rich), but that didn’t really count. He’d grown up in Britain, travelled to the continent one summer. His luck with European women was nothing to write home about. When he left for Afghanistan, he didn’t have much hope for that continent, either, since most of the women there were Muslim. The nickname was ironic, not iconic.

In the army, he was commissioned as a captain. He took his office seriously, gave orders with confidence, not out of a sense of ego or pride, but because he was responsible. When you’re responsible for lives, you don’t let people down.

In essence, he was a humble man. 

When he returned home, he was a surgeon who could no longer do surgery, thanks to a shoulder wound that left him with nerve damage. He was a doctor with PTSD who couldn’t make it through the night without waking up in a sweat, hyperventilating. He had a limp. Women looked at him with pity, not interest.

And he began to suspect that dates with women weren’t what he wanted. His buddies might still call him Three Continents Watson, but there wasn’t any reputation to uphold. He often protested, I’m not gay, but his eyes tended to follow men rather than women.

That’s why, when he met Sherlock Holmes and agreed to share a flat with him, he felt fortunate to escape his tiny bedsit and move in with this odd man, who had somehow decided that John must accompany him at any hour of the day or night, usually to look at dead bodies. A man of eccentric habits, John seemed to have become one of them.  

It didn’t hurt that his flatmate was good-looking. Sherlock Holmes had high cheekbones, dark curly hair, and a lanky grace that was enhanced by the tailored trousers and jackets he wore. He spoke in a silky baritone. To John, at least, it didn’t matter that he was arrogant or even insulting. He was extraordinary. 

So when Sally Donovan frowned at John Watson and said, “Who are you?” he didn’t hesitate to say, “I’m nobody.”

But that same night, he carried his gun out into the night, chasing after a man, a murderer. He saw Sherlock about to accept the challenge, and his hand did not shake when he sent a bullet through two panes of glass, into the man’s chest.

John will never call himself a hero. They might exist, but he’s not one. 

He’s just an ordinary man who lost his limp when he began following Sherlock Holmes. 

And in that moment his only thought was that Sherlock Holmes had saved his life, and John wasn’t going to let him die. 

[universeofdreams]

Common Sense Pt. 1

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BBC Sherlock Holmes x Fem!Reader

Genre: Pure Nonsense, a little bit of Mystery

Warnings: gunshots, nothing else.

Wordcount: 1800-ish. Sorry, I forgot the number TT

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Summary: You didn’t really engulf in hanging out with your neighbours, especially because most thought one of them was going bonkers, until you got a demonstration of it in form of a very big hole. Curious, as you were, you didn’t bother listening to their conversations. And to their surprise, you weren’t just the „little neighbourhood girl“, you were also bloody intelligent.

A/N: Here I am, able to finally announce my comeback with nothing greater than a good ol‘ Sherlock fanfic. Thanks to Prime for the given opportunity to re-binge-watch the show because it’s only available for 8 more days, I had to make a move and rewatch it. I was addicted to Sherlock a few years before I actually started writing fanfictions. And I’m going to Paris for the christmas holidays so there will be plenty of time for me to write. Don’t be shy, send me your favourite character and I’ll write a oneshot about them!

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Thank the heavens it was a normal morning ‘til now. You walked down the creaking stairs into the kitchen of your two-floors-flat. It wasn’t particularly early but your alarm didn’t ring yet, which means it should be around 8am. 

You mentally thanked yourself for filling up the kettle yesterday evening as you turned it on and got one of the tea bags out of their little box.

A few birds were chirping outside and the sound of cars passing the house was a sign that the people of London started to wake. The sun beamed through your kitchen window that had little lace curtains on the sides and filled the kitchen with warm, cozy light.

The bottom of your favourite mug touched the countertop and the water in the kettle was bubbling uncontrollably. The sweet, slightly aromatic smell of the tea unfolded in the ground floor as soon as you poured the hot water into the cup and the dark brown colour took over the plain, transparent water.

The gunshots almost made you drop that favourite mug. It wasn’t like you weren’t used to disturbance caused by your - almost - lousy neighbours but things like this didn’t happen YET. And so you sighed, placed that mug back on the counter and walked up the stairs. 

Right in your bedroom was a big, gaping hole in the wall. 

‘Oh, come on, that’s not possible.’, you thought to yourself, brushed the hair out of your face and looked through that hole. The grey hair of your neighbour, Mr. Watson, came in sight.

He pointed right towards the hole and Mr. Holmes, his roommate, was standing a little further away from it. 

