Dec 13, 2021
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Something Funky - Blackhood-art
Something Funky: Trying to Make Sense of Sherlock Series 4
Did BBC Sherlock jump the shark? Why does it feel that a show that has been in production since 2010 with 2-3 years between seasons (which would provide plenty of time for development) has suddenly taken a nose dive when it comes to the story, writing, character, cinematography, in-universe logic, and overall direction? Why are so many of the community left disappointed in how S4 seems to have ended? Were the fans, theorists, and shippers of TJLC just plain wrong in how they saw the story progression despite the overall tone of S1-S3? Did the writers actually pull the rug from TJLC theorists because, in fact, there was no real rug to begin with? Well, to tell you frankly; I'm not sure about anything. I'm just trying to make sense of S4 within the context of S1-S3, because there was definitely, something funky about S4.
There were many in the community who started noticed that there was something funky about S4 that didn't gel with S1-S3. Whether it be from the sometimes odd/ dreamlike camera work and framing, the extreme leaps of in-universe logic the audience was forced to make, and the seemingly out of character motivations and decisions. This "funky" feeling seemed to grow into a full theory in itself when the show made multiple mentions of altered memories; from the client who took heart medication which led to temporary amnesia (T6T), to the T12 drug (TLD), to Sherlock's rewritten memoires of his past (TFP). So, why point so much emphasis on this "funky" feeling? I have a few theories that may explain how I view S4 (especially TFP). Most of these theories are based off other theories (I'm just putting them in my head canon in order to make sense of S4. I think that no matter what you believe the truth is for what may or may not have happened, I think that all of the theories that center around that "funky" feeling can possibly be centered around what I call the "Look at Me" decoder ring.
"Look at Me"
This is centered around the "Look at me" and "Look at him" lines from TLD and TFP. Both of these lines are of the villain pointing out something that SHOULD be OBVIOUS to the protagonist (either John or Sherlock).
In TLD, Culverton yells at John to "Look at" Sherlock after John continually proclaims that he is a doctor, because obvious that Sherlock is high off his nards, yet John seems to not doing ANYTHING to help Sherlock and is following Sherlock blindly and listening to Sherlock accuse Culverton of being a serial killer without any real evidence.
In TFP, Euros continually tells Sherlock to "Look at" her when he asks her how she escaped Sherrinford. This is Euros pointing out to Sherlock the OBVIOUS lack of glass that should have surrounded her cell.
So, maybe this is the creators' way of pointing the obvious "funkiness" of S4. Whether it be through fan theories/ head canons or the odd character choices the creators decided on.
Expanded Mind Palace Theory and John's Mind Bungalow Theory
There have been many posts/ metas about whether or not, S4 may have taken place in a protagonists' head, whether it be the EMP Theory or the JMB Theory (both of which I quiet like). Whether you believe that after Sherlock reads the "Miss Me" note off of Faith's notes and he goes into his Mind Palace (much like what happened in TAB) or after John got shot by Euros and he goes into his Mind Bungalow, both theories can explain quiet a lot...
Both the EMP Theory and the JMB Theory may explain many things including the fact that "Mary" told Sherlock to "Go to Hell" to "Save John Watson", which leads to the Culverton case and in the very next episode we see Sherlock not only going to "Hell"/ Sherrinford, but through it and ends up saving John. Both the EMP Theory and the JMB Theory may also explain how Euros could be seen as a symbol of Sherlock without emotional context and the answer to "The Final Problem" is for Sherlock to give Euros (and himself) emotional context and therefore letting Sherlock become a stronger person. Heck, both theories (mostly the EMP Theory) could explain John's beating of Sherlock in TLD. Mostly through how much it looks so similar to Moriarty's beating of Sherlock on the Reichenbach Falls in TAB, and through how Culverton is seemingly coded to be a dark mirror to John, especially when the show deliberately points out that Sherlock's perspective is off during the confrontation in the morgue when he is hearing Culverton laugh and take the scalpel when no one else did. So can the audience really be expected to just accept the beating scene like it really happened?
So, maybe like what many have theorized, TFP is actually a "nightmare" much like TAB is a dream. Why else is there so many symbols and similarities to movies (especially horror and thriller movies)? Maybe these theories are the key to the reason why Mycroft seems so out of character during TFP. Why else would he seem to suddenly have an issue with violence and seeing someone kill themselves. Why else would both John and Sherlock realize that Mycroft is not as clever as he has been portraying himself as, especially when knowing how he seems so defenseless against the machinations of the villains (especially Moriarty). Maybe these theories are the key to why TFP is an odd dream-like retelling of ASIP (especially with the ending with John and Sherlock standing together with a blanket and asking each other if they are okay and with Lestrade's line of Sherlock being a "good" man). Maybe the dream-like logic that flows through the series (especially TFP) is an attempt of one of the protagonists' fevered imagination of trying to figure out the emotional side of Sherlock. Why else would there be such a heavy emphasis of emotions and emotional context within the series?
Attempting to Explain it Away...
Whatever you believe, maybe these theories can also explain away some of the common complaints (specifically regarding character motivations and character decisions). I know many were beyond annoyed at how the creators seemed to have portrayed both Irene and "Mary", but let's put these portrayals through the EMP/ JMB theory lens and see what we can find.
