One of the finest and most beloved Watsons ever to grace the screen has passed away. David Burke was 91 years old, just shy of his 92nd birthday, and he is survived by his wife Anna Calder-Marshall and his son Tom Burke.
By all accounts, he was a gentleman and a wonderful human being. He could have stayed on to play Watson much longer, which would have made many of us very happy, but he chose to leave the show to be nearer to his family, especially since Tom was very young at the time.
His was not the first intelligent and competent Watson, but this version marked a turning point in mainstream depictions, from comedic sidekick to a hero in his own right.
RIP, dear sir. You will be missed. Thank you for everything.
~*~
To read a longer and moving tribute, please check out the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere website: https://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2026/05/david-burke-first-watson-of-granada-era.html. The tribute includes a link to the interview that the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast conducted with David and his wife a few years ago.
The prompt I was given gave me a lot of room to pick and choose what things I liked the most, and from the get-go the dynamic and feelings my giftee asked for were 100000% my jam, so I struggled a lot to pick JUST ONE THING from all the wonderful ideas Rachelindeed gave me.
However one stood out to me, and that was the infamous scene in “The Adventure of the Three Garridebs” where Watson is wounded but Holmes’ panic and rage prompts this delicious line:
“It was worth a wound, it was worth many wounds, to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask.(…) For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. ”
Sadly Jeremy Brett’s health had declined so terribly by when this story got adapted by Granada that the story had to be heavily changed (and Holmes’ role substituted by Mycroft), so the fans weren’t able to enjoy this emotional scene played by Brett and (personally my favourite Watson) Edward Hardwicke.
So I humbly offer what I would love to think happened a short while after the case was over, Watson is almost completely recovered from his wound but Holmes is still shaken by his dear doctor’s near-death experience. Watson’s loyalty to him moves him beyond words and it’s only in intimate moments like these when he lets said “cold mask” drop and expresses his affection.
Honestly I just wanted to draw hands and a lot of smooching so here you go.
Tremblay would be so thrilled about Bad Bunny's shoutout to Canada at the Super Bowl, but also being absolutely annoying about it. He would tell Vincent (and everyone else, who was unfortunate to cross his path) how he as an canadian is a snow latino and as they are both from the americanas, he and the Holy Father are technically primos! (He feels so blessed by this connection.)
Vincent is a bit confused, because he has never watched the Super Bowl and doesn't know, who this Bad Bunny is and what in God's name is a snow latino?
(Ray would explain everything to him, because Tremblay isn't the only one who knows how to navigate social media. Ray's interest in the Super Bowl itself isn't huge, but he's there for the memes and the reactions videos.)
Vincent still wouldn't care much about the Super Bowl, but starting to listen to Bad Bunny and liking it. He translates his favorite songs to Thomas, and even if it isn't Thomas' kind of music, he'd just be happy about Vincent's excitement and spending even more time with him (they both know who Ricky Martin is though).
Aldo actually is sort of a fan of the Super Bowl, but with the political climate in the US, he couldn't really enjoy it this year, because he's too on edge. Nevertheless he really liked the Half-Time Show and was pleasently suprised by the appearance of Lady Gaga. He is a fan of her, after all. (He's about to throw hands, because Tremblay feels even more high and mighty after the whole "Canadá" thing and doesn't tire to rub this into Aldo's face. Aldo understands the gushing, he just doesn't like Tremblay.)
Tedesco doesn't understand, why the americans always have to make uno spetacollo out of everything. American Football is boring anyways, the show in-between is way too woke for him and why is Tremblay of all people trying to bond with the Pope over this stupid thing?!
Agnes and Adeyemi don't give a single fuck about all of it.
"Did the Forbidden Fruit taste as sweet and ripe? Had Eve felt the same malaise when pleasure and guilt swirled her guts as she digested her own sin?" - Through the rosary beads
Lawrence is one of these people, who actually don't know or realise, how charming they can be (and an accidental flirt). Just by being genuinely attentive, empathetic and interested in their counterpart.
"He had known what it was to desire, and to be desired, both by women and men."
Yeah, no surprise here.
... and then he would be still wondering, why those around him are a little in love with him (or very much, depending on the person).
Of course, those two old divas fighting about church-related stuff.