“Now I will have to go wake (Y/N) and apologise for your temper.”, the doctor sighed and shook his head, pinching his nose bridge. 

But before he could leave, you cleared your throat, cocking your head to the side and waving them through that hole.

“No need to.”, you said sarcastically. 

He whipped his head around and his eyebrows shot up, almost meeting his hairline. He once again glanced at Sherlock, signalling him to apologise. Sherlock, who was holding the gun and seemed to be cause for this situation, just shrugged and walked away. 

And now it wasn’t a normal morning anymore. Well, that day was a week ago and since then you ignored Sherlock for a good reason. The hole in the wall wasn’t fixed and yet the dark-haired consulting detective didn’t seem to make a move on fixing it. Of course, you told your landlady, Mrs. Hudson, about the inquiry but she didn’t have an effect on him either.

“What? How are you not able to crack that code? You said it’s simple!”, you overheard John exclaim as you came home one day. 

“It’s not my fault. I’m not able to think.”, Sherlock bit back.

The feeling in your gut told you he was looking through that hole in the wall and so you, as quietly as possible, sneaking up the stairs to listen to their conversation.

“You’re unbelievable! What was the code again?”, now asked John. 

You perked up, fiddling a small piece of paper out of the pocket of your coat and the small pen you brought back from your trip to Ikea yesterday.

“3C-5A-2E-7B. Locker.“, the detective read out loud.

You scribbled the combination of numbers and letters down on what you had in hand and quickly shuffled down the stairs, hoping they didn’t hear you. Usually you weren’t one to eavesdrop, but codes were something that genuinely interested you. And so you found yourself sitting in your bed almost every night, thinking about that code.

After a week and three days you asked a good friend if he was able to fix the hole in your bedroom wall and when he agreed, you were happy to finally sleep without hearing John and Sherlock talk. He fixed the wall and while doing that, Sherlock inspected him and probably deduced stuff.

‘One daughter, divorced. Very overworked, enthusiastic, has a dog, probably a German Shepherd. 31 years old, has a crush on you.’ 

The latter made the detective eye your friend up and down. He wasn’t ugly, instead a slightly handsome man. Short, blond hair and green eyes. Tall and knew how to work with his hands. And how the sight burned in his eyes.

Until it knocked on your door. It was your only day off this month and you planned on enjoying this with some self-care, ordering take-out and watching your favourite TV-shows. 

Fiddlesticks.

John Watson was standing on your doorstep, still his finger on the doorbell when you opened the door. A puzzled look was plastered on your face as you asked the man to step inside since it was raining cats and dogs today. He gladly accepted your offer, tore his shoes off of his feet and placed them on the black mat you had prepared for soaked shoes. You took the wet coat out of his hand and hung it close to the heater so it at least had a slight chance of drying a little.

While he walked into the living room and took a seat in one of your beloved dark green arm chairs. You once again filled water into the kettle and prepared two cups of Darjeeling tea. You gently set the fine porcelain cup onto the coffee table and smiled at him.

“No sugar was that, right?”, you asked, to which he nodded with a little confusion. 

It wasn’t like you were able to listen to each conversation John and Sherlock had in the past few days. Nah, that wasn’t the case. Your hearing was just extraordinary and you heard them talk through the wall… Sike.

You sat down in front of him in the other dark green arm chair. You had two of them. One without pillows and the other one had a pretty pillow with white ornamental flowers on it. It did fit to your interieur and also kind of to your personality, at least that was what John thought.

“I have a feeling I might know why you’re here.”, you told the man opposite of you. His brows shot up the same way when you peeked through that hole a few days ago.

“How come?”, he asked, sipping on the freshly brewed and still a little hot tea, finding it a little more aromatic than his own favourite brand. And he didn’t mind showing his admiration for a good cup of tea. 

You nodded, got up once again and pulled a piece of paper out of the pretty little bookshelf that was standing next to your TV. Sitting down on the chair again, you placed the paper on the coffee table, written side up. John took a moment to read what you wrote down until he looked back up at you.

3C-5A-2E-7B. Locker.

A chessboard was drawn below the code, some of the squares were marked with a cross.

3C = 3. row , C column

5A = 5. row, A column

2E = 2. row, E column

7B = 7. row, B column

M-I-N-D

“Mind?”, John asked, even more confused than before. 

How was that girl from their neighbourhood able to solve a code like this? What did that even mean? You just nodded. There was more than just the word.

