jolieblack

[jolieblack]

Jolie’s thoughts on

Silver Blaze Part 3 & 4

(Sherlock & Co. podcast)

No, I tell a lie, because I still have stuff from part 2 that I wanted to point out, too:

I‘m a tiny bit obsessed with John's "doink - doink - doink" sounds after they cross the river.

I also laughed out loud at the Romans clearing out at 3:45.

And there’s a very sweet moment, too, that I didn’t really notice before, when they look at the victim‘s body with Inspector Gregory and Watson goes on about possible reasons why a single blow with a stick could have inflicted such damage, osteoporosis etc and Gregory thinks he’s just rambling, but Sherlock absolutely knows he’s not and nudges him back on track with that gentle "What are you thinking?" Because it’s not just John who wants his Sherlock to shine on a case, it’s the other way round, too!

And I honestly hadn’t noticed until the third relisten that at the very end of part 2 when they’re sneaking around Mapleton, John is basically solving the whole effing case just when Sherlock turns up and interrupts him!

Well, on to part 3 & 4!

Sherlock getting a black eye this time rather than a broken nose, yay, we love variety in our hero whumps. I could listen to entire episodes of Sherlock getting hurt and John looking after him.

Sherlock and John faking a legit job to get the information out of the local bookie was such a classic ACD scene, the way they work together completely seamlessly in situations like that is so great. I’ve also seen it pointed out that Sherlock can be so awkward with people when he’s being himself, but he’s always so confident and at ease when he’s just playing a role and being completely fake (without needing a break afterwards or telling us it’s exhausting, too!). That’s a totally fascinating contrast.

Part 2 had John accidentally solving the mystery of the murder weapon. Part 3 has John basically paving the way for the dog deduction. I love a competent Doctor Watson who knows exactly what he’s doing, but I also love it when he’s truly being Sherlock’s famous conductor of light.

John being canonically a Bond fan, love how they’re still incorporating so much BBC Sherlock fanon into this show. I‘m now eagerly waiting for Moriarty and Colonel Moran to be hot young men who have hot sex with each other, too.

"No more than you’re being human" - "Me more than you, mate" - Can ALL the John Watsons of this world please instantly stop dehumanising their Sherlocks and calling them robots or machines. I can accept it maybe up to their third case together, but in any adaptation that I know, the Sherlocks have proved themselves to have a big heart and to have it entirely in the right place, too, by case 4 at the latest. I don’t like to see any Watson regressing to the cheap laugh of "Sherlock’s a machine and doesn’t have feelings" after that, and I dislike it especially in this version where we get a Watson who is particularly well-attuned to and tolerant of Sherlock’s neurodivergence. Sorry, rant over.

Hey and I was right in my prediction that Sherlock didn’t drop John's phone at Mapleton Stables by accident but left it there on purpose! Even if I assumed it would be recording audio evidence rather than be used as a tracker. Which of course begs the question, did Sherlock really manage to somehow connect his phone to John’s and enable tracking in the very few seconds he had before Silas Brown turned up with the gun? Or is he always tracking John‘s phone as a matter of course? And if the latter, does he do it out of care/worry for John‘s safety and wellbeing, or is he doing it in a creepy/possessive way?

Anyway. After listening to part 4, I must admit I am somewhat underwhelmed by that bit… I don’t know what it is, but parts 1-3 are positively bursting with humour and action, while by part 4 I felt they had kinda lost the momentum. There’s nothing really wrong with it, and maybe it feels different when you’re not familiar with the original story and every revelation is truly jawdropping and not just ticking a box. Maybe I‘m also a little underwhelmed that the final denouement at Aintree is so… private. The horse whose disappearance - we are to believe - has GRIPPED THE NATION and is THE news story of the year is just back, and everyone’s just fine with it? No comments from anyone involved in the case? No congratulations from the owners? No bittersweet relief from Edi and Ned? No genuine relief from Fitz? No acknowledgement from the official police? No tearjerking speeches in parliament? I‘d say if you start a story on that kind of epic scale, you shouldn’t end smaller. I really wanted all those loose ends nicely tied up and got… none.

