Notes for later
Just some notes on Elementary's Ep 3, in advance of the episode's tv airing.
Without having seen it twice, I can't really remember/give details, these are just notes on some bits, and my overall feelings.
First of all - what an amazing episode. Craig Sweeny did a masterful job.
There were some really lovely notes - I adored how, when Joan took it upon herself to read up on and practice pickpocketing, and then pulled it off flawlessly, Sherlock was so surprised and impressed, he went to touch her somehow - and couldn't quite bring himself to - it was so adorably awkward. It was like he wanted to pat her on the shoulder, or shake her hand, or pull her into a hug - all at once - and couldn't even quite make contact. He was totally discombobulated, and it was uh-may-zing.
The other wonderful note (where the whole audience gasped and squeed) was when Joan went up to bed, and began writing on her computer - something like 'The Casebook Histories of Sherlock Holmes......' (I don't think I have that line right - without seeing it twice, it's hard to remember, I was so overcome by the feels.) It's incredible - they *are* going to make Joan Sherlock's biographer. Because, as she said - "I'm not the only one who should know you." (That was gorgeous, btw.)
And all of that, coming *right* in the moment when Sherlock is so jacked over, he literally doesn't know which end is up, where to be, WHO to be.....because of the letter in his hand. He's so shellshocked that he can't even express his distress, and therefore Joan doesn't quite pick up on it like she should. (She's also been slightly distracted by her date and good-night-kiss - which only makes it worse for Sherlock, and makes him less inclined to reveal his distress. Which of course Joan doesn't know or realize .....oh, oh, oh, this is a clusterfuck of epic proportions, and it's going to be SO painful and devastating, and full of misunderstandings and missed opportunities for.....everything.) Joan *knows* him, and wants to know him more....as he does her.....but she's inadvertently pulling 'away' with her dating forays, and has no idea of the impact this will have on him. Not just because he may have been starting to fall for her, so romantically, it has an impact, but it also means that she is beginning to have more of a life outside their cozy little nest - and I believe it will make Sherlock not want to bother her with his own troubles, make him want to hide them from her, when he was perhaps on the verge of opening up even more, with only the slightest prodding/encouragement from Joan. (I think he wanted her to prod him, like with the sobriety chips, etc. He pokes, she pries, and they both get relief.)
And Sherlock. Oh god, Sherlock. I just wanted to wrap him up and hold him at the end. He was only just starting to scab over from Moriene (not that there wasn't still a roiling infection underneath), but now the letter from (wait for it) Jamie Moriarty has blown it wide fucking open again.
And I sort of called this earlier - I can't remember if I said it here, or somewhere else. But I said that....there was clearly something about 'Irene' that Sherlock was attracted to - deeply attracted to. Enough to miss any signs that she was lying to him in the cruelest fashion. She was right when she told him that if they weren't committed to being enemies, they'd be friends....just like he fascinates her, she fascinates him - and repels him - all in the same breath.....which is fascinating in and of itself. She has a mind equal to his own, and that's rare in his world. And she pursues him. And he is so vulnerable to her, that he is not going to be able to resist.
It totally makes sense that she is still attractive to him, even if he doesn't want her to be, wishes she wasn't. She is. And it is what it is.
As Stephen Fry said - ""You don’t sit down and write a wish list about the person you are going to fall violently in love with. It just doesn’t work like that." It's true, and I think it's going to be true for Sherlock.
And Joan is going to miss the signs because her attention has been turned elsewhere, and Sherlock is going to hide any signs he can (both because he doesn't want her to know/pry, and because he won't want to 'bother' her when she's building her own life that doesn't include him), and oh, oh, oh.......this is gonna hurt.
Joan doesn't even realize how her lack of receptiveness to Sherlock's awkward 'advances' and attempts to keep the two of them tightly ensconced as a team, as partners, as....everything - will work against what they've created together, and will leave Sherlock open to the incredible damage headed his way. :-( She thought they were safe enough that she could branch out a little bit....she didn't know how that would leave Sherlock so exposed and vulnerable. An accident of timing.
And Sherlock is an addict. That means that he is mentally wired for self-destruction - wired to go back and repeat experiences that destroy him. His emotional self-esteem has been shattered, no matter how he presents himself to the world. He's a victim of abuse - and (oh god) like he stated in the THIRD EPISODE - "Victims of horrific abuse are often protective of their abusers. It doesn't mean we should send them back for seconds."
He's going to go back for seconds. Because he's too damaged to stop himself, and Joan won't notice in time to stop him for him. He may even be secretly hoping for/depending on her to 'save' him again - but he'll conceal the signs that would have tipped her off.
Jeez....I could ramble about this forever. Perhaps I'll stop here and wait until I can see the episode again, and then I'm sure I'll have a ton more to add.
