Hello! Playing devil's advocate here, but surely we'd at least have had an announcement for s5 by now if tjlc was real and s5 was really coming? Doesn't it maybe seem more likely that the signs pointing to s5 and tjlc were a combination of being led on ("fans will be desperate for s5"), queerbaiting (some of the more obvious (which, tbh, most were) indicators of johnlock), reading too much into things (some of the less obvious indicators) and coincidence (the whole fourth pip thing)? Again, devil's advocate - I personally do think there are a couple too many loose threads for no s5 - but I'd be interested in your answer
Hi there. We’re not sure what kind of answer you’re really looking for and what your knowledge base/experience is with tjlc, so we’ll try to answer in the simplest way possible while covering our bases.
First, if any part of you is asking these questions because it’s coming from a place of insecurity and needing confirmation before allowing yourself to “hope,” then we’re not the people to ask. That is not a healthy way to engage with a TV show theory, nor is it an objective way to engage with it. It’s important to not doubt your ability to cope with being “wrong.” As my therapist once put it, “confident” people don’t have confidence that they will never make a mistake, rather they know they can handle their reaction to mistakes. Mistakes will not shatter their happiness or make them a total failure. It is the fear of doubt and being wrong which will hold you back more than healthy skepticism ever will (This advice may not apply to you, but it does apply to a fair number of people past and present).
That being said…there isn’t one single piece of evidence (or even two or three) I could offer that would sell a potential series 5 without the added context of everything tjlc related. If you’re waiting for S5 to be announced before you fully engage with tjlc on an intellectual level, then there’s nothing I could say. If you are still willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, then the most complete argument for S5 (& tjlc in general really) is to look at BBC Sherlock holistically as having a five-act structure. With some emotional distance, it was much more obvious post-S4, but this analysis goes back to July 2016 if not earlier.
Besides this, the argument that it “seems more likely that the signs pointing to s5 and tjlc were a combination of being led on . . . queerbaiting . . . reading too much into things . . . and coincidence” cannot be simply contested in just this one post. We’ve argued against these things ad nauseum for years. If S5 is announced, this will not make all doubts about tjlc dissipate over night. It will not convince people of tjlc on its own and, frankly, nor should it.
“surely we'd at least have had an announcement for s5 by now if tjlc was real and s5 was really coming?” I do not have a bullet-proof answer to this nor do I pretend to fully understand what their reasons have been for waiting. They could have waited to announce it simply because they are in no personal hurry, because of Martin & Ben’s schedules and/or the pandemic (at least in part.) Regardless, there’s too much we don’t know to definitively say what their reasons are or are not.
The most compelling argument imo for why they have waited this long at all, has always been the inescapable fact that there are multiple Sherlock Holmes stories which remain under copyright until 2023. Even in 2020 Doyle’s estate tried to sue Netlfix because Enola Holmes depicted Holmes as ‘respectful of women,’ as well as too ‘emotional’ and ‘empathetic,’ arguing that he only fits these descriptions in the stories which were under copyright at the time. Their argument is terrible and there are definite holes so thankfully it was dismissed. But if these are the sort of details they would be willing to squabble over then surely an adaptation that dared to depict and "re-interpret" canon to say Holmes is gay would no doubt kick up controversy at the very least and probably lawsuits. As far as I know there wasn’t the same controversy/lawsuit over Watson being secretly in unrequited love with Holmes in The Irregulars, but Holmes' sexuality is another story altogether especially since many would sooner argue he did not have one at all.
Given all of the above, at this point why not wait until 2023 to bring back the show at all? Especially, if they plan to reference the specific stories under copyright. Even if they thought the estate would lose, why risk it or the hassle? Maybe they will announce it this year or 2023, or maybe not. If they don’t, our opinions won’t change any time soon, but nevertheless we cannot argue that they absolutely must have already announced S5 by now for our theory to be right that they plan to make a 5th, let alone tjlc.
yes, all of this. i remember reading five act structure meta pretty early on, if not pre s3 then shortly after. (s3 hiatus was like film school and lit crit school, i wish all those blogs were still here, sigh.)