QUEERBAITING
This is probably an thorny post, it’s not my intention to question anyone’s feelings, and what I want to do is just an observation. BBC Sherlock has been accused, he is accused, of Queerbaiting heavily after S4. This basically because all the previous allusions to a possible (probable-inevitable) love story between the two have been dropped and nothing has actually been seen. But could not the same behavior be attributed to Doyle himself? He created a fascinating character, strong, intelligent, but with a sensitive soul that is moved for a concert. A paladin of justice, the absolute one and not that of the laws of the state. A defender of women, able to see them for what they are, damsels in distress or imperious warriors. But detached in feelings. The ideal man for whom, any woman with the attitude of wanting to save the object of his love, would be ready to fall in love. And so it happened, it happens. And so on his first death there were thousands of letters of sorrowful women. But then there is also John Watson. Their relationship is there to be seen by those who want to see it. All love, devotion. All the joys and pains that the two shared. The love story is there, suggested, but never explicit. And certainly could not, but I’m not sure it’s just this. Doyle was an extremely intelligent man, his head was a continuous flow of ideas and interests. When he decided to make Sherlock Holmes a character in a series of short stories, which he did after the writing of two novels, he performed a deliberate act. A programmed action. His innovative idea was to link readers of a magazine (the Strand in this case) to the magazine itself, not through the usual serial novels, but through a series of stories, each finished by itself, with the same characters. A trivial idea for us, innovative at the time. And for attracting readers’ attention everything had to be built. And so it happened, the women fell in love and it is probable that the men with particular inclinations recognized something that satisfied, in the possibility of the time, their interest. With this I do not want to belittle the love story between the two (I could never) nor even say what Doyle really felt (I could not in the same way). I would just like to underline that what we see in BBC Serlock, once again is a perfect mirror of what happens in the canon. The hero is sexy for fall in love, love is there to be seen, but nothing is explicit. Then the affirmation remains, perhaps the only true one, that this wants to be a correction of the canon.
Interesting thoughts, @raggedyblue. There are parallels indeed. But I would also like to observe this: BBC Sherlock has already gone further than ACD ever did. If we assume for a moment that TFP was the end, we get them being very close to a each other, with a child and in a child-proof flat. Surrounded by friends. This is very different from what we get in Canon. And since this is not the end, there may be more to come.
Agree, @gosherlocked Sherlock BBC, The Final Problem ends on a completely different note as in canon. Nor does it seem to be the end of the story. And who would evaluate a painting before the artist is finished. The most positive statement is included in the much criticized epiloge of TFP: “I know you two; and if I’m gone, I know what you could become.” Not many options left after flatmate, colleague, friend, best friend and family … I guess.
But what’s more … that piece of dialogue originates from Sherlock’s and John’s own words prior to that final scene.
‘the doctor who never came home from the war’
SHERLOCK: You were a doctor who went to war. You’re a man who couldn’t stay in the suburbs for more than a month without storming a crack den and beating up a junkie. (HLV domestic scene)
‘the junkie who solves crimes to get high’
SHERLOCK: Your best friend is a sociopath who solves crimes as an alternative to getting high. That’s me, by the way. Hello. (HLV domestic scene)
‘there is a last refuge for the desperate, the unloved, the persecuted. There is a final court of appeal for everyone. When life gets too strange, too impossible … too frightening, there is always one last hope. When all else fails … there are two men sitting arguing in a scruffy flat … like they’ve always been there … and they always will.’
JOHN: Well, don’t worry. There’s a place for people like you – the desperate, the terrified, the ones with nowhere else to run. MYCROFT: What place? JOHN: Two two one B Baker Street. (TFP beginning)
The whole monologue at the end of the episode is Sherlock’s.
Regarding a growing romantic relationship between Sherlock and John, I never saw a more promising end/cliffhanger as the one from The Final Problem.
yes! Especially on top of all the subtext bursting out of s4.
as I said at the end of the post, probably in an unclear way (my mistake), what we have seen is a precise adaptation of the canon, in its positive and negative sides. The fact remains that this is an adaptation, not a perfect copy, and is therefore likely to give its own interpretation, and its interpretation seems clear to me, even if the work is not finished (yet). I absolutely agree that we have already moved forward (we moved a century and a half to begin with and this is already the first chance that they gave the story to be able to be resolved differently, or at least to resolve in the light of the sun ). We expect a correction, it will be, I would say that we deserve it.
I absolutely agree with all of you @raggedyblue @gosherlocked @ebaeschnbliah @sarahthecoat @possiblyimbiassed
Even as this a very sensitive topic, I agree that the queerbaiting wasn’t what many people took it for. Imo it were mostely the expectations that made it this big a problem. BUT of course all the subtext made us believe it. But that’s exactly the point. It made it believe US. And WE (johnlock supporters) think we undestood the series, but there are many many others who don’t agree. And all of them have the same right to interpret the series their own way. Because that’s the thing with art - the interpretation is in the eye of the beholder! Therefore I agree with @ebaeschnbliah that a piece of art can’t be judged befor it’s finished. And a piece of art the series is!
Because we didn’t reach the end as you and @gosherlocked already mentioned. And that is one more thing that is very canon compliant: Doyle and Sherlock Holmes weren’t finished after the final problem. He returned after massive protest of the fans that this can’t be the end! And look what’s happening now. Mofftiss are hassled with questions about the continuation of Sherlock. They are possitvely pressed to do a next series! If that isn’t a repitition of the past…
But back to the queerbaiting. It’s a topic I discussed with @ebaeschnbliah a long time ago (as is everything with me really). And back then I said to her, that I think they didn’t mean it as queerbaiting but to make the queer subtext of Doyle’s original work more blatant. And that tey didn’t make it explicit because they wanted to leave open all other possibilities as possibility as well - Sherlock being gay or bi or ace, John being straight or bi or frustrated ;-) . And even pairings as Mystrade or Adlock or Sherlolly or Molstrade are left open to be possible. It’s all up to interpretation. And that’s what I think has been their goal all along… to make it a possibility. And that’s imo the exact opposite to queerbaiting, because in my opinion the motto of the show is something said in the very beginning, by the narrator himself… IT’S ALL FINE!
rb for discussion.