I fucking love this show. It fucks with my heart, while still cradling it so, so gently.
Without having seen it twice, I can't really remember/give details, these are just notes on some bits, and my overall feelings.
First of all - what an amazing episode. Craig Sweeny did a masterful job.
There were some really lovely notes - I adored how, when Joan took it upon herself to read up on and practice pickpocketing, and then pulled it off flawlessly, Sherlock was so surprised and impressed, he went to touch her somehow - and couldn't quite bring himself to - it was so adorably awkward. It was like he wanted to pat her on the shoulder, or shake her hand, or pull her into a hug - all at once - and couldn't even quite make contact. He was totally discombobulated, and it was uh-may-zing.
The other wonderful note (where the whole audience gasped and squeed) was when Joan went up to bed, and began writing on her computer - something like 'The Casebook Histories of Sherlock Holmes......' (I don't think I have that line right - without seeing it twice, it's hard to remember, I was so overcome by the feels.) It's incredible - they *are* going to make Joan Sherlock's biographer. Because, as she said - "I'm not the only one who should know you." (That was gorgeous, btw.)
And all of that, coming *right* in the moment when Sherlock is so jacked over, he literally doesn't know which end is up, where to be, WHO to be.....because of the letter in his hand. He's so shellshocked that he can't even express his distress, and therefore Joan doesn't quite pick up on it like she should. (She's also been slightly distracted by her date and good-night-kiss - which only makes it worse for Sherlock, and makes him less inclined to reveal his distress. Which of course Joan doesn't know or realize .....oh, oh, oh, this is a clusterfuck of epic proportions, and it's going to be SO painful and devastating, and full of misunderstandings and missed opportunities for.....everything.) Joan *knows* him, and wants to know him more....as he does her.....but she's inadvertently pulling 'away' with her dating forays, and has no idea of the impact this will have on him. Not just because he may have been starting to fall for her, so romantically, it has an impact, but it also means that she is beginning to have more of a life outside their cozy little nest - and I believe it will make Sherlock not want to bother her with his own troubles, make him want to hide them from her, when he was perhaps on the verge of opening up even more, with only the slightest prodding/encouragement from Joan. (I think he wanted her to prod him, like with the sobriety chips, etc. He pokes, she pries, and they both get relief.)
And Sherlock. Oh god, Sherlock. I just wanted to wrap him up and hold him at the end. He was only just starting to scab over from Moriene (not that there wasn't still a roiling infection underneath), but now the letter from (wait for it) Jamie Moriarty has blown it wide fucking open again.
And I sort of called this earlier - I can't remember if I said it here, or somewhere else. But I said that....there was clearly something about 'Irene' that Sherlock was attracted to - deeply attracted to. Enough to miss any signs that she was lying to him in the cruelest fashion. She was right when she told him that if they weren't committed to being enemies, they'd be friends....just like he fascinates her, she fascinates him - and repels him - all in the same breath.....which is fascinating in and of itself. She has a mind equal to his own, and that's rare in his world. And she pursues him. And he is so vulnerable to her, that he is not going to be able to resist.
It totally makes sense that she is still attractive to him, even if he doesn't want her to be, wishes she wasn't. She is. And it is what it is.
As Stephen Fry said - ""You don’t sit down and write a wish list about the person you are going to fall violently in love with. It just doesn’t work like that." It's true, and I think it's going to be true for Sherlock.
And Joan is going to miss the signs because her attention has been turned elsewhere, and Sherlock is going to hide any signs he can (both because he doesn't want her to know/pry, and because he won't want to 'bother' her when she's building her own life that doesn't include him), and oh, oh, oh.......this is gonna hurt.
Joan doesn't even realize how her lack of receptiveness to Sherlock's awkward 'advances' and attempts to keep the two of them tightly ensconced as a team, as partners, as....everything - will work against what they've created together, and will leave Sherlock open to the incredible damage headed his way. :-( She thought they were safe enough that she could branch out a little bit....she didn't know how that would leave Sherlock so exposed and vulnerable. An accident of timing.
And Sherlock is an addict. That means that he is mentally wired for self-destruction - wired to go back and repeat experiences that destroy him. His emotional self-esteem has been shattered, no matter how he presents himself to the world. He's a victim of abuse - and (oh god) like he stated in the THIRD EPISODE - "Victims of horrific abuse are often protective of their abusers. It doesn't mean we should send them back for seconds."
He's going to go back for seconds. Because he's too damaged to stop himself, and Joan won't notice in time to stop him for him. He may even be secretly hoping for/depending on her to 'save' him again - but he'll conceal the signs that would have tipped her off.
Jeez....I could ramble about this forever. Perhaps I'll stop here and wait until I can see the episode again, and then I'm sure I'll have a ton more to add.
I fucking love this show. It fucks with my heart, while still cradling it so, so gently.