I also either missed something important, or we never really learned the reason why Mapleton kept hiding Silver Blaze? I see how they took him in at first, maybe thinking they’d get a big reward or ransom, or wanting to pass him off as one of their own, but the way it is, they just hide him for no reason and then give him back for no reason?

Am I being too critical?

The thing with the "S" and the "5" was clever though. And poor John and his abysmal Air BnB rating was hilarious, too.

#sherlock & co #podlock #sherlock & co podcast #sherlock and co #episode notes #silver blaze

[jolieblack]

#johnwatsontwitterarchive #sherlock & co #podlock #sherlock & co podcast #sherlock and co #st george’s day #oh jonk

[jolieblack]

The Text (OK Titles Aren’t Our Strength)

by @iwantthatbelstaffanditsoccupant and @abstractfrog

“Case?”

Sherlock was still texting and hadn’t touched the tea he had asked for moments before. The shade was exactly right—John had made sure of it— and there were two-and-one-half teaspoonfuls of sugar, just the way he liked it. Sherlock had taken a sip only to replace it upon the side table and text some more. No signs of anything off with it, but he had kept right on texting and let it go cold. He wouldn’t want it now.

He also hadn’t touched the filtered water kept perpetually cold in the fridge. This evening’s penne…still consumed, but not enjoyed; there was a difference, and John knew it by now. Sherlock was in the initial stages of a right strop. Still eating, so nothing too pressing, but the potential was there for things to go downhill rather quickly, and John hadn’t a clue why.

And all this texting.

Pushing his fingers against the screen far harder than necessary, leaving a quiet little thud, accompanied by the occasional look of annoyance the likes of which he hadn’t seen since that woman…what was her name?…the other podcaster…wasn’t Baker… Barker! Since that Barker woman had neglected to call the police. Someone was causing Sherlock a great deal of frustration.

Or was John causing the frustration? By hovering. He’d been hovering, he knew it. Because Sherlock had been doing nothing but sitting on the sofa, texting.

“Sherlock? Mate?” The words sounded awkward as ever, perhaps even more hollow and artificial this time. Increasingly so lately, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

“Mmm?”

“Case?”

Sherlock turned back to his phone again, not responding, then abruptly rolled toward John and said, “No.” And that was it. No more information than that.

And now John’s head was spinning. Something was very wrong. John had felt it too. Since that whole thing with Silver Blaze something was in the air, unspoken. Getting shot at was bad enough, but the thing that had really caught him off guard was the thoughts he struggled to keep out of his head, and indeed other parts of his body, when Sherlock had asked him to get on his knees. He had carefully shoved it aside. Examining what that was all about could wait, though he suspected he would soon need to deal with why even the most innocent gestures were being taken out of context by his affection-starved brain. Right now, something was up. Up with Sherlock. And this person on the other end of the phone. And he needed to know what it was. Not idle curiosity. Full-out need.

“Fine. Don’t tell me who you have been texting for the past ten minutes…”

“Eight-and-a-half.”

“Fine. Don’t tell me who you have been texting for the past eight-and-a-half minutes. Tea’s gone cold. I’ll make more.” He headed toward the sofa to clear the mug, and maybe, just maybe, to catch a glimpse of that mobile screen as he did so. Not intentionally, of course. Just…accidentally. Accidentally, as he gathered up the mug to make another cup.

“Don’t want another.”

John grabbed a book at random from the shelf, plopped down in his armchair, and started reading. It was one of the Discworld ones. His mum had told him it didn’t really matter which he started with, just to start already, and it almost diverted his attention until he felt that invisible pull of a pair of eyes on you—a sort of soldier’s instinct he was glad he had still retained. PTSD had its benefits. He looked up over the top of the book just fast enough to see the slightest remnant of motion on Sherlock's part. He had been watching him.

“Yes. The tea has indeed gone cold, and perhaps I would like some after all. I’ll make it. Would you like one as well?” Sherlock was already on his feet.

”Yeah, sure.”

He headed to the kitchen.

Leaving the mobile on the table.

He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help himself. He picked up the phone and read the text. He placed his finger where the bottom corner of the phone had been so it could be returned to its original location and scrolled with his thumb.

