oh my god I have made a terrible mistake, I just watched series 1 of Sherlock for the first tie, and holy SHIT I am already in so deep, just 3 episodes and already these 2 idiot men have a strangle hold on my whole entire soul. If there's one thing I definitely didn't need it was another obsession, but too late now! I will be obsessed forever. I can tell. why have I done this. Help.

welcome! seconding the advice to read garkgatiss' metas before s4. there are some real shifts in tone between series, it's not just "more like that". going in prepared is helpful. also for TAB, do read Ghost Stories Are Gay Stories by @heimishtheidealhusband . absolutelyxmade the difference for me between WTF and total glee and enjoyment.

for a bit of a palate cleanser, check out the tree patch podcast, and start right at the beginning. very restorative for the sense of humor and balance. <3

A(LITTLE) STUDY IN OUTFIT

The first time we see Moriarty, Jim from I.T. , he’s dressed as a twelve-year-old gay boy with a tender face and low pants.

 It is also curious in this picture watching Molly and John stare fascinated Jim. Molly is a mirror of John, it’s no wonder she/he was hit by Jim, because it’s Mr. Sex after all, it’s the part of Sherlock that seduces people. But he’s gay and it’s something Molly and John have long denied. One could think this is like the sexuality of SHerlock at a first stage. It isn’t for nothing that we are in the middle of a case involving facts dating back to the 80s. We will see Moriarty dressed in a similar way when he attacks the jewels of the crown, presumibilemte a reference to when for the first time (a memory of, recalled because the conditions have resurfaced similar), desire has turned into a fact. The first sexual experience, more or less shared, perhaps isnt even important.

however this is a rather suggestive image

The other times we see Moriarty perfectly dressed in tailored clothes, a feature that compares him to Sherlcok and to Mycroft. Sherlcok wears clothes like armor.

We will then see Motiarty dressed as John (thanks to this fun meta X). 

Sherlock’s desire has been shaped by the object of his love. A story teller in soft jumpers.

@gosherlocked @ebaeschnbliah @possiblyimbiassed @sarahthecoat

Ha ha, yes this is very apt @raggedyblue ! :))) ”A storyteller in soft jumpers”, I love it! (And I also love those funny cardigan gifs in your link). And Andrew Scott is always priceless, but one of his best scenes, in my opinion, is that one from TRF where he elegantly performs a ballet-inspired frontal attack on the crown jewels, shattering any glass walls in the way. ”I want to break free”, indeed! :)

@gosherlocked @ebaeschnbliah @sarahthecoat

wow, yes, the multi faceted mirroring of moriarty! I do love the "12 year old gay boy" using a dick metaphor to liberate his "crown jewels" from the glass closet. "Family jewels" was one of the first euphemisms for mens' bits that i remember learning as a child. Of course they'd go for the #1 top of the pile, of the whole country, for sherlock's metaphorical jewels! Isn't 12 about the age sherlock was when the carl powers case happened? So this is at least partly about "where he began", about ACD Holmes.

also, there is something a little bit funny about using a fire EXTINGUISHER as a dick metaphor in the crown jewels scene. By "funny" i mean sad and disturbing, since fire is a metaphor for passion and love. At least it's not set off, there is no actual fire to put out here. And then that reminds me of john using a fire extinguisher to break open the door in TLD, and that's... i'm not entirely sure how to feel about that.

OH, and moriarty uses his PHONE to set up the break in. I hope i haven't already strayed too far off topic, this just got me pinging on everything, the scenes are so packed!