John knew how he and Sherlock would solve that mystery. He immediately stood up, ran to the door, put on his clothes and called out for you to follow, something you usually don’t like but today you let it slip. Slipping into your coat and shoes you followed behind John, just to enter the building next door. 

Mrs. Hudson was standing in the hallway, cleaning it sloppily with a worn out broom. She was very happy to see you but Watson dragged you further up the stairs, leaving the sweet elderly landlady behind without a conversation. You promised yourself to talk to her later today. 

John knocked the door of Sherlock’s and his flat open and Sherlock, who was currently experimenting in the kitchen, didn’t bother turning around.

“Why did you bring this woman?”, he asked while inspecting something in the fridge.

“Because she decoded the message we got.”, explained John. Sherlock wasn’t interested in your presence before but suddenly he turned around and you were able to take in the man you were trying to avoid the past two weeks. He was wearing one of his suits and the same basic white button down as every day but it still looked sleek on him.

His dark locks were seemingly freshly washed and hung a little in his face while his piercing blue eyes scanned you, up and down. He wasn’t able to read you. Well, I mean he was able to but there were only a few things everyone would deduce. 

Things like ‘Came back from work’ or ‘Looks a little tired’ were usually a little too inefficient for him. Why wasn’t there more?

“How can the girl, that needs someone else to fix a wall, decode something?”, he asked with a snicker and made you scoff. 

“Firstly, it was your fault. You didn’t fix it. Secondly, I might be more than just ‘The girl that needs someone else’”, you answered and repeated his words, making eye contact with him.

He could see that you weren’t happy about his wording, especially about the wall incident. But he also wanted to know the answer to the code and so he, same as John does, raised his eyebrows. He wanted you to tell him what you found out.

And so you sat down and explained your theory of how each letter is on the chessboard and showed him the sketch you did. The only thing both Sherlock and John didn’t understand were the words MIND and locker in combination. Little did they know.

“Okay, now that we solved the code, what is that word going to tell me? Does the murderer want to tell me that he thinks I'm brilliant? I am, I know.”, Sherlock said and started walking up and down the living room.

“No, it’s the code to a locker.”, you revealed.

Holmes puzzled gaze was definitely something you’d savour for later, moments in which he’d tell you he’s the brilliant one. 

“One of millions of lockers in London.”, John sighed and you added: “A locker in the British Library.”

Sherlock once again nodded, took his coat and grabbed your hand, kissing it. 

“I love people with common sense.”, he said, chuckling. “See you in the library.”

And then he ran off, leaving you and John behind. Both of you called a cab to follow him but you weren’t in a rush, unlike your consulting detective.

[clearwingedmaven]

3GAR Analysis

Well. It was voted for, and it was decided that it'd be the Three Garridebs next! This, is admittedly a bit of a daunting task, beyond analyzing Empty House, or even The Final Problem. This is THE story that has launched a thousand fics, fanarts, and probably one of the biggest catalysts of the Johnlock ship, either platonically, romantically, or a third thing that exists beyond those two. So realistically, what can I say that hasn't been said already? I can try something like this. Admittedly, the story of The Three Garridebs falls by the wayside, given the elements of canon development. It's natural, really, given that we are often here for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, so it's not so much an analysis of story, rather than character development that I have to do here. 3GAR is... probably later in Holmes's career, Baker Street Wiki has it as 1902, though I would presume that timeline shenanigans are still in play. We do see that here, as Holmes presents himself as chasing a bit of a flight of fancy, that being the task of finding the Three Garridebs. It was Watson, notably, that brought the case to Holmes's attention via the newspaper, launching them into the investigation. In both parts, 3GAR is the story that shows how well Watson and Holmes work together, but even more so that they are what feeds the other, or, how two halves simply can't work apart at this point. Thus, due to the emotional nature of the end of the story, and the Incident, the initial mystery of 3GAR is both thrust aside, and allowed to be put in the background for this. In many ways, I consider this to be a zenith for Holmes. While he may say it's 1895 that was his peak, I'd argue it was here, in 1902(?) during the fateful confrontation with James Winter, that we see the peak, the full character in raw, unflinching display. We have followed Holmes for this long, and he does show emotions, unlike what most would think. He smiles, he laughs, he dances around, he shouts dramatically, bows, reveals things in dramatic fashion, and cares so very deeply for those he loves. And this is the culmination of every single emotion, care, that he holds for those he loves. Watson, is of course, human. But, at this point, both Holmes and the reader have long expected Watson to almost be as superhuman as Holmes. And how could he not be? He has been through quite a lot at Holmes's side, from the commonplace, to the dramatic and perhaps, a little out of this world(not in the extraterrestrial sense, of course.) But-this is the first time we've seen Watson come to harm, and quite dramatically, for two reasons. One: Getting shot in the leg where he was, often runs the risk of being much, much worse than what it ended up as. Two: This is the first time we've seen Watson get hurt, get shot, in front of Holmes.