I can stop by yours.

This was blue. The other person. His eyes moved automatically to the top of the screen searching for a name, but it was just the number. John tried to memorize it, though he knew it was no use. He just wasn’t good at things like that. He chunked it into three parts and decided to try anyway. Maybe he could manage to write it down quickly.

No, it’s always better if I come to you.

That was Sherlock. Going to him. Or her. Or whoever. …Again? Sherlock had said ‘always’.

Oh. So he doesn’t know? Hiding me again, are you?

I’m not hiding anything. I’m simply choosing not to bring it up.

A kettle whistled and that was that. John put the phone down, then lifted it again and wiped it on his shirt. Leave no prints. He ran to the chair and picked up the book. He even skipped a few pages, just in case Sherlock could somehow tell John hadn’t been reading while he was gone. He wouldn’t put it past him to somehow know what page number he’d been on at a glance.

Sherlock returned carrying two mugs and picked up his phone rather unceremoniously and began texting again. He did not look at the number of pages John had turned in his book. He did not look at John at all. Then he got up—still holding his phone, put on his coat, and left.

Without a word.

Without even a sip of his tea.

John ran to their small rolltop desk which Carol had found at an antique shop in Camden Town, ripped a sheet of paper off the notepad, leaned it against the wall and wrote down what he thought was the number, to the best of his recollection. He didn’t want to leave an impression on the paper beneath. He paced for a while before he shoved it in his pants pocket. What good would it do to call? It wasn’t like it was a business. What did he expect? ‘Hello, friendly neighbourhood drug dealer speaking, how can I help you today?’ It wasn’t that though. At least he didn’t think so. Sherlock didn’t seem bored, he seemed restless. Like he was working through something and hadn’t come upon an answer yet. That wasn’t when he reached for the Oxy. It was usually when he reached for John. For his opinions, that is…not…not reached for him in any…physical sense.

He pictured the words in his mind. Read them over and over. What stood out were two words: ‘always’ and ‘again’. It was a friendly conversation. The type between people perfectly at ease with each other. And the only person he knew of who Sherlock had that degree of ease with was Victor Trevor. Could he have come back? Could he be joking with Sherlock about hiding his return from John? About having hid their friendship earlier by never mentioning him, even once in passing? If that was all it was. A friendship. No, of course that was what it was. Victor was his friend. Just like John was his friend. To assume it was more than that was stupid. Being friends, being roommates, with someone who happened to be gay didn’t mean anything. Or with someone who was…not-exactly-quite gay. Like... Well, it didn’t mean anything. Didn’t mean anything at all.

Fuck.

So, he finally read it?

Yes, he did. After an eternity. When can I go back? This feels awkward.

The deceit?

Yes.

Good. He needs time to think it over. Alone. Just like he needed time to decide to read the texts.

You didn’t watch him while he did it, did you? From the kitchen?

No, I couldn’t risk letting him see me. I did listen to you. This time.

The phone was smudged when I left and clean when I came back.

He’s a good man, Sherlock. It took him a long time to invade your privacy.

Shut up.

I’m completely sincere. He’s a good man.

He cares about you.

And…?

And don’t mess it up. There. I said it.

Happy?

You had to say it sometime. Might as well get it over with.

I’ll try not to.

Now, go back and tell him about me. Explain how I provide you with excellent advice on cases and…other issues of concern.

You’re absolutely certain about this?

He won’t think any less of you for needing occasional advice. Your reputation won’t suffer.

Remember, he has been wondering if he will lose you, so show him he won’t.

Bring him round tomorrow. Don’t hide things from him again, including your feelings, Sherlock. Including your feelings.

Keep him informed of everything and it will all work out. I guarantee it.

So. Would you really have come to mine?

And leave home? Of course not.

Thank you, Mycroft.

You’re welcome.

#oof i did not see that twist coming #well done guys #great fic great art #but then its Coat and Abstractfrog #so what could go wrong #sherlock & co #sherlock and co #podlock #sherlock & co flash bang

[jolieblack]

little comic based on The Gloria Scott - part 2

#sherlock & co #sherlock and co #lovely sherlock & co fanart #sherlock & co podcast #podlock #abstractfrog #the gloria scott #bugger bugger bugger arse and balls

[jolieblack]

John in Sherlock & Co. is like… actually my favorite thing ever.

