Deeper Still Redux: ‘The Lying Detective’ Clustermeta Update
Alrighty, so now that we are rapidly approaching The Lying Detective (the episode I have been looking forward to the most), I’ve decided I would “BRIEFLY” (HA!) update what I think is going to happen in the next episode now that we have one episode under our belt.
I’m going to be writing this meta assuming you have read Deeper Still and the tiny addition Pocketed Drugs. Please read those first, and then come back to this one.
I wrote Deeper Still on a whim one hot afternoon during setlock and it ended up being a 7 hour crack clustermeta based solely on what I was seeing on my dash for 2 weeks straight relating to S4E2.
I may have been a TEENY BIT buzzed when I wrote it.
This is the episode I have been looking most forward to, because I think it will be one of the most powerful episodes in canon. Already it’s looking to be dark and whumpy, and HOPEFULLY a bit of relationship building in there as well, since episode two of every season is the one that focuses on John and Sherlock’s changes in their relationship (and early keywords for this episode hinted at this one being a romance episode), and I just LOVE having my heart ripped out and stomped on several times and then put back into my chest.
ANYWAY, this is just a “small” addition to that meta, updating some of my original theories with new info plus adding on some new theories based on evidence presented in T6T. I’ll separate it similarly, so you can follow along on the old post if you need to reference back. First though, I’m going to address T6T.
PART 1: What the Heck is Going On in T6T?
See Also: Post-T6T: My Theories and Speculations || Things Bothering Me in T6T
Okay, so I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about this because other people have already taken this whole episode apart and analysed it to death – rather I will link to other meta that support my own readings, so I encourage you to check them out as well.
That said, why bring it up at all in a meta about TLD? Because I think that the “hidden plot” will actually be uncovered either at the beginning or end of TLD (the “surprise” mentioned in reviews), OR will be the opener in TFP, as there is an excellent speculation that TFP will be the “reliable narrator” or “author god” version of events. There is a reason that Ben has said that all three episodes must be watched before coming to a conclusion about them (here and here): I think that all three stories are all one long narrative that ALL tie together in a beautiful bow at the end of TFP while also resolving the major plot holes of the series (not ALL of them; they need some left for the fifth season). I think that the next two episodes will directly link back into T6T, ergo my discussion about T6T here.
Here is what I am believing happened in T6T:
The end of the episode, where Sherlock is talking to Ella, is actually the beginning of the episode. This entire episode is an “Unreliable Narrator” story told by Sherlock as he comes up with a way to provide a believable story for Mary’s death.
That said, I don’t think that this is “real Ella”. I believe that she is a mind-palace projection created by Sherlock as “Sherlock’s intuition” [SHERLOCK: Intuitions are not to be ignored, John. They represent data processed too fast for the conscious mind to comprehend. (x)], as Ella is someone who knows John and would be able to help understand John, while Sherlock’s MP self represents his “logic” and I think, in a way, his own heart. Bleh, I know it conflicts with the John = heart and Mycroft = logic totems of the MP characters, but I think in this case, I believe Sherlock thinks John is ‘too close’ to the situation, and he’s replacing Mycroft with himself because Big Brother can’t help him this time.
Also another idea: Sherlock represents his mind, and Ella represents his heart, ‘lo: Sherlock is allowing sentiment to rule his head, and let it guide him into doing what he intuits is right (again with the intuition)
The first scene of the episode, where they are doctoring the footage of Magnussen’s death, is foreshadowing the events of the episode, and proves that the entire episode is “doctored” to fit a narrative that is “okay for the public”.
Sherlock is telling a story that makes John sympathetic to Mary so that it takes all blame away from John and so he would have no reason to kill Mary. This is why Mary is disturbingly sweet to John, writes a letter like it was composed in Victorian era, and why Sherlock keeps reiterating that they were friends (so that her jumping in front of a bullet to save him was logical for her to do). I still think Mary is an unrepentant villain and that it will be proven by the end of TFP. Both upcoming episodes will feature snippets of info and show Mary as the psychopath she is.
The more lies you tell (only lies have detail), the harder it is to keep track of your story. I think this is why there are a lot of inconsistencies, like the disappearing police officers at the end, the details of John’s flat being wrong, and the suddenly appearing police officers when confronting Ajay.
Unreliable Narrator “Proof” Meta:
Billy the Skull Has Lenses On
Fragmented Perceptions and The Stream of Consciousness of an Unreliable Narrator
There are only four (or five) people who know what happened
The Physics of Mary jumping in front of Sherlock
The “Unreliable Narrator” Theory works in conjunction with “John’s Alibi” Theory. This is the belief that John actually killed Mary and Sherlock is creating a believable alibi to protect him, which was foreshadowed in ASiP.
