Up For Discussion...

[laurtew.livejournal.com]

Hey, everyone. Hope your week has been going well.

Our discussion from last week (well, okay, Monday really, but...) went very well. I had a great time and I adore seeing everyone else's point of view.

So, today we have a new topic. The most brilliant Scandalbaby sent me this:


The Link: http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/140592/Benedict-Cumberbatch-On-Sherlocks-Devastatingly-Cruel-Love-Life


Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock’s “Devastatingly Cruel” Love Life

The series three conclusion of Sherlock was full of surprises, with fans of the reclusive super sleuth, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, even treated to a bit of romance.
His Last Vow aired in the UK last month, and aside from the return of Moriarty and the secret identity of Mrs John Watson, viewers also saw Sherlock proposing to pretty bridesmaid from episode two, Janine.

Just when we thought the confirmed bachelor had gone and got himself a girl it turned out it was all a ruse to get close to new super villain Magnussen.
In a behind the scenes interview with Benedict and show creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss on the soon to be released DVD of the series, the trio explain the the decision to have Sherlock break a woman's heart.

"In the original story, he does become engaged to Milverton's maid," MTV News report Gatiss as explaining on the DVD. "Heartlessly, which is what Steven has extrapolated into this thing."

Gatiss and Moffat go on to laugh about how Watson's (Martin Freeman) reaction to Sherlock was spot on: "But you're behaving like a human being here!" Gatiss says, laughing.

"You think it's nice, he's become humanised," Moffat continues. "He knows how to do all that, but he exploits it to terrible ends."

"It's devastatingly cruel, what he does," Cumberbatch chimes in. "He inveigles his way back into her life and impresses her, and turns his ability on to a single focus."

At a Q&A ahead of the last episode last month, Moffat explained that such scenes, along with glimpses of the detective's parents, were all about humanising the character:

"The frightening thing about Sherlock Holmes is that he has all the impulses that other human beings have, he just suppresses them in order to be a better detective and it's in those moments that he doesn't successfully suppress it that he gets into trouble.

"He believes that emotion gets in the way of his brilliant brain. On the evidence of the show so far and on the original stories, he's completely right. When he gets emotional, he gets blinded, he doesn't stop Mary as a fraud like he should have had, as she points out in the episode, ages ago."

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What is your favourite part of this? Do you agree with what they say about Sherlock and emotions?

Comments

[k-for-kerfuffle.livejournal.com]

I have to admit to enjoying the S1/S2 more rational and less emotional Sherlock far more than his S3 presentation. I hope he'll come to terms with his emotional side soon, so that he hasn't to repress it all the time, but can somehow integrate this part of himself and return to being more about ratio with the emotions not being actually absent but taking a backseat. I don't enjoy emo-characters. Being ruled by emotions is nothing that I find in any way, shape or form admirable. Every animal has emotions. Those are not what divide us from the animal kingdom. It's our ability to think and be rational that does.

[laurtew.livejournal.com]

It does rather feel like he is struggling to put himself together, doesn't it? Going overboard in his emotions like he did in denying them? Is that a step in development? I feel like little children do that too, struggling to please people they care about before they get comfortable with how they feel and understand that people will like them or not, and jumping through hoops isn't required.

Do you think there will be a balance next season? It feels like the first couple seasons was John giving everything to Sherlock, only to get the iceman and then season three was Sherlock throwing himself into it for a John who just couldn't risk it anymore. (Though I think at the very end of HLV, John gets it. When Sherlock kills for him, then is ready to go off to die for him, I think he understands how far Sherlock has come.) (Do you think John knew Sherlock was going off to die? Some part of me thinks Mycroft would have made sure he knew. After all, John was the reason his brother was in this mess.)

Anyhow, I rather hope next season gives us a more equal relationship with them.

[k-for-kerfuffle.livejournal.com]

Yes to the 'going overboard' bit. I felt so uncomfortable watching him like that. Especially as I never doubted he *had' emotions in S1/2. I liked catching the tiny glimpses of them we could see.

And I sure *hope* things will be more balanced in S4, but no way to know for sure, right? To be perfectly honest, I rather enjoyed John being the adoring satellite and Sherlock keeping him enthralled, but at a distance. That's the way it should be for me. I pretty much feel he should be forever admired, adored, but unattainable.

As for John knowing Sherlock was going to his death, I don't think so. Otherwise he wouldn't have asked what would happen after the six months undercover job.