Tedesco trying to get away from Aldo and blowing smoke from his Vape into Aldos face, to distract him.
Tedesco trying to hide somewhere, just to avoid Aldo. Aldo finding him, of course (he is the Secretary of State, he knows the hiding spots of the Vatican, how could he not?) and tricks him out of his hideout. He drags Tedesco by his ferraiolo through the halls.
Aldo: "Why did you antagonize the Patriarch of Lisbon so much? You weren't even supposed to be part of that discussion!"
Tedesco: "Mah!"
Aldo: "Do you want to create a schism?! Do you understand what you did?"
Tedesco: "No!"
Aldo: "No, you don't understand?"
Tedesco: "No!"
Aldo: "No, what?!"
Them walking through the Vatican, yelling at each other. Vincent and Thomas hearing the commotion, stepping out of the papal-office to investigate.
Aldo and Tedesco still arguing, getting in between the Pope and the Dean. Aldo is standing in front of Thomas, while Tedesco is - unconsciously - pushing Vincent back into the room.
Aldo: "GO TO YOUR MEETING WITH THE HOLY FATHER!!!"
Tedesco: "I'M ALREADY AT MY MEETING WITH THE HOLY FATHER!!!"
Tedesco slams the door in Aldo's face. He turns to Vincent who looks equally bewildered and amused. Tedesco mutters a quick "Chiedo umilmente perdono, Santo Padre", grabs Vincent's pellegrina and screams into it.
On the other side of the door, Aldo muffels his frustrated yells into Thomas' shoulder.
bits and pieces from edward berger's director's commentary for conclave (2024), from the blu-ray:
- "it took me a long time to find the beginning of this movie, i'd shot a few other scenes which aren't worth to include in the deleted scenes section, it's like ralph getting a phone call, waking up, the mystery is building ..." (the blu-ray does not have a "proper" deleted scenes extra/featurette)
- "i had a session with ralph, basically watching the movie and listening to it on headphones and him breathing down the mic and reacting to what he was doing in the film, he saw it for the first time and breathed the whole film" (the blu-ray does not have a ralph-fiennes-breathing-asmr audio track)
- "catholic shenanigans"
- edward talks about the thought process behind casting an unknown actor like carlos as vincent, and describes the actor for vincent as someone who should be "very sensitive, very sensible, quiet and calm but confident"
- "first of all, [sergio] is very funny and see his joke here, he made it up, when he speaks about everyone sort of sitting at the tables ... 'francese', the french guys behind him ... so 'francese' is from him and i find it very funny" (sergio improvised 'the french' (and accompanying facial expression) in the evening dinner scene with ralph)
- "and here on 'poor man' we cut to this [a shot of thomas] because this is how ralph feels" (during the first confrontation scene between thomas and joseph, where joseph calls janusz "poor man")
- "we find everything in rome but we couldn't find long, interesting hallways, they were surprisingly white and plain" (on why they built the casa santa marta hallway set)
- "i don't want to cut away, i want to look into [ralph's] eyes, i want to look into his face, i want to lose myself in his face"
- "i want to have that robe and put it on" (referring to thomas' robes, after his homily)
- "sergio ... had a big red coat on, feeling very ostentatious, he's a show-off, and others are almost more protestant, ralph would be a bit more protestant, you know, quieter in his attire"
- edward specifically storyboarded the balloting scenes because he was worried they would be boring and repetitive
- "but the dynamic between stanley and ralph is great because they're friends, they're great—they love each other, they really respect each other, but they're such different actors. and that scene that you just saw, they were both pretty—felt like suddenly like why are they so—why is this scene taking so long, or why is it difficult to shoot. i think because they've so much respect for each other, that ... even if they don't want to, they're competing, they're combating. they want to impress the other. ralph wants to, i don't know, he probably will say it's total crap (laughs) what i'm saying, but ralph wants to be good for stanley, and wants to be, in a way, better, or say, like, he wants to have the respect of the other, and say like 'ralph thinks i'm a good actor', he thinks it anyway but deep down inside, you know insecurity's coming, and deep down inside you want to be good, you want to be as good or better than the other and so they were, kind of, little battling each other, it was very subtle but underneath it, it was there" ("rpf is fine" -edward berger)
- "he rehearses latin like a maniac" (guess who this is)
- "if he wouldn't have this [acting], again he'd probably protest this so don't play this for him, but if he wouldn't have this, he'd basically die, you know? he needs it, he needs it to survive, it's total fulfillment" (guess who part two)
- "[stanley's] personality is just 180 degrees different. he jokes around, he comes, he does a take, 'ah that was fine,' let's move on, where ralph would want another one, stanley would just (gibberish/imitates stanley's noises) it doesn't really matter, let's just move on"