I think the general fandom consensus is that John was oddly out of character in this episode.
Mark and Steven mentioned their headcanon for the ACD story The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton:
Moffat: If you read [The Adventure Of] Charles Augustus Milverton, Dr. Watson in the opening paragraph tells you that he’s about to tell you a porkie. He says, ‘I even now must be very reticent.’ I think what Doyle is hinting at is that Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson sat in Baker Street and said, ‘Right, we’re going to have to go and kill him, aren’t we? That’s the only way we can do this.’ So they break in, kill him, and then Dr. Watson writes up a version of the story that puts the murder [on someone else].
Gatiss: They’re hiding in their burglar masks behind the curtain, and this random woman comes and shoots Milverton in the face and then grinds her heel into his face. It’s odd, isn’t it? So I mean really, it’s just an extrapolation of saying, ‘Well, he probably did it, I think.’(x)
This leads us to speculate, given that this is a tail-end to HLV, that they are using this headcanon for Season 4 – that John was actually the perpetrator in Mary’s death.
Norbury agreed to take the fall for the murder and was paid a nice sum of money to just “disappear”.
I think Lestrade is in on the Alibi, just like he knew / suspected about John in the pilot being the shooter.
Some Alibi Theories that I have latched onto.
John’s Rejected Alibis - All the cases listed in the episode are alibis that Sherlock was running concurrent simulations for to find the alibi that would work for John. This is how they came up with the Jellyfish Alibi. Note that I do NOT believe the death of Mary was premeditation – the simulations, I believe, run AFTER the death of Mary – Sherlock is coming up with these ON HIS OWN, and chooses the jellyfish one because it is the one that takes away the most blame from John.
The jellyfish though - John shot Mary from behind, in the shadows, foreshadowed both in ASiP (only firing when Sherlock was in direct danger) and by the jellyfish joke: You can’t arrest a Jellyfish.
Surprise! - More about the Jellyfish Assassin, and further proof that it could have been John.
Mary is acting out ‘a post- Reichenbach’ Sherlock - Mary is the one who actually took the shot. Sherlock is giving Mary the words he wanted to always say.
People do not change how they respond in crisis – John’s uncharacteristic way of dealing with Mary’s gunshot. He let her die.
John Didn’t Go Into Action – Further discussion about John’s inability to help Mary.
Did John kill Mary? (Yes. Yes, he probably did.)
John is actually working for MI5/6 to capture Mary / Moriarty and to protect Sherlock.
And Bus Stop Lady is his contact. John WAS going to throw out the paper, but SOMETHING ON IT made him second guess.
But she’s also the same actress as in TLD, so this has me questioning if she is an agent or a twin.
But I also think that Sherlock and John have their own plan in the works, and Sherlock is the mystery texter.
Night Owl or Vampire? Confirming the Plan
John’s “cheating texts” ARE from Sherlock, but because they are part of Sherlock’s story
John & Sherlock’s Plan: A Brief Meta
AGRA is still one person. They are two aliases of Mary. I don’t doubt that Mary DID have a team of assassins that she betrayed. But I don’t think they were called AGRA.
The Six Thatchers busts are used as a ploy for Sherlock’s story, taking a story from John’s blog and changes details in it to fit his narrative.
I think John’s reaction to Ajay’s torture is both "relatable” and he is suddenly realizing what Sherlock had gone through in his time away.
“Amo” will be used to prompt the “I love you” seen in the trailer. I do not believe that the trailer “I love you is genuine, but a deduction, and the keyword “Amo” is the answer.
Something went wrong, and now Sherlock is in danger.
Rewatch the aquarium scene!!
John is angry at Sherlock for going into danger without him
OR John is going on the mission alone, either per Sherlock or Mycroft’s instructions
Mary dead or alive? Right now, I think she’s dead, since I subscribe to the Jellyfish alibi. I think I’m torn because I love the jellyfish theory, but I REALLY want Mary to go down in a blaze of glory. HOWEVER, Amanda is cast for all three episodes, though that could mean anything from a major role to a flashbacks role. There is proof for both theories, though more for her having faked her death:
Mary’s Death & The Last Act: A Brief Meta
Mary’s Death & Molly the Record Keeper: A Brief Meta
Mary is paralysing Mycroft
The Day, Mary Sent Sherlock to Hell
“Go To Hell, Sherlock” is both a clue and a threat. I’m wondering if this is where John goes while Sherlock takes care of business at home.