Holmes is a man as we know, who is fiercely loyal to those he deems necessary to give his services to. We often make mention that this often arises with female clients, such as Violet Smith or Mary Sutherland. Here, it is Watson who is both client, and the single soul in London that he is closest to. So it's no wonder why, given what we know about leg wounds, and their relationship, that Holmes almost breaks completely, scowling that he would have killed James Winter if Watson did not make it. The moment itself is small in canon, but it ties back into why I argue that this is the zenith of Sherlock Holmes. "You're not hurt, Watson? For God's sake, say that you are not hurt!"....

It was worth a wound–it was worth many wounds–to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the firm lips were shaking. For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. All my years of humble but single-minded service culminated in that moment of revelation. “It’s nothing, Holmes. It’s a mere scratch.” He had ripped up my trousers with his pocket-knife. “You are right,” he cried with an immense sigh of relief. “It is quite superficial.” His face set like flint as he glared at our prisoner, who was sitting up with a dazed face. “By the Lord, it is as well for you. If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive. Now, sir, what have you to say for yourself?” While yes, we know Holmes has a great heart, as well as a great brain, here, it is on full display. He's openly scared of thought of losing Watson, and has lost his composure in front of a criminal, all of his walls gone. But that doesn't matter, really, in the context of Sherlock Holmes, does it? Here, we discover just what it means to be, what many consider to be the Greatest Fictional Detective: A clever, cunning man that can bring truth and justice to those who desperately need it, who many think is a cold, unflinching reasoner, but is also at the same time, one of the kindest souls in Victorian England: loyal, faithful, and oh so utterly human to those who need it, and unshakeably: someone with a great heart. This is Holmes's zenith. And arguably, the zenith of all Holmes stories. It is a lesson in kindness, love, and character development, in breathtaking degrees.

So. To all of you that create 3GAR stories, that know, love, and make fics and fanart of this story, and subsequently, probably the entirety of the Johnlock shipping base, this is for you. This is a story of love. And I hope you love The Three Garridebs, too.

[toastsrambles]

One of the Best Sherlock Holmes Adaptations No One Seems to Know

I know that I’ve been mostly (read: only) doing Moriarty the Patriot metas, but I wanted to talk about something different.

I’ve been obsessed with Sherlock Holmes for… a while. Seriously, everyone I talk to is sick of this Victorian detective by now. I’ve also encountered my fair share of adaptations (shoutout to A Study in Emerald, a short story by Neil Gaiman and 221B, a poem by Vincent Starrett, for being some more of my favorite adaptations). But I’ve seen no one - no one - actually talk about my favorite - and in my opinion, one of the best - Sherlock Holmes adaptations.

Sherlock: the Musical (2022)

With a book by Stefan van de Graaff and Denning Burton, and Music and Lyrics by Denning Burton. It’s currently touring, with the full musical available, professionally filmed, on YouTube. The official cast recording is available on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and more.

I could geek out about this musical for literal hours, so some of my favorite highlights will be under the cut. Spoilers ahead, so if you really want to go in blind, listen/watch first.

Now, important to note that this is not an adaptation of BBC Sherlock, like the name might imply. This is an adaptation of the original stories by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Firstly, the opening song, Streets of London.

This song gives you the perfect insight into all the major characters (sans Moriarty).

Sherlock Holmes, the famous consulting detective, is completely confident in his abilities. No criminals can escape: “not when you're messing with Sherlock and John/you just lose your freedom”.

John Watson is Holmes’ loyal companion, his Boswell. Whereas Holmes sets them up as partners, John sees things a bit differently: “right by his side is my spot/and I’m just fine writing lines of what he did”.

Lestrade is impressed by “this Baker Street detective”, while fellow Scotland Yard officer Alice is a bit more judgemental and skeptical: “he doesn’t have any friends”.

We also get this lovely chorus (00:54):

”Streets of London hide

Nothing from Sherlock’s eyes

This darkening plot

Is not what you thought, so

Are you watching close enough?

Blink you’ll miss this mystery unwind

He won’t be undone

Sherlock Holmes, always one step ahead of them

There’s only one you can’t outrun in London”

This song establishes the two main conflicts of the musical: the public perception of Sherlock Holmes and Watson’s relationship to Holmes.