Irene
I know many within the community thought that Irene's inclusion in S4 seems to only try and dismantle the Johnlock theory by making it seem like Irene "still" had romantic feelings for Sherlock and/ or vice versa. However, we know that Sherlock STILL never responds to ANY of Irene's messages and only occasionally reaches out to her through text (even though he admits that he shouldn't and that it is ONLY texts). Plus when John tells Sherlock to "go after" Irene, he doesn't! He doesn't immediately go "Thanks bro!" and run out the door to Irene, instead he tenderly holds John! As for the mention of Irene in TFP; well, if we assume that TFP is going on in either John's or Sherlock's fevered imagination, we can see this as a similarity to the mention of Irene in TAB.
First, we have the "I Love You" coffin and when John makes the suggestion that it could be for Irene when Mycroft prompts "who love you, Sherlock?" Sherlock's immediate response is "Ridiculous," because it is ridiculous! Irene nor Sherlock actually have romantic feelings for the other, sure they eventually hold each other in high regard, but they don't love each other.
Then we have Sherlock playing "Irene's Theme" when Euros asks him to play "himself" and then asks if he has had sex. First, I would like to point out that Sherlock never actually answers Euros' question of whether or not he has had sex. Secondly, as some have pointed out, "Irene's Theme" was only ever heard completed AFTER she was out of Sherlock's life and could actually be kind of seen as Sherlock's realization of John's feelings for him. This can also be read in TEH when John is first going to Baker Street to visit Mrs. Hudson and he imagines hearing "Irene's Theme" and remembers Sherlock and his' conversation during their first case. We can also hear it in TAB while Mary and John argue, only to have Sherlock immediately stop playing it when he imagines/ hears "Mary" disrespecting/ belittling John's role in Sherlock's life and work as his assistant (plus we all know that Sherlock went into his Mind Palace during TAB while reading John's blog about his and John's first meeting). So, what else is the audience to infer other than that "Irene's Theme" is not actually about Irene, but rather about John and Sherlock's relationship.
"Mary"
Many people within the community didn't like how the creators have seemed to have given "Mary" what many see as an undeserved and unearned redemption arc, but let's put this to the test. I have made mention in my "TFP Experiment Theory" post that I combined the "Mary" = Moran theory and the Moriarty = "Fan" theory to attempt to make sense of "Mary's" death and post-death videos, and I still think it applies here as well. Especially her "fan"-like speak in her "Miss You" video, oddly puts in mind how Moriarty is a symbol for the type of Sherlock Holmes fan that doesn't care about the relationships or the characters, they only like the cases. Especially her talk about how "it doesn't matter" who they are, all that matters is the "legend/ story" and then she possessively calls them HER "Baker Street Boys".
I would also like to point out how seemingly odd her behavior toward Rosie is. We never actually see "Mary" comforting Rosie nor be "soft" towards her (not like Sherlock or John). For example, did anyone notice how much John hold Rosie instead of "Mary"? Even in the promotional photos, most of them feature John holding Rosie instead of "Mary". Even when Rosie starts crying in T6T, we never actually see "Mary" comfort her (unlike how we see John comforting her), and when "Mary" leaves to comfort Rosie, she fairly quickly just hands her off to John. She also immediately hands Rosie to John when they go on the case when they use Toby for tracking. Also, did anybody else think it odd that during the Skype call in T6T, John immediately starts talking about baby items (thinking the conversation is going to be about that), but "Mary" immediately interrupts with questions about the case. Heck, she even talks about Rosie within the context of her being a demon/ devil child (both through similarities through The Exorcist and The Omen), while John just corrects her movie trivia (especially take this into account when he see Sherlock with a client who believes that his wife is possessed by the devil in TLD). Seriously, compare her interactions with Rosie to Sherlock and John's and really ask yourself, why is this like this?
Also, was it just me or was it odd that John had 59 missed calls from "Mary" when she was going into labor? Why have that specific number? Maybe it's a drawing attention to the number of unanswered texts from Irene to Sherlock. As we all know by Christmas in ASiB, Irene sent Sherlock 57 text messages, plus we know she sent 2 more within that same episode ("I'm not dead. Let's have dinner." and "Goodbye Mr. Holmes.") which equal 59; all of which went unanswered by Sherlock, much like all 59 calls from "Mary" went unanswered by John.
To the Johnlock Shippers
I'm not sure where (if anywhere) these connections to that "funky" feeling will go in the future of Sherlock; but one can only hope and pray that whatever may happen, it will hopefully make sense and make Sherlock a better show that we have been eagerly awaiting. Surely, all the hints, symbolism, and story and character progression was there for a Johnlock relationship to occur. We all know that John and Sherlock need a romantic life to complete them, but who else in the world is out there for them but each other? The Johnlock shippers saw and observed, we head and listened; but did the creators?
Older dogs that got out of order
Mint
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Something Funky - alejowar
✨ GIGA MASTERPOST ✨
Dogs from an alternate world
Gen 1!
Gen 2!
I have to start doing studying Again tomorrow
one set of mocks wasn't enough for them. nah. let's set a bunch of mocks ten weeks before their actual, Final Exams. rest and recuperation?? what does that mean?
in other words. send me asks. please. just, small things (silly questions, asks about the vigilante au, small writing prompts. anything) so I have something to do while taking a break. gotta Fight that boredom somehow
one thing i'd very much be interested to know about characters (my own included skjdkd) is what kind of playlists they listen to depending on their mood. it's such a WILD mix for me but i have this one playlist called yesterday and if you catch me listening to that please text me if i'm okay bc chances are i am NOT sksksk
I know how to party. LOL.