If she is dead, I think we will see her act out the missing chunks, such as what was really said in her miss me video AND what really happened at the aquarium.
Baby Watson – Possibly stillborn, though if she was, then why is Sherlock weaving her into his story? To make a softer narrative, perhaps. What has me thinking that she is no longer existent is the fact that the baby, as far as I know, was only cast for episode one. HOWEVER... given the nature of the kind of character that Smith is, I fear that he perhaps kills the baby.
The Letter – A coded message to Sherlock. Molly was the go between. Possibly reveals John’s plans with Mycroft? Sherlock read the letter in the car, so we can speculate that we will eventually find out what’s on it.
Bleh, I ain’t got no more. Don’t ask me to interconnect them into a story narrative. These are simply the theories I think are probable.
Either way, my big theory is the JOHN is the game master this season. He’s controlling the course of events, and Sherlock is doing what John has planned.
PART 2: Revisiting Deeper Still
Alright, here’s where I get into my updated theory on TLD. I’m just going to make this as brief as possible, following along with my original meta. Apologies for my free-thought meta, I’m too tired to edit it.
The Dying Detective: It Takes John Watson to Save a Life
I still believe that John Watson is the main character this episode. He will play a huge role in solving this episode’s case. However, I believe that we will see about 10 minutes of repeating events from T6T to see what really happened from John’s POV. Perhaps, if he has killed Mary, we will see that play out at the END of the episode (the shocking twist). Since we know John is away early in the episode, I think he was the one who “went to Hell” to track down Mary’s operatives and to keep up appearances of the estrangement between he and Sherlock. Honestly, I’m not really even sure where I’m going with this, just that I believe that John is on his own mission for Mycroft but may be double-bluffing and working with Sherlock without Myc’s knowledge.
We saw some MI6 filming, did we not for this episode? John and Sherlock were both seen at that setlock iirc, and I think that it has to do with John’s mission to save Sherlock.
I still think that Sherlock will be a damsel in distress for John, given how ill Sherlock actually looks. Perhaps this is why he returns at the request of Mycroft. Sherlock is becoming delusional and hallucinating, and John is the only doctor that Sherlock will allow to see him.
NEW STUFF from the trailer, we know that Sherlock shoots at something or someone and that John and Sherlock are in a morgue and John punches Sherlock.
Could Sherlock be shooting at John? What if this whole episode, as Sherlock gets more ill, he starts hallucinating John as Culverton and vice versa? Either way, it will be John who brings Sherlock out of it. I think and believe that Sherlock’s aimless wandering around London may tie into the Alibi Theory (there’s setlock photos of Sherlock throwing a gun into the river... is this John’s gun that was used to kill Mary?), discarding the gun in the Thames (calling back to the pilot) and trying to find John.
As for John in the morgue, I actually think it’s Sherlock hallucinating Culverton as John. There’s a reason they made them look similar this season.
There was filming for this episode at a children’s ward in the hospital. What if this is where Rosie dies? Also: I think that Culverton “runs” this hospital, and has done very unsavoury things here.
I really REALLY like Blind Theory, and I think it COULD explain Sherlock’s disorientation in the episode. Some of the hospital setlock supports the theory, plus there’s that REALLY trippy-but-beautiful looking clip of Sherlock in the trailer where his eyes are almost pinpricks. THAT ALL SAID, what if this is why John returns?
WILD SPECULATION: A “Virus in the Data”. Perhaps Sherlock knew subconsciously long ago something was wrong with him? An incubating virus? I previously speculated that Mary could have poisoned / drugged him in the hospital, and perhaps the chemical-laced paper is what activated it in T6T.
WILD SPECULATION: Sherlock has Melideliosis (highly contagious, so probably not. The meta I wrote was interesting, thought I would posit it here)
WILD SPECULATION: A callback to THoB with the drug Vancomycin Hydrochloride
Culverton is Connected to Every Season Somehow
A lot of my ongoing theories about Culverton still stand, mostly the ones listed below plus a few new additions:
We know that Culverton may possibly be based on Jimmy Savile and loosely modelled after Trump. We also know he is the most “disgusting villain they’ve ever had” (paraphrasing). With that info, I believe that Culverton has a public façade as a TV personality / philanthropist which is a front for his illicit drugging of patients, his support of conversion therapy (homophobia) and possible unspeakable acts against children.
