I’m seeing quite a few comments today about the destructive effects of long hiatuses on the fandom’s enthusiasm and commitment, as well as some fairly witty ones (like this one). And to some degree I’m sympathetic to what they’re spelling out: a fandom that either goes crazy or departs and a production that falters because they’ve lost the core fandom that sustained enthusiasm between series.
I feel some schadenfreude at the latter, because I do think that the Hartswood crowd began to see the peril of this even before we did, and that probably explains the turnaround between when fanbashing was their major attitude and now, where there’s a cautious, at least verbal acceptance that the fans are creative/supportive and, tacitly, damned important to them continuing to rack up the all-important revenue even though they’re still flailing around on how to use fan engagement effectively.
But on the former point, I am wondering how much of this we bring on ourselves because of the way we define Sherlock as a “tv show” with all of the rapid-release and continuity that this entails. TV is supposed to operate this way, and Sherlock, although it’s unaired pilot was originally meant to fit this model, really is a outlier so far beyond the bounds of typical that it’s slipped into a near-alternate universe.
And yet, that universe may in fact be a better fit for what the show really is. By which I mean the universe of cinema-released movies. Aside from its release mode, prime time tv broadcast, Sherlock has much more in common with a big-scale movie ‘verse like the Ritchie Holmes movies or even the MCU. These kinds of multi-episode properties do sustain fannish enthusiasm, do have a lot of ep-to-ep continuity, but they also have production time hiatuses of years.
Okay, yeah, cinematic movies typically pay more, especially for the big stars, which may be at the heart of why there is a constant negotiation underway for each next series of Sherlock. For all that BC and MF owe a lot to Sherlock, their careers also require a lot of work to make sure that audiences don’t see them as defined by those roles. Really, that’s as far as one needs to look, without inventing some personal fallings-out, to explain the careful separation from Sherlock that these actors practice in their interviews. This is critical to their careers and they’re big enough players now that in order to stay in the game, they’ve got to stay fresh and available for new roles; typecasting, a struggle anyway for two such distinctive men, will be the death of their future role options. Add to that that they’re not either of them yet in the position to turn down high-paying, career-building new work and you have two actors who can only commit to more Sherlock when, really, they’ve got nothing else good on. And that’s a hard metric to force everyone else to, including such things as corporate budgets and network scheduling.
But by not really appreciating that and getting our feathers rumpled in taking each hiatus as a personal/fandom slight, I think that we’re (damagingly to ourselves) over-investing in the tv show model and refusing to see the show as what it is. Moffat has said this before: the 90-minute, limited-series model is cinematic and that’s more the framework they’re operating within. I wonder if fandom would be healthier and happier if it could endorse this model and weather the hiatuses with less trauma.
I think the creators of the series are the ones who are responsible for managing expectations when they call their creation a “TV Series”, or “Mini-Series”. It’s listed that way, it won awards in the categories for TV. It’s not big screen.
So, I don’t think the fans are to blame for just wishing for more. In fact, it’s high compliment– and when that stops– Mofftisson will have a real problem.
Call it what you like, they really did leave lots of loose ends after His Last Vow. A Marvel movie will leave maybe one or two loose ends but have each movie be a complete story. With the pool you knew at least what the cliffhanger was. It was a classic cliffhanger with a single point of focus. And with the fall – well the fall has been done before so there was a well understood separation between the fall and the return. But we don’t even know which plot threads of His Last Vow are loose ends and which plot threads were already resolved as well as they are going to be. And by the way which threads are being picked up in the special and which threads are to be picked up in season 4? I can’t imagine a movie hiatus to be all over the place like this is. Here is what I think. I think HLV was written like part 1 of a 2 part TV episode. Sometimes in a TV show a 2 parter will span seasons, but in that case, the 2 parts are only 6 months apart. But with HLV there are maybe 4 important plot threads, not just themes but critical plot threads, that are going to remain open for 2-3 years.