Now, Holmes and Watson have a duet, Elementary, where their chorus reads:

“It’s elementary

Without a doubt, we’re the greatest duo sround

Elementary

The higher we go, the further they fall down

It’s just like gravity

How do we do the things we do?

It’s a natural phenomenon

That the best things come in two

It’s elementary”

And yet, Watson still says in the bridge: “behind every legend stand dynamic friends”. He’s behind the legend, in that he’s responsible for Holmes’ fame, but he’s also behind the legend; he’s just… not as important as Sherlock Holmes.

And, in case you didn’t notice: in Streets of London, the ensembles sings Holmes’ praises. Not Watson’s. The only person who notices Watson’s contributions is Holmes. Not even Moriarty does, not all the way.

Moriarty first becomes known when he plants a bomb that even Sherlock wasn’t able find- it was Watson who found it. However, the bomb never went off. Still, the story somehow makes it to the paper that Sherlock stopped the bomb.

The song Read All About It is something of a reprise of Streets of London, both in music and theme. It drills in the fact that Sherlock works alone, that it’s him and him alone who can save London. The way the public is whipped into a fervor of idealism is almost similar to Moriarty the Patriot, actually.

However, while the public places their faith in Holmes, he worries:

“Terror in London Nowhere to hide, fear in the streets, people are running Running to me How could I not see it coming? How do I not know what’s coming?”

See, the climax of this musical is the song One Step Ahead. Moriarty has lured both Holmes and Watson to Reichenbach Falls under the assumption that the other is in danger. Moriarty then holds Watson at gun point and tells Holmes that if he doesn’t jump, he’ll shoot Watson. In the end, Holmes agrees, and the song ends with this exchange:

“Holmes: I have to save John

So this is how it ends

Not enough time

Maybe death will be a friend

Moriarty: You? You don’t have any friends-

Watson: This time I’m one step ahead of you!”

Watson then tackles Moriarty off the cliff before Holmes can jump, leaving Holmes alone on the cliff.

The next song, Love Someone, is just- it’s so good. It can be read as both platonic or romantic, but the underlying fact is that Watson has shown Sherlock how important loving someone is, and how important it is to hold the ones you love close because “time is yours before it slips away”.

And, some more of my favorite lyrics from this song:

“It was love that took all my fear away If that love could be here and here to stay How would things change?”

“Love someone Love can hold the world until healing comes The greatest conclusion yet, when all is said and done”

“If you’ve prayed for a moment, pled to take their place And yet how quiet it felt, when you imagined their face Pure love, unchanged, a peace that carries your pain Time is yours, before it slips away”

And of course, the last line: “things have changed now”. The acknowledgement that Holmes is fundamentally different without Watson, and maybe can’t even be Holmes without Watson. It’s so incredibly touching.

Of course, though, Watson isn’t truly gone. We learn shortly after his funeral that he managed to survive by holding onto a ledge he spotted when making his way up the cliff in the first place.

This is where we truly learn how much everyone underestimated Watson. See, while Moriarty was the only one to see Watson’s importance to Sherlock, Holmes was the only one to see Watson’s true value. Watson is smart and competent; when Moriarty planted a bomb, he was the one who jumped on top of it with no hesitation (a la Captain America).

We wrap up with Streets of London (Reprise), where Holmes and Watson accept a new case and return to 221B.

Honorable mentions of stuff I ADORE about this musical:

Watson’s song Into the Shadow. Not only are the vocals superb, this song perfectly encapsulates how Watson has faded into Holmes’ shadow in the public eye. But his solemn acceptance of this - “if it saves your life/and they forget mine/then I don’t mind/stepping back into the shadows” - just makes it heartbreaking.

The fact that every single musical number is just awesome. A Different Story, where Holmes, Watson, Lestrade, and Alice interrogate a suspect? A Most Unusual Case, where we see the people who come to Holmes for help? The Greatest Mind, where Holmes and Moriarty first face off? ALL OF THEM are great, including the ones I didn’t just list. The lyrics, instrumentation, and vocals just blow me away.

The references to other cases! For just two examples: in A Most Unusual Case, the blue diamond in a coat sleeve is a reference to The Blue Carbuncle; and in Streets of London (Reprise), the recently engaged typist with a mysteriously vanished fiancée is A Case of Identity.

Also, Watson making deductions in Streets of London (Reprise) is just great :D

The way Watson supposedly dies at Reichenbach, and the subconscious message that it doesn’t matter that it was Watson who died instead of Holmes; either way, Holmes and Watson are dead. The death of one is the death of the other.