John Watson has always been my favorite character. I don’t know what it is, but he’s just always been it for me, you know?

And I just… I love how he’s so silly in the podcast. I love listening to his stuttering, his references, his rants about pop culture, everything. Like he literally makes me burst out laughing like a maniac when listening to the podcast, he’s just so unintentionally funny.

Not to mention that he’s the sweetest. His sympathy for victims of cases is so prominent and he makes people feel seen, which I think is incredibly important. He has such a big heart and you can tell. When someone is feeling bad about themselves, like let’s say someone is in distress, he just listens. He listens and then afterwards, though he can sometimes be awkward about it, he keeps calm and tries to make them feel better, not just about the situation but about themselves.

And oh, how he looks out for people! Like in the Gloria Scott case, the way his heart went out to Victor and the way he tried his best to make sure he was protected just… ugh. It just shows you how much he cares for people, even if he’s not fully acquainted with them.

I really hope John Watson gets a whole lot of love from the Sherlock and Co. fandom as the podcast continues. He deserves it.

#sherlock & co #sherlock and co #sherlock & co podcast #podlock #john watson #sherlock & co meta

[jolieblack]

stake-out

#sherlock & co #sherlock and co #sherlock & co podcast #podlock #loyely sherlock & co fanart #mayhasopinions #stakeout #the creeping man

[jolieblack]

MYCROFT INTERLUDE - an imagined conversation between Holmes and Mycroft in 1888, after the events of the Greek Interpreter, when Watson and Mycroft meet for the first time. I was thinking about the 1885 Labouchere Amendment and Mycroft being protective of his younger brother.

(this is a part of the Watson's Sketchbook series)

#mycroft is gay too btw he just is much less dramatic about it #according to contact guy #and I agree so much #acd holmes #acd holmes fanart #holmes brothers #johnlock #contact guy #check out this whole series it’s fantastic

[jolieblack]

So how come 1890s Victorians were SHOCKED by the gay subtext in Dorian Gray but were oblivious to the gay subtext in Sherlock Holmes and Dracula?

Well, Dorian Gray was barely subtext. The editor censored the first edition without Wilde’s permission and even then there was such an uproar that the second edition (released the next year) was much more heavily edited–that’s the version most of us are familiar with. The original version contained such lines as, “It is quite true I have worshipped you with far more romance of feeling than a man should ever give to a friend. Somehow I have never loved a woman.” And everyone knew Wilde was queer.

Meanwhile, Dracula frames gayness in monstrous terms. This is a literary device that’s been used in many queer stories in homophobic times: make it tragic, horrifying, monstrous, and the cishet audience will feel comfortable in their removal from it, while the queer audience recognizes their otherness.

And unlike Wilde, Doyle was staid, and respectable, and not especially radical; and his characters’ queerness was framed in purely emotional terms. They are devoted, tender, adoring, intensely intimate, but never sexual. Doyle repeatedly makes Holmes seem to be removed from lust by nature; frames his queerness as an absence of feeling toward women, rather than a physical desire for men. And Victorians loved intimate friendships. They considered them to be quite separate from sexual passion. A man could promise his friend to love him forever, offer all his loyalty, share his rooms, and take his arm in the street. As long as there wasn’t a hint of carnality, no one minded. (Honestly, quite a number of Victorians didn’t mind if there was; but publishing a book about the subject brought out the cultural gatekeepers.)

#acd holmes #acd holmes meta #oof i loved reading this discussion so much!

[jolieblack]

CHARLES AUGUSTUS MILVERTON part 4 - death of a blackmailer

(part 1) (part 2) (part 3)

content warnings for: guns, blood, death. which you are *probably* expecting if you know how this story goes in canon, although this version is...not exactly how Watson told it to the Strand.