That thing about them leaving lots of loose ends is entirely subjective. If you accept that John forgave Mary and the goodbyes were real, the only plot thread that’s there is Moriary possibly not being dead.
It may very well turn out that HLV was just as shitty as it seems and the things that don’t make sense remain so. Then let’s talk about the state of fandom. But yes, I don’t think it’s as much about the long wait as it is about how nobody seems to be interested in creating theories about how Moriarty may have survived.
too noticed that it was a lot more exciting coming up with theories how Sherlock could have survived, cliffhanger S03… After TEH I felt like being ridiculed for this enthusiasm, because they literally employed it in E01. Ridiculous overweight Sherlockians in deerstalkers engaging in even more ridiculous theories involving ludicrous shipping. It was like a slap in the face, it wasn’t done gracefully or appreciative. They were simply making fun of us. They never reached the Supernatural level of incorporating the show within the show. The real solution was not presented ever, it was simply dropped and Mary was introduced to distract. Now it’s all revolving around her. John has become the little angry terrier always snapping and snarling at Sherlock, who himself is reduced to a Sheldon-style comic relief of an Asperger patient. Still no laughs for me. The eyeball in the tea. The origami opera houses. The best man speech. WTF? Why? What does this have to do with Sherlock Holmes? Could you have imagined this nonsense in S01? Would the ratings have been the same? Now they tried to use exactly the same cliffhanger again for S04. How did MORIARTY do it? Are they even wondering why it’s not working? Do they even care? I know for sure the fandom doesn’t care how Moriarty did it. We already spent two years wasting our free-time on theories & speculations about Sherlock’s fall, we were ridiculed and left wondering after S03 opened while getting heteronormativity shoved down our throats. After all I’ve seen from Setlock, they will continue the Mary storyline. They added a pink bunny-eared baby. Can this series scream any more NO HOMO? Still Johnlockers expect a gay coming out. Now the theory is that Moftiss toy with us to hide the gay. Are we getting desparate? No one cares how M did it cause this cliffhanger will be dropped as soon as the Watsons introduce little Sherlotta. If we indulge in theory-spinning the chubby deerstalker Sherlockian will make us appear like tinfoil hatters in no time. I am tired of BBC Sherlock. I kinda want it to be over. And they haven’t even finished filming.
We-start-with-the-riding-crop, you described the problem with Sherlock so clearly and to the point. The authors leave the audience at such a climactic cliffhanger – but never give us the “release” they were building. And then the audience is ridiculed for it in the first episode of Season 3. That is problem #1, which could have been alright if they continued with the same people (Sherlock and John), but they gave us imposters that act completely different than they did in the first two seasons. I realize things change with time/circumstances, but not a person’s inherent character.
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson Additional Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Sleepy Sex, Sleepy Sherlock, Topping from the Bottom, Top Sherlock, Bottom John Watson, Bottom John, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Sleepy Cuddles, Fluff and Smut, Fluff, Developing Relationship, Dirty Talk Summary:
John gets home at midnight and Sherlock asks him to bed
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I was tagged by @jaimistoryteller to pick 10 of my stories and do a few paragraphs from them. This is gonna get long, folks, so I’ll put it under a cut:
It was plain to Greg that there was more there, secrets Mycroft was keeping. But he knew better than to push or ask. “But you still lost him. Sherlock still jumped off that roof.”
Mycroft looked towards the fire. “Do you know how many times I expected him to turn up dead when he was using? That brilliant mind of his and he was burning it up. He knew I kept an eye on him, but there were still times he gave my people the slip. And the more I pushed him to get clean, the greater he resented me.”
Greg moved towards him. “All of that and this was how he ended up,” he said softly, biting back the ‘I’m sorry’ that sounded shallow even in his own mind.
Mycroft nodded. “I remember when he was brought home from hospital as a newborn,” he said to the fireplace. “So small. They didn’t want me to hold him, afraid I would drop him. I promised I never would.”
“Don’t you dare walk out of here, Sherlock Holmes,” Greg growled.