The way minor characters like Mrs. Hudson and Mycroft are portrayed is amazing. Seriously, I love the characterization here.

Just… I love this musical so much. It just feels like a love letter to Sherlock Holmes, and the passion behind it is astounding.

So, yeah. If you like Sherlock Holmes, give this a watch/listen. (Please, I really need to know that more people are aware of this masterpiece).

[kajaono]

BBC Sherlock taking John and Sherlock’s relationship for granted creates a rift in the narrative

I have already pointed out in previous post how disappointed I was that John and Sherlock relationship never developed, in a way it should and would have been justified by the narrative

In this point I want to look at how their relationship started and how this was already created the first problems. This review contains multiple spoilers for other Sherlock Holmes shows.

When John and Sherock meet for the fisrt time in ASIP they immediatley start working together.

No hesitation. They both went full in, from minute one onwards. This is a nice way of showing how well John and Sherlock work together, and that they think alike. But on the other hand it feels like Mofftiss took the relationship for granted and said: "These are John and Sherlock. Of course they work perfectly which each other. We do not have to talk about that."

But imo that was TOO fast. There is no conflict. They never have time to discuss where they stand in this relationship. And because Mofftiss pretend, that they work perfectly together, from minute one onwards - even though they just met - it is hard to further develop their relationship from here on. Because it is already perfect. You would need something really big to happen for them to redefine their roles in this relationship. We kind of had that in season 4, but we knew how messy that went. And there was never a TALK after that. Thats also a main problem in this show. John and Sherlock never really talk. It is John who often sits down and talks and Sherlock is not listening. Of course the relationship is developing, but the show never uses its whole potential.

So what would have been a better way of handling their first meeting? A first meeting that allows them to naturelly grow into the relationship... and further develop their relationship?

Elementary

Yeah I am gonna drag Elementary into this again. BBC Sherlock and Elementray share a really similar set up. They meet each other for the first time, and immeditaly move in and start solving cases together. But Elemenetary gives John and Sherlock time to grow into the relastionship.

This moment defines the Joanlock relationship imo. It shows that Joan is ready to confront Sherlock and call out his bullshit, that Sherlock listens and is effected by what Joan thinks and says, that Sherlock still has a lot of work to do. AND - most importantly - that a Johnlock relationship takes effort and is nothing that you can take for granted.

And this show was on air for 7 seasons, with 22 episodes each. Nevertheless the relationship was developing the whole time. In future seasons they are recalling their first meeting, honoring how much they have grown.

Resulting in:

gif by: @marlahey

This is something we never got in BBC Sherlock. We never saw them honoring the growth they made, recalling their first meeting, and having a satisifying conculsion, aka: "I love you" (in what way doesn't matter btw. The Joanlock moment wasn't romantic either).

Of course you could agrue now: "But Elementary did had the time for stuff like that, BBC Sherlock only had 4 seasons, with 3 episodes each."

So let us look at The Irregulars next:

This show starts as a usual crime detective show... with a supernatural twist. But slowly you learn that the core point of the show is the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.

The show is set years after Holmes and Watsons first meeting. Actually when we first meet John his relationship with Sherlock is over already, broken and ruined. Later we - the viewer - get multiple flashback scene, showing us how they first met, how their relationship developed, and why they are not talking with each other anymore, resulting in this glorious moment:

But the show doesn't stop there, it even goes further and shows us how John and Sherlock slowly get closer to each other again. Sitting in the dark, discussing their relationship, the mistakes they made and most important: apologizing.

Still angry at Netflix for cancelling the show.

Of Course we also have other approaches. RDJ Sherlock.

Like BBC Sherlock it leans much more into Crime aspect of the story. But the story still centers around Holmes and Watsons relationship. When we first meet them they have been together long, probably for years. They are already settled in their relationship. They both know their roles in this relationship and they both feel comfortable with it. They behave like an old married couple. And when they fight, it is never serious. The first real problems erupt when Watson decides to marry. And thats the whole core problem of the first movie: Watson moving out of 221B to marry a woman and how Holmes deals with that. He develops from more or less boycotting the marriage to accepting it and gifting Mary and Watson a ring.

The second movie is him trying to accept that his love of his life best friend is married now and trying to solve cases on his own, without Watson. Eventually sacrificing his own life to safe Watson AND Mary. So even though the movies are crime movies, the Johnlock relationship is still the heart of the story.