- stanley at some point worried that he was being too american while the rest of the ensemble were all "proper cardinals" and edward had the same worries about stanley, not the being too american but the not giving the behind the eyes on-set (like ralph, edward's gold standard of seeing into the soul etc) but edward stopped worrying when they started editing because it was all there, edward felt like an "insensitive klutz of a director" for not seeing the "miracle of an actor" like stanley who one sees in the movie, not live
- edward stops talking so that the viewer can properly appreciate lucian's big scene, but interrupts to talk again with an "impatient, too impatient to be quiet, you can watch the movie some other time"
- "lucian isn't wearing a cross, which somehow makes him feel more naked, more bare. ralph is wearing his cross, the band around his neck where the cross is suspended on and it's just a big difference"
- the young pope mention: that show had a lot of cardinal costumes that the conclave production could have used, but didn't for reasons that edward and costume designer lisy christl have discussed elsewhere and everywhere
- edward tells the story of how a cardinal in england let ralph put on his robe (and "ralph looked wonderful in it"), which alarmed edward because he could tell ralph was getting attached to the real robes, when the real robes didn't look good
- "brian ... a wonderful actor from ireland, brings a slightly comedic tone to his performance here" + edward thinks brian "beautifully" did the overlong pause before ray tries to talk to thomas about the tremblay business after joshua's downfall + "i'm so thankful for that [brian's comedic tone] because it lightens up the theoretically heavy proceedings" + "so him and sergio are the humorous ones, which i'm grateful for"
- the location of thomas-aldo-giulio stairwell scene was a military school in rome
- edward thinks the real casa santa marta is "ugly"
- edward had to "coax ralph" into accepting that they're not gonna be totally accurate to the real conclave, vatican, clerical dress, etc
- ralph initially did not like his conclave costume because it was "thick, it's heavy, it's not the real thing", and even though he eventually "grew into it", "once in a while he had to take a jab and say, like, 'this is thick fabric, i'm hot under it,' you know, like, he was craving to have the real—real thing, but other actors like sergio was like, i love my costume because you know what, it feels like a cardinal's costume, look at them, how beautiful that red is ... sergio, john, stanley, they all embraced it [the conclave robes]"
- "we all end up in a body bag"
- edward discusses his lens choices for the film, really technical but interesting for those curious about that (and conclave was shot on the RED v-raptor because the DOP/cinematographer stéphane fontaine liked that camera)
- john's big scene was "complicated" because many of the extras in the scene didn't speak english and didn't know what was going on (probably couldn't react quickly to john and ralph's english dialogue?)
- the morning dining-room scene was shot in a kitchen/canteen in a military base
- edward points out that thomas and aldo's last scene together deliberately didn't have any repeating shot angles because he didn't like going back and forth
- they shot the explosion scene twice because the first time didn't look "real enough"
- "i think everyone's favorite new discovery is sergio ... because he's just so authentic and that's the italian [language], and it made ralph speak more italian ... where else are we such an international community than the vatican, they come from all over the world, and they have 50 different languages, and italian unites them"
- carlos's monologue was reshot after the movie was "locked and done" because: 1) they had $400,000 left over from the budget, 2) "the world had changed after our shooting because of the attacks in israel and just the world felt differently, and i felt slightly that the speech, whatever carlos says here, what we gave him needed to—we don't want to reference that because it has nothing to do with the movie, it's much too big a topic to cram into this movie, but somehow the attitude, the feeling had changed and so we needed to somehow rewrite the scene" & 3) carlos originally did his monologue in english, but inspired by sergio saying his monologue in italian, his speech was rewritten in (mexican) spanish (fyi, the conclave screenplay available online already reflects the version of the speech carlos says in the movie, so it's uncertain exactly what was rewritten in the reshoot, apart from the language shift)
- the scene immediately after carlos' monologue, the cardinals gathering and nuns walking in the courtyard, was another addition thanks to the leftover money, and was put in to allow vincent's speech to sink in
- the overhead shot of the cardinals under the umbrellas was shot with around 30 actors, duplicated in post-production, because they didn't have enough extras
- some digital assets from the young pope were licensed and used in the film (probably the CG parts of the sistine chapel?)