Apparently “Business Killer” is like “Kitchen Nightmares”, so I don’t even know where to begin. I still think that Business Killer exposes the problems of businesses / business owners. Where CAM had info and used it for blackmail, I think Culverton just fucking does it – he just exposes the shit out of people and essentially kills a business. BUT they seem to be promoting him as a philanthropist, so what if on the surface he exposes bad businesses, and it looks good to the public? But he’s SO SO much worse in private.
While I do think the military theories I posited in my original post are off the plate, I do still think Culverton is interconnected with the Mary / CAM / Moriarty triangle, possibly a a Dear Jim, possibly still is developing his own “treatment” for his patients. I think he still has ties to Baskerville and the HOUND drug. CAM obviously had blackmail material on him, which got him into trouble in the past. And Mary was one of his nurses, which is how they met.
I think that Culverton’s nasty arse is part of a scandal at the hospital he runs.
I still think John knows of Culverton Smith and what he does. The person Sherlock is talking to in the trailer (the “this monster” line) will be either Lestrade or his brother, not John. THOUGH I am wondering if the “enlighten me” bit directly follows that, so perhaps John knows OF Smith but not the extent of his evil.
Mary is Why Sherlock is Infected in the First Place
Alive or dead, Mary wants Sherlock DEAD, but not before burning his heart. I think somehow Sherlock felt John was going to be hurt, and ended up being poisoned.
BLEH, Mary ‘dying’ really put a kink in my original theory, so most of it is void now. I don’t think any of it is really valid anymore.
Meh, I’ll just throw a theory out there so I can check it off if it does happen, though I know it won’t: Sherlock was already drugged, when Mary made him sniff the paper. What if that’s what started his illness? Long acting-agent, remains dormant? Or he’s suffering side-effects from that? OR, if she is alive, what if the paper that Sherlock is carrying around was laced with ricin?
I do still think, though, that Mary was the one who gave Sherlock drugs on the tarmac, and that they were probably laced with something if they gave him a gay Victorian fever dream.
The Lady in Red Conundrum
Alright, so I’m going to concede and say that all my previous guestimations on her have been debunked with the leak that the LiR is actually Faith Smith, Culverton’s daughter. Who also is played by the same actress who was ‘E’ in T6T. Which is interesting. Twins maybe? (one works for Myc and the other is the woman we see in this ep)? I’m guessing, if this is the case, that she and John have not met (we never have seen John with the Lady in Red, have we?) But I don’t think her intentions are wholly good, either; some speculate that it is her in the background when John is punching Sherlock.
Why is she seen hanging around Sherlock? Apparently she comes to Sherlock with a case early in the episode, but why does she then follow him around the whole time? I still really believe that she is a projection / hallucination Sherlock is having trying to cope with the foulness of what Culverton’s actions are this episode.
And we can all laugh at how silly my Sixth Sense theory was. Wow. :/ Okay, well, the WHOLE thing isn’t completely stupid...
[...] it’s the hallucinations aspect of it all that interests me. She is a physical manifestation of the LiR that Sherlock hallucinates, and they’re so real that his mind fills in the logical gaps (the rain), kind of like it did in TAB; there’s theories going around that this woman is the same as the one in Miskin (but not confirmed), so Sherlock does have a basis to establish a voice and a mannerism set for her to create a “ghost” to help him solve the case. The Baskerville drug dealt with hallucinations, and I think it’s coming back in this episode.
As I said above, I don’t much think there’s going to be a callback to Baskerville, but whatever Sherlock is poisoned with, I think they cause hallucinations and fuck up his mind palace.
Additional Thoughts on TLD
I mentioned the paper above, but I noticed on my old meta that I also suggest that this is a “list”, one that he either received from John (the letter) or one he acquired and needs to get to John so John can save him (possibly foreshadowed in TAB when Sherlock made lists for Myc, but now he gives them to John. John is a medical man, and a very good doctor, and would know how to save Sherlock.
For some reason I mentioned the bus stop and fish and chips on my old post. Now that we ALMOST know for sure that ‘E’ / Bus Stop Lady is also the Lady in Red, perhaps it’s Sherlock piecing together the clues of John’s mission? The bus stop is so significant in T6T that I think something important happens here in TLD as well. And he’s eating, which seems to be a pretty common theme this season already... (food = sex metaphor... Sherlock’s allowing the indulgences). Anyway.