If the movies wouldn't focus on the Johnlock relationship, the story would be a different one.

Many Johnlock moments in the movies are non-verbal, so excuse the extensive use of gifs here. But there is so much happening on a non-verbal level!

For example the wedding, which is a huge Johnlock moment. John being super nervous before his wedding and you see that Holmes is not happy either, but he still nods, letting Watson know that it is okay and that Watson is making the right decision.

But nevertheless he has to look away when Mary and Watson kiss. The message is clear here. He isn't happy, he is sad because he is loosing the most important person in his life.

Then we have moments like this, (see below) where - during a moment of danger - they cling to each other, making sure the other one is safe. Not being afraid of physical contact. This is something I was also missing in BBC sherlock btw. Physical they always made sure to stay away from each other. When they hugged it was like... a big thing. Which - set in modern times - felt a little bit off. Because in contrast to Miss Sherlock (see below) Holmes was never shown to be actively against physical contact. I wish the production team would have allowed more friendly touches. I mean... ACD Johnlock walks around arm-in-arm and John gets nervous everytime Holmes comes close, because "poeple might talk." Nah...

I think A game of shadows, peaked when Watson and Holmes danced. Because it shows that they have a deep connection. They came from a place where they acted like an old married couple, then being all nervous because of the Watson/Marry wedding, having to re-identify their relationship towards each other, to this finale dance, where - symbolically- they are a couple again. Everything came full circle. It is like: No matter what happens around Watson and Holmes, they will always find their way back to each other. They will always be the center of the story. It will always be them against the rest of the world, no matter what. No excuses.

But acually, the adaptation most close to BBC Sherlock is Miss Sherlock. I mean... it was basically a female japanese copy of BBC Sherlock.

But still... it improved a lot of things. When Sherlock and Wato (Watson) first meet they really can not stand each other. This Sherlock is also rude, but it is really clear that she is on the autism spectrum. She gets overhelmed by too much light and by loud noises. She is really against phyisal contact.

And the most beautiful thing about this adaptation: It knows that in the end Watson will always be Sherlocks weakness. It will not say: "Don't try to drown in the well. Good luck. I am off hugging my sister." (season 4 shade). In Miss Sherlock the finale conflict is: Watson being manipulated to work against Sherlock. Showing, that in the end, it all boils down to their relationship again. And this adaptation wrote a scene that is just.. chef kiss!

When Wato is around, Sherlock is all grumpy towards her. But during the finale Wato is kidnapped. And the show gives us a short look into one of Sherlocks most private moments. The moment she realizes that Wato is kidnapped. A moment where Sherlock is completly alone. And we see a honest and extremly vunerable moment. This one:

Sherlock screaming Watos name in agony. Knowing that she NEEDS Wato. And then she goes and risks everything to save Wato. EVERYTHING!

Her reputation and her life. She is even ready to be killed by Wato.

TL.DR:

So what am I trying to say? That BBC Johnlock has no relationship development? That there isn't any trust between them? Nope, course not.

We see John and Sherlock growing into the relationship, we see Sherlock getting softer because of John, we see John healing because of Sherlock and on the other hand we see Sherlock opening up, telling Watson whats really on his mind. Trying to be a better human, being more social. But imo that should have been the plot of idk... the first season, maybe the second one. Because thats just the beginning. A Johnlock relationship is so mch deeper, holds so much more story potential. Yeah, John and Sherlock belong to ecah other and are good for each other. We know that! Is Sherlock ready to confess his (plantonic) love for Watson by the end of the show? Is Watson so jealous of Sherlocks love interest that he opens a rift in the universe? Is Sherlock having a break down, screaming out Watsons name in agony? I don't want to see John being replaced by a balloon in season 4 (!) and it is played for a joke. Their relationship should be so so so much deeper at that point. For me BBC Sherlock felt like, they stop mid-relationship-development. It feels like Mofftiss said: "John and Sherlock work well with each other and are best friend. What else is there to say?" SO! MUCH! MORE!

They had all this potential, and went nowhere with it. And i don't necessarily mean romantically btw. Eveen Hilson drove into the sunset together eventually...

[leosficlist]

Post Series 2 Rec List

Compiled for you here is a collection of BBC Johnlock stories that diverge from canon after the Reichenbach Falls, and Sherlock's time away. A few include Johnlock pre-TRF, but most focus on their relationship developing after Sherlock's return.