Closing his eyes a moment, he turned to face them. John’s eyes went from rage to disbelief. Greg looked a little calmer, but he kept a firm grip on Sherlock’s elbow as he steered him to their table.
Sherlock sat where he was put, picking at the napkin in front of him, unable to look at either of them. Greg put a hand on John’s leg to contain him. “Explain,” he said to Sherlock, voice rough with emotion.
Eyes glued to the table, Sherlock mumbled his story. How he had to fake his death to protect them, how he’d spent the last two years dismantling Moriarty’s web.
When he finished John reached over and tilted up his chin. “We missed you.”
Sherlock stared into his eyes, fighting back tears. Greg reached across and took his hand. Sherlock shook his head and pulled away from them both. He could smell the difference in them, see the hint of a mark below John’s collar. “You’ve bonded. I can’t I…” He stood up suddenly and bolted, hearing Greg say something to John.
I turn my attention to what skin I can see and study his face. He is relaxed, softened. Unbothered by the nightmares that frequent us both. The steel blue eyes are hidden, golden lashes laying thickly on his cheek. He shifts as if aware of my gaze, eyes fluttering a moment before settling again. I cross the room and slip into bed beside him, sitting against the headboard as I resume my study of his careworn face.
An eyelash has fallen loose. I capture it and consider the way the light reflects the golden tones. Transfixed, I don’t realize he’s awoken until he speaks.
“Good morning,” he says, sleep still heavy in his voice. He stretches and rubs his shoulder before padding into the en suite. I carefully place my captured treasure aside, fairly certain that John would dub my intense fascination ‘not good’.
The next morning Greg was fixing breakfast in the kitchen when Sherlock stalked in. “Morning,” he said, not looking up from the stove.
Ignoring the greeting, Sherlock crossed the kitchen and kicked Greg as hard as he could in the shin.
“Bloody hell!” Greg shouted, nearly losing the pan as he jumped and winced in pain.
Before the boy could swing again, Mycroft appeared in the doorway. “Sherlock,” he said firmly. Sherlock turned to his big brother. “Mister Lestrade did not harm me.”
Looking from one to the other for a moment, Sherlock sagged. Mycroft stepped to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “This changes nothing between you and I. But we do still need to talk about your breaking and entering.”
The sound of wings could thrill him almost as much as the sound of the TARDIS. Jack smiled at the sound, turning to look behind him. Castiel stood solidly on the sea cliff, the breeze ruffling his hair and his coat billowing out behind him. The angel didn’t smile, but then again, he often didn’t.
“You called me,” he said, frowning.
“I did.” Jack quickly closed the gap between them.
“Is there a problem?” Castiel asked, confusion bleeding into his voice.
Jack shook his head and took his hand. “Isn’t this a beautiful sunset?”
Castiel looked from Jack’s face out across the water. The clouds were stained pink and blue and yellow; a world painted in soft pastels. Jack let go of Castiel’s hand to wrap an arm around his waist. He felt the angel relax against him and leaned in to kiss his temple.
John watched Sherlock sip soda through a straw. Whoever handed that straw to Sherlock Holmes should either be shot or given a medal. The detectives eyes were on the paper in front of him, but John was trying not to stare at the pout of his lips and failing miserably.
Licking his lips, John adjusted his erection under the table, glade for the distraction as the waitress brought then lunch.
Sherlock set down his cup. John pointedly picked up his fork and knife. Sherlock had ordered a fruit salad and John had to bite his lip as Sherlock picked up a cherry and sucked it off the stem.
John felt his face warm and reached for his water, gulping down the cold drink. When he looked at Sherlock again, the man was watching him, fingers steepled and tugging slightly at his bottom lip. “Everything all right, John?”
“Friends,” answered John, almost without thought. The conversation from that night was all but seared into his memory. It was the night he knew that Sherlock would never be his, but he’d follow him into hell anyway. “People they know, people they like, people they don’t like. Boyfriends, girlfriends…do you have a girlfriend?”
John watched a small smile play across Sherlock’s face as he kept his eyes on the window. “Not really my area.”