I really truly believe that the love confession will happen this episode. Sherlock’s guards are down, and he’s terrified he won’t survive this time. I think, when they’re alone and Sherlock is scared, this will be when Sherlock confesses. He can’t die this time without John knowing. To what capacity it progresses, I think it will be at least a hug and forehead kiss from John. AHH I just read my original description, and I love it:
The extremely suggestive lighting from the bridge and London Eye shots makes me more certain than ever about this. Throw in the medical aspect of it, where John’s time to shine bright for Sherlock finally comes into full swing and we may get full confessions yet. Sherlock may feel like he might actually want to confess his feelings if he is does believe he is dying. Plus, gems from canon like “Quick man, if you love me…!” would be something Mofftiss would not miss their chance at pulling into the modern era.
I think, given that we know the description now for TFP the episode will end in Sherlock and John “going away” for a bit to heal mentally after the torment of this episode. I suspect Sherlock will be a wreck the whole time and I feel like their rift will be fully healed by the time the episode ends, especially now that we know it will pretty much be the two of them against the world for TFP.
Molly’s Role, forgot to mention, is one of two possibilities:
John’s go-between. She is his trusted go between just as Sherlock trusted her in TRF. Her “Anyone” speech was actually a coded message.
If Mary is alive, Molly is being coerced to make Sherlock believe John is mad at him. The letter is NOT from John but from Mary pretending to be John.
Here is a list of my own TLD-related meta, taken from my S4 Receipts Masterpost.
A Theory About Culverton and Sherlock’s Drug Use
Aren’t Sherlock and John Both Technically Detectives?
John Punching Sherlock: Why Does he Do it?
What’s Going on in the Russian TLD Trailer?
H.O.U.N.D. and the Unrelated Drug
UMQRA and the Vignère Cipher
The Stubble and the Swoop
Will Sherlock Tell John He’s Faking?
Will Sherlock Lie to John Again?
Mentally Ill, Or Back on Drugs?
Dying Detective Headcanon #1
Why is he Faking Being Poisoned?
Sherlock Drugged With a Hallucinogen
What if Dying Detective and Garridebs are in the Same Ep?
Are the Nurses John’s Girlfriends?
There’s a Male Nurse, Plus Culverton
The Scene With The Nurses: Pointing to Sherrinford?
Sherlock’s Deerstalker in the Czech Trailer?
What is Three Garridebs (Part 2)
Didn’t We Already Have Garridebs?
Why Is Garridebs so Important?
Wait, Has it Been Confirmed?
Johnlock, Garridebs and S4
Why Will Garridebs Happen in S4?
They Won’t Permanently Kill John…
What’s the Worst Case for 3G?
‘Vatican Cameos’ and ‘East Wind’
Billy Wiggins’ Role in Sherlock S4
The Lying Detective: What You Need to Know
Drugs and Tea Culverton and AGRA
The Lying Detective Speculation
Isn’t Lestrade a Detective?
Sherlock Filming By the Thames
Just how Evil is Culverton Smith?
Culverton Will Kill Sherlock’s Business (Blind Sherlock Theory)
“Quick Man, If You Love Me!”
Possible Plot of TLD Pieced Together with Setlock
Culverton Smith and Trump
More About Blind Sherlock Theory
Blind Sherlock / Rapunzul Parallel
Circles in the Czech Trailer
Czech Trailer Setlock Breakdown
PART 4: FINAL WORD & THANK YOU
Oy, that turned out a lot longer than anticipated. I wasn’t even going to cover T6T. It was just supposed to be a quick recap of my old TLD Setlock meta, and I got this monster instead, as is my M.O., apparently. I sat down at 6:30 PM on Friday and it is now 2:30 in the morning on Saturday and I just ran with it.
I know a lot of theories contradict each other in this post, and quite frankly, that’s because I can’t set my heart on just one theory, because as of right now I can honestly see the narrative going in any direction.
Also, I’m not discrediting everything I mentioned in my first meta; this one is just a more refined one based one info we already have and all neatly packaged up here.
Anyway. Thank you all very much for taking the time out to read through this whole thing! This is the episode I was most looking forward to, probably BECAUSE I spent so much time writing the original one. And Episode 2 of each season is usually my fave. I’m wary because of the apparent dark theme for this one, but we’ll see. The early keyword of “Romance” for this episode gives me hope, and the “Amo = Love” keyword from T6T will surely carry over into this one.
@marcespot @beejohnlocked @shawleyleres @yorkiepug @coloringthegreyscale @shervival21st @shylockgnomes @twocandles @benaddictmindpalace @mollydobby
Because y’all talk meta with me. :)