Phantom Vibrations by camerasparring 2.3k words

John knows exactly how Sherlock functions. Sherlock constantly needs to know where John is.

notes: fluffy, follows John recounting all the times Sherlock has disappeared on him until he returns for good

Always by addicted2hugh locked 6k words

A study in Sherlock, or: The years it took John Watson to fall in love

notes: their relationship pre and post reichenbach

The Zebra Sheets by agirlsname @agrlsname 13.7k words

Sherlock is back from the dead and he's exhausted. So is John. They go on a holiday to a faraway cottage and unexpected truths are revealed.

notes: loved the pacing, felt so dreamy and sensual, they just adore each other so much

Hesitance. by Ireallydontcare443 3k words

Sherlock begins to notice certain parts of his behaviour have changed... drastically, and eventually so does John.

notes: Sherlock has ptsd after returning from the fall, and John fumbles while trying to help him the best he can.

Practising by liriodendron 5.7k

"Sherlock Holmes’ return to 221B Baker Street had gone, initially, exactly as he had expected. Upon discovering him sprawled nonchalantly in the sitting room when returning from a shift at the surgery, John had punched him in the jaw. Twice. That had, of course, been a near inevitability and any other reaction would have been cause for worry."

notes: John is lovely, Sherlock goes a bit stir crazy with how much he loves John, John flirting and teasing Sherlock

as we are defined by the_arc5 4.8k words

People assume things about them, but nobody really gets it. Nobody really understands what they are. Of course, John isn't quite sure he understands, either.

notes: John thinking he is worth nothing to Sherlock and pining for him before the fall, getting together after Sherlock's return

Pulse by FinAmour 3.5k words

“I can’t believe you left me this way,” he says to me with an expression of immeasurable sadness. “And there are countless things I need to know.”

Heaving a sigh, he tightens his grip around my wrists. “But not now. All I need to know now, Sherlock, is that you're real.”

He stands there silently, eyes closed, feeling the beat of my heart at his fingertips, and he doesn’t let go for a very long time.

Sweet Thing by peevee 2.4k

In the living room, jars covered every surface.

Clusters of them - every shade from the palest gold to treacly black - on the floor and on the tables, piled on the mantelpiece and on the chairs.

notes: Sherlock nudging himself back into John's life after the fall, no Mary, kissing covered in honey

Survival Instinct by shirleyholmes 7.1k words

Prompt: After Sherlock's "comeback" John starts obsessing with constantly making sure he's alive (checking his heartbeat etc.)

“Don’t. Just- come in. It’s cold and—you look like you came—“

“Back from the dead?” Sherlock suggested.

notes: checking pulse, John coping with Sherlocks return, nightmares, overall fluff

Victory Shag by  loveanddeathandartandtaxes for scullyseviltwin 3.5k

It becomes habit. Solve a stressful case; have sex.

notes: fwb to lovers

Things We Swore We'd Never Do by liriodendron 2.7k words

After hunting down the last of Moriarty's network, Sherlock finally returns home to John. John's response surprises them both. Not entirely devoid of emotional content, but pretty much PWP.

' “Okay…” said John slowly, straightening his shirt. “That was…um…unexpected.” He cleared his throat. “Maybe we should…talk…?”

“Talk. Yes. Definitely,” Sherlock agreed absently, eyes fixed on John like a hawk’s, watching his every movement.

“Good, yes, quite… we should…sit and…talk…”

And then they collided again, as if drawn by an elemental force.'

The Mission to Flirt by MutedSilence 9k words

Turns out John has been staring at Sherlock like a love sick teen. Greg decides that John just needs to flirt. So, he does. Sort of. He certainly tried to at least.

notes: lighthearted, found from searching ‘fluff’ & ‘first kiss’, John figuring out how to flirt with Sherlock

All This Time by stopthat 3.6k words

It’s something we struggle with, still, after all this time.

“We share a life,” John says, eyes searching. “Have you ever wanted anything more from me?”

notes: first ch is Sherlock's pov, second ch is John's pov, stumbling love confessions and first kiss.

Quickly Run Away by stopthat 5.3k words

A few weeks after Sherlock's return, he drags John to his childhood home in Yorkshire. There's just something about the place. It says a lot about how Sherlock views their relationship, he supposes, that he’s brought him here—or it would, if it were anyone else.

Lush by stopthat 3.6k words

They stare at each other for entirely too long, suddenly unwilling to break their shared gaze.  John looks, as he often does, like he has something to say.  But then the barman flips on the overhead bulbs, dousing the pub in horrible fluorescent light, and with a small sigh he stands, a bit wobbly on his feet, and hauls Sherlock up with him.