- "i love the crack in the glasses of john ... by the way, it might even be his idea just to, at least the sitting, that he stay seated, that he sort of, this broken man, that's definitely john's idea" (during the cardinals' standing ovation for vincent)
- the first shot they shot in the movie was the wide shot of thomas and ray, silhouetted by the windows
- "i'm very glad we put the wound [on ralph] afterwards for the next scenes [after they shot the first scene, where they didn't put the wound makeup on ralph yet], it gives him a sort of vulnerability and a certain physicality also of the attack"
- edward has some really great commentary about carlos in vincent and thomas' room of tears scene, about him standing his ground with veteran actors, the rehearsal being on a sunday of just carlos and ralph in a room going over and talking about each line, "it was important for me that you look into his [carlos'] face while he says his lines, and you believe the past that he is telling you, but ... you don't also see it from the beginning that you look at him and, go, like, oh, yeah, i mean, there's something more complex to this character. he needed to be just a normal guy, just one of us. but when he tells his story you kinda look at him, oh yeah i can imagine, that makes sense. and it was only carlos that was able to do that"
- according to edward, ralph's face (while he carried the turtle back to the pond) was more interesting than showing the white smoke
Vincent hating the attention he’s given for doing simple things such as carrying his own bags, knowing the Swiss guards names, hugging children when they run up to him. Vincent despising how every human thing he does immediately becomes a headline: “Pope listening to music!” (He was wearing headphones and listening to some old favorites while hanging out with the turtles) “Innocent XIV goes shopping!” (He forgot to bring a book to the airport and just wanted to buy something to read on the plane) “The pope wears converse!” (He’d owned the same pair of shoes for three years, and he’d stitched them up himself after the fabric tore)
Vincent feeling more isolated than ever. Despite never being alone, there is not a single person who treats him as a person. He’s constantly watched, yet never invited into casual conversations, no one asks him to join them for coffee, no one rants about their boring work or tells him about their favorite books or talks about the weather.
Vincent waking up in a cold sweat most nights. Dreams of war haunting his sleep, the faces of the dead burned into his mind. He wakes up gasping for air, or screaming, or running to the bathroom to throw up.
Vincent sleeping on the floor more often than the bed. Vincent flinching at loud noises and always scanning the room for threats and ways to escape.
Vincent having flashbacks and panic attacks on the floor of his bathroom, not being able to call anyone for help because he’s the pope, he’s not allowed to fall apart or ask for help or take a break.
Vincent who cannot handle being snuck up on from behind, who can’t have meat that isn’t well done, Vincent who hides his shaking hands behind his back as he speaks about the saints who were stoned to death, because he knows what that looks like.
Vincent who once gets so startled by the bang of a bible being dropped onto the floor of St Peter’s cathedral while he’s holding mass that he instinctively ducks behind the altar, covering his head, sure that he’s back in the war. Vincent who has to continue his sermon with shaking hands and voice, with his normally so present and kind eyes suddenly showing a far-away look. And Vincent who has to read the headlines afterwards, despite Aldo doing his best to shield him.
I also think about Thomas.
Thomas who tries to joke with Vincent about how the masses have never seen a pope young enough to have the strength to carry his own bags, Thomas who reminds him that even though he is the pope, he’s still human.
Thomas who, despite this, is unable to call him Vincent. Thomas who has always seen the papacy as closest to the God he has such a hard time reaching, and Thomas who no longer sees Vincent when he looks at the pope.
Thomas who tries to comfort Vincent, but keeps calling him Your Holiness, and watching as Vincent pulls away more and more.
Thomas who once entered Vincent’s room at night to leave him an urgent document, and found the pope curled up on the floor.
Thomas who always sees when Vincent’s hands start to shake, who can sense Vincent’s breathing quicken and his eyes start searching for escape routes. Thomas who can’t do anything to help, because the pope cannot be seen having to be escorted away because of anxiety.
Thomas who tries to learn what triggers Vincent, Thomas who takes notes on what makes the pope flinch or shake or hide away. Thomas who discreetly informs the rest of the staff closest to Vincent about how important it is to never sneak up on him from behind, or serve him anything resembling torn off flesh.
Thomas who finally sees how Vincent is actually doing once the incident at mass happens. Thomas who argues with everyone to try to allow Vincent to end mass early, but failing. Thomas who sends the altar boys and deacons away from the sacristy once mass is over and finally greets the pope by his original name.
Thomas who opens his arms and his heart as he sees the shaking man in front of him. “Oh my dear Vincent” he says, and his heart breaks as Vincent falls into his arms and sobs.
Thomas who holds him tightly, whispering apologies for letting this continue, who promises to be better. Thomas who helps Vincent change out of his sweat soaked vestments, and who lets Vincent explain the horrors he’s seen.
I also think about Aldo
Aldo who’s in the background of it all. Who sees how the new pope seems to be getting even thinner than he was. Aldo who tries his best to minimize Vincent’s amount of paperwork on the days where the pope arrives to breakfast at 5 am with bloodshot eyes and holding his mug of tea with trembling hands.
Aldo who more than once has held up Vincent’s hair as he throws up after stressful meetings with world leaders who are decimating entire populations. Aldo who sometimes pretends not to see invites from some of the dictators he knows Vincent hates the most.
Aldo who tries his best to keep the news away from Vincent whenever he’s in the headlines. Aldo who brings Vincent hot chocolate whenever he knows an article will have upset him.
Aldo who always remembers to make his steps louder or clear his throat if he’s walking up to the pope from behind. Who will always make sure there is a vegetarian option that won’t remind the pope of wounded and dead bodies.
Aldo who every so often sees the pope’s eyes flicker to the side, and knows it means Vincent is quietly suppressing the most horrible flashbacks, even with a smile on his face. And Aldo who always makes sure he has an excuse ready to get Vincent out of situations when it happens.
Aldo who tries his very very best to make Thomas realise that Vincent needs him.
Aldo who feels a weight leave his heart once he sees Thomas leading a shaking Vincent through the halls of the Santa Martha, and who smiles when they both enter the Homy Father’s room.
I'm re-reading "Conclave" and maybe I misunderstood that passage (English is not my first language), but doesn't Lomeli/Lawrence have a whole ass grand-piano in his flat? (And that flat has 400 square meters? For one person?!)
Anyways...
You telling me that Lomeli/Lawrence is a musician (because, I highly doubt that someone puts a grand-piano in their flat just to show off, especially not our self-depricating, doubting disaster of a Dean) and that fact hasn't made it into any fanwork yet? (Or at least, I haven't read/seen anything).
Why?
Because it doesn't matter with whom you ship him, it would work perfectly in a romantic setting (it would also be a nice trivia in a non-romantic-way, just adding that)!
Vincent? Would be absolutely smitten! Would gaze at him adoringly, the love for his dear Dean obvious in his eyes. Maybe he would sing along at one point, because Vincent has a nice singing voice, actually, and of course, it would be Lomelis/Lawrences turn to be smitten and even more in love with Vincent. They would revel in their shared passion for music and poke fun at each other for their tastes in music (Vincent would hum a tune and Lomeli/Lawrence would try to play it and they would just laugh and be giddy about all of this).
Aldo? Loves to hear and watch Lomeli/Lawrence play, because in these rare moments his friend looks unburdened, happy and at peace. Secretly wishes, his friend would be like this everytime the two of them are together. Alas, it is not like that and the only indulgence Aldo would allow himself, is to stand behind Lomeli/Lawrence, a hand on his shoulder and bask in the light his friend radiates.
O'Malley? Would be a little awestruck and delighted to learn something new about the Dean. He's probably secretly recording some of the playing at one point (for... reasons).
Tedesco? Would probably "bully" Lomeli/Lawrence one day to play a piece of music during a Mass, preferably in Venice, where he can show off the talent of his "dear friend".
Agnes? Would just is next to Lomeli/Lawrence on the piano stool, softly rest her head on his shoulder and enjoy the warmth and the music floating through the room. There's no need for words.
...
It is painfully obvious that I put more thoughts in some ships than in others, I'm terribly sorry!
