Sherlock Series 3 (so far)
God, I haven't posted in ages. Damn you tumblr. But tumblr isn't a journal and that's what LJ still does best... I've just seen "The Sign of Three" twice and I'm somewhat emotional. God, I hate it when I fall so deep into fandom that I actually get emotional over the episodes (and not the fanfiction or the fanfics, those usually make me emotional). There are many crying now that Sherlock isn't Sherlock anymore. That it's turned into a soap opera. Where are the witty cases? The chases? The adventure? I don't even really care about those. I watch Sherlock because of the characters. And you can say what you want but this series packs the character development in like it no one's business.
It was interesting to see how shocked Sherlock was in The Empty Hearse that John had actually griefed for him. How could that be surprise? But "The Sign of Three" shows us that he never realised his status in John's world. Having John say that he loved him and that he was John's best friend... it literarily froze him. He couldn't compute how he could be anyone's best friend, let alone John's. It's always about John putting Sherlock on a pedestal, but it's actually the same the other way round.
Someone described "The Sign of Three" as a love letter to John Watson. Yes, it most definitely is. But it's a love letter written by Sherlock Holmes. Someone else said, that when everyone starts crying it's because they all realised that Sherlock loves John. Everyone but Sherlock, probably. I was crying... a bit. I didn't see it that way, but actually that makes a lot of sense. Sherlock showed his cards here and it seems he didn't even realise it.
We finally got the hug. Thanks to Mary who did not stop John as he requested. They were a lot more touchy feely in that ep (mostly while both were drunk) but there's never been a hug (at least not on screen).
I also kinda loved how John was much more open with how he felt about Sherlock. It must have come as a bit of a shock to him as well that Sherlock HAD NOT REALISED HE WAS HIS BEST FRIEND. How could the most observant man not notice. I think it's because Sherlock, even though he's not lacking in self-esteem usually, did not consider himself worthy of John's friendship. I'm not sure if that's a post "Empty Hearse" development. I actually thing it might be.
There's just so much going on in these two eps. And it's not just John and Sherlock. Molly, Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson and of course Mary all get their moments to shine and develop. Even Mycroft.
Many describe those eps as fanfiction. But really, what is Sherlock except fanfiction of the original Sherlock Holmes stories. And we had two years to come up with different scenarios including the reunion and the Mary/John wedding. Of course some of what we've seen on screen has crossed the collective fandom mind.
I should be happy for all the toys they've given us to play with. But I'm quite scared of the upcoming episode. We all know Mary dies in canon. And even if it would work with John, Mary and Sherlock, it won't work if they have a child. That's something that has been explored in fanfiction many times (often with Mary out of the picture), but I don't think people would accept it on TV. It would change the dynamic of the series even more than these past two eps. So what does that mean. I think Mary will die. Best case scenario she has a miscarriage and kills Magnussen for black-mailing her and ends up in prison. Whatever happens, John's heart will be broken. And the way Sherlock tried to do everything to have John happy, even if that was detrimental to himself, then this will break Sherlock's heart as well.
We'll cry, oh we'll cry.
And we won't be able to just move on to the next fanfiction. Because this one will be canon in the Sherlock 'verse.