And people ask me why I like Sherlock.
[Somewhere, Will is pleased. And buying a scarf.]
If you drank tea that hot you might be hospitalised.
Sherlock and fangirling
“so-overt-its-covert asked you:Hello~ I noticed in that most recent ask that you used the ever-popular Not My Division response. I was curious, do you watch BBC Sherlock? And if so, how far into the series are you?”
I’ve seen the whole thing! Quite legally.I feel like my Sherlock fan bona fides are well established — I try to use this tumblr mostly to talk about my writing, but I do occasionally descend into fangirl mode (Game of Thrones, Sherlock Holmes the canon/the movies/the TV show, Lord of the Rings). In fact, here is my laptop:
That’s the White Tree of Gondor on the left, there. This leaves only a very small space for a third decal of geekery. I asked my husband what it should be.
Him: Maybe you can find a decal of my head.
Me: I doubt it. Maybe they make ones that say YOU WIN OR YOU DIE or a decal of Jamie Lannister’s head.
Him: Beaten by a fictional character again.
Sherlock
“jaimeedarling said: Wait… I don’t know why Watson’s blog is stuck at 1895… and now I am sad. :(“
Well, I could be wrong, but I assume it’s because of the famous Vincent Starrett poem about Watson and Holmes. It’s called 221B.
“221B
Here dwell together still two men of note
Who never lived and so can never die:
How very near they seem, yet how remote
That age before the world went all awry.
But still the game’s afoot for those with ears
Attuned to catch the distant view-halloo:
England is England yet, for all our fears–
Only those things the heart believes are true.
A yellow fog swirls past the window-pane
As night descends upon this fabled street:
A lonely hansom splashes through the rain,
The ghostly gas lamps fail at twenty feet.
Here, though the world explode, these two survive,
And it is always eighteen ninety-five.”
1895. Really I should have figured that out before.
Sherlock
lunnvic asked you:“What character do you prefer in BBC version of Sherlock Holmes? Watson or Holmes?”
Bahaha! You should never ask crazy people questions like that. So the other day I ordered Season Two of Sherlock from the UK, and it arrived and my friends and I were going to watch it, including my best friend who I’ve known for about twenty years, but she called to tell me she wasn’t going to make it because …
… She was going into labor.
Me: Whoa, hardcore.
Her: Yep. You can come by the hospital if you want.
Me: I need to watch Sherlock. And you’re having twins.
Her: Yep.
Me: That…could take a while. Good luck with your thing!
Anyway, I have since seen her and the twiglets, and aside from a brief argument about whether they should be named Sherlock and Mycroft (Holly: “I am SO behind this”) all is well, although she is still angry about not having seen season 2. I now have, and I have many feeling — mostly, great delight at having my heart ripped out and torn into ribbons and having those ribbons used to decorate a great big package of BEAUTIFUL HEARTBREAK which really outdoes the original Reichenbach story, although to be fair we are not the shmucks who had to wait ten years for a new Sherlock Holmes story in between that and Empty House.
Anyway to actually answer your question, I love John and Sherlock equally: the BBC has have done a wonderful job with John; I detest it when Watson is portrayed as an idiot or a buffoon, he certainly isn’t, he’s a doctor, and canonically Sherlock respects his opinion and medical expertise. And Sherlock is far more unhinged than his canon counterpart, but also more human. Lovely interpretations.
I shall end with a fanvid someone sent me a link to: it’s so pretty! And “Raintears”! Do not watch if you have not watched Season 2.
Oh, God. *seizes cat* I haven’t even seen this season of Sherlock but I can already tell that I will have to have a towel with me because a box of tissues will not suffice to deal with my rivers of tears.
[I am considering this not a spoiler because I’ve no idea what’s going on up there either, I just have my suspicions based on canon and I don’t like ‘em.]
[Mumford and Sons, though. I do love that song. White Blank Page.]
I'd just like to say that I got the best feeling when I read that you watch Sherlock. I always love hearing that the people I admire like the same things I like; it makes me feel that much more connected to them. I'd been wondering for quite a while if you did. Will and Jem's relationship reminds me so much of Sherlock and John, and it makes me so happy. Have you seen the second season of Sherlock yet? I think I cried for at least an hour after the finale episode.
I have not seen this season of Sherlock — it hasn’t shown in the US yet which leaves me the choice between piracy and waiting while cursing out the BBC, so cursing out the BBC it is. Although I’m going to England (researchy reasons) soon enough and I have friends there who’ve likely DVRed it so I might not have to wait that long.
That said, I have been somewhat spoiled, and I’ll just say that knowing the last episode was called The Reichenbach Fall, well, I know the canon well enough to know I wasn’t going to like what happened. Sounds like a bit of a cliffhanger too.
(Cliffhanger endings and making people wait for the next bit! EVIL! :)
I am flattered to hear Jem and Will’s relationship reminds you of Sherlock and John. I did list them as one of my top five bromances of all time.
“hannahcraft asked you:
” Hi Cassie!! You may be aware there is a LOT of Will/Jem fanfic out there. They seem to have a certain fascination for many. Did you create that subtext on purpose?? I do adore their dynamic. Possibly my favourite relationship between fictional characters EVER, romantic or no. XD. Not that I read said fanfic…”
I would not judge you for doing so; I imagine said fanfic would be entertaining. How much do I put subtext in on purpose … I don’t really, that’s sort of the nature of subtext. It exists under the text, between the words, so to speak. It’s what you read into a book. There’s a big school of thought that would say that what I read into my own work isn’t worth any more than what anyone else does, so even if I said “Will and Jem aren’t gay” it wouldn’t matter; an alternate reading would be just as valid.
Obviously Jem and Will are not based on the TV Sherlock characters (couldn’t have been since Clockwork Angel was out in ARC before Sherlock ever aired) — though I did borrow Jem’s violin-playing from Sherlock of the original canon. But I think they share some archetypal qualities that always fascinate — I hesitate to use the word “bromance” (as it’s a bit silly) — but the bond between two men who are straight yet who are obviously the most important emotional relationship in each other’s lives. You do see that in Sherlock — as Mark Gatiss says “John Watson is gradually making Sherlock Holmes more human, and Sherlock Holmes has given John Watson his mojo back.” It’s a bit of what I was talking about the other day with Clary and Jace, this couple that gives each other something they never knew they needed, though in this case the couple is platonic. Or not. It’s in how you read/watch it.
Certainly you could say Jem keeps Will human and Will gives Jem purpose, which is a not dissimilar dynamic. Of course the introduction of a girl who they both love makes for a mighty change in that dynamic, but does not, I think, have to weaken it. The idea that Jem and Tessa might be equally important to Will has always been part of my conception of Will’s character (and vice versa as regards Jem) which is why I’m always puzzled when people suggest that Will and Tessa go to Jem and tell him “the truth” (I won’t go into it more because … spoilers!) — I can’t think of anything that would wreck Tessa and Will’s relationship more thoroughly. But then, as observed above, mine is only one read on the situation. :)