Heart skipping in his chest, John took a bite of food and kept his eyes on Sherlock. “Boyfriend then? Which is fine, by the way.”
Sherlock looked at him. “I know it’s fine. And no.”
John licked his lips. This was the point that Sherlock had told him he was flattered but he considered himself married to his work. He waited a few heartbeats, but the words never came. Steeling himself, expecting Sherlock to pull away, John reached over and touched Sherlock’s elegant fingers. “It is fine,” he said quietly. “And any man would be lucky to have you.”
“John,” he said quietly, looking away, as if not trusting himself to speak.
He was just drifting off again when the door opened and quietly closed. John. He knew by the scent of tea and the tread of his feet. He started to open his eyes, but then he felt John’s hand in his. “And one day the knight found the dragon badly injured and the knight called the dragon an idiot as he patched him up.”
Mycroft opened one eye, then the other. “That’s not how it goes.”
“Does in my version.” John leaned up and kissed his forehead.
Mycroft gave him a smile and squeezed his hand. “Good thing my knight happened to be close by.”
John paid the cabbie with a sigh. Three days in Yorkshire for a conference in the dead of winter was no one’s idea of a good time. It was damn good to be home and he was looking forward to a warm cuppa and maybe some crap telly while Sherlock told him about whatever cases had come up. His own bed with a Sherlock in it would be nice too. The cold drizzle offered extra encouragement to head inside and up the steps.
Pushing open the familiar door, John, couldn’t help but smile as he shrugged his coat off. Sherlock was curled up on the couch, asleep, wrapped up in one of John’s favorite jumpers. Shaking his head and leaving him there, John stepped into the kitchen to put the kettle on, noticing another jumper on the back of one of the chairs. They had texted the entire time John had been gone, but it seemed maybe Sherlock had missed him more than he let on.
Heading upstairs to drop off his bag, John could see his bed had been slept in, covers thrown to the footboard. The dresser drawer stood open and several jumpers lay on the bed while a few were missing alltogether. “It was three days, Sherlock,” he said quietly to no one.
“I missed you,” Sherlock’s voice behind him made John jump. He turned and laughed at the sight of Sherlock standing in the doorway, swallowed up by the jumper that rode too high on his stomach.
Mrs. Hudson found him there when she brought up a sandwich and tea for lunch. She set it in front of him and went into the kitchen. Sherlock was sipping his tea when he heard a small gasp as the fridge opened. “Sherlock, dear, do you really need so many kidneys?”
“It’s an experiment,” he called, turning a page as he absently ate.
There was the sound of Mrs. Hudson rearranging things in the kitchen. She came back out a few minutes later. “I put the kidneys in the crisper so they wouldn’t damage the cake.”
“Is that a concern?” asked Sherlock, looking up at her.
She smiled and patted his shoulder. “Did you get John a present?”
Sherlock blinked owlishly at her.
“There’s a sale on at Harrods, you should be back in time.”
Sherlock quickly finished his tea, grabbed his coat and scarf and bounded down the stairs, using his power to summon cabs as he exited the flat. “Harrods,” he said shortly.
He paid the cab driver too much and hurried inside. So many people. John…a jumper, yes, that should do. Quickly locating some he started sorting through them, hoping to find one John would like.
After a few minutes of frantic searching he found one with a large picture of some sort of dog. It was sort of a periwinkle color, but he hoped it would do. Uncertain of John’s size, he picked one more or less at random and took it to the cash. He had it gift wrapped and hurried out to catch another cab.
You’re letting your kids watching Disney movies which have:
naked women
a fucking stripper mouse
Satan
A 70 year old man enslaving a fucking 15 yr girl, giving her sexy outfits and calling her pussycat
This fucking movie
Drinking and smoking
Voodoo….
….which results in him, literally getting dragged to hell
And murder
But for some reason, a 4-second lesbian couple (or any future LGBT characters) is too inappropriate for your kids because now Disney is “perverted, evil, and it’ll brainwash your kids.”