(This is part of the Watsons sketchbook series)

#acd holmes #fantastic acd holmes fanart #contact guy #watsons sketchbook #charles augustus milverton #I‘ve always thought that a gay Holmes would have been mad to approach London‘s most notoriously blackmailer #it would have been so dangerous #but also worth it eliminating that threat forever #and yes the nonsense about the duchess was clearly a blind #did not expect the chair to make a glorious comeback though! #everyone check out the previous parts too please

[jolieblack]

#bbc sherlock #sherlock #john watson #johnlock #a study in epic wordlessness #tarmac scene #hlv #his last vow #yep definitely a pain day on this blog today

[jolieblack]

Alone

reference used, new style and I was drinking. idk.

#bbc sherlock #sherlock #alone #gorgeous sherlock fanart #it hurts so good #today's theme is pain apparently #well bring it on

[jolieblack]

I managed to paint a bit this week and tried out Krita's RGB oil brushes. They are amazing.

This is a giftwork for @kabubsmagga. I wanted to paint something for them for a long time. Thank you kabubsmagga, for all the support and feedback of my writing and painting. ˂3

Close up, because zooming in doesn't work on desktop tumblr.

I am flattered if you reblog, but do NOT post my art on other sites/social media or use in any other way without my written permission.

#he looks HAUNTED #amazing sherlock fanart #bbc sherlock #sherlock #benedict cumberbatch #ceruleanmindpalace #that eye detail alone is a little masterpiece

[jolieblack]

KICKING AND SCREAMING

#oh no 😭😭😭 #bbc sherlock #chips #you're allowed chips #poor baby

[jolieblack]

John may not be a spectacular shooting star but he is like the steady, twinkling light of the north star that guides travellers safely home. 

Sometimes people put something so accurately and poetically at the same time that you want to cry. Thank you @wellingtongoose .

Hi I have seen a few posts recently saying that they feel BBC John is like a bumbling idiot and is essentially useless, personally I disagree, but I just wondered how you felt of this matter?

I love John Watson’s character both in the original stories and BBC Sherlock. Some adaptations have portrayed him as a bumbling idiot but this was not in keeping with ACD!John nor is it how BBC Sherlock have chosen represent him.

I am going to focus on BBC Sherlock John as this blog is about BBC Sherlock. 

John is much more than just a side kick, he is the window through which readers can see just how amazing, extraordinary and unique Sherlock is. 

John is a sensible, pragmatic and realistic character. He represents the “normal human population”, the “everyman”. We are seeing things from John’s view in the original stories and this makes Sherlock seem all the more fascinating and mysterious. Only after his deductions are explained at the end do we finally realise the scope of Sherlock’s genius. 

For this to work, John has to be less amazing than Sherlock. This does not mean that he is not a competent, intelligent character in his own right. 

Looking at BBC Sherlock:

John is an army doctor: getting into medicine is academically demanding but being a doctor requires more than just book work. Being an army doctor is a whole other level. You need to be calm under pressure, able to make the right decision in a very short amount of time, imaginativeand analytical. You also have to be good at teamwork but also provide leadership when needed. 

We have seen John demonstrate all of these qualities during the series. 

John shoots the cab driver: John has very little time to make a very hard decision. Whether you think what he did was right or wrong: John did not panic, freeze, or break down. He was steady enough to take an accurate shot with a hand gun through two windows over a long distance. He essentially saves Sherlock’s life. This is exactly the opposite of being a bumbling idiot. 

John gets kidnapped by Moriarty: he does not break down and cry when kidnapped by Moriarty as the other victims did. Personally if I had so much explosive strapped to my chest, I would find it very hard to remain in control of my emotions well enough to spot a potential opening. He analysed the situation and exploited the first weakness he could find in Moriarty’s plan. What’s more he was willing to sacrifice his own chances of escape so that Sherlock might have a chance to survive. 

John puts up with Sherlock - Sherlock may not be the worst housemate ever but he is at least in the top five. I do not think John has to stay at 221B and put up with Sherlock. Alternative accommodation may be more expensive but as a locum GP John would earn more than enough to afford a nice flat/shared house in the suburbs. John stays for the adventure that Sherlock brings, but also because despite all the antisocial things that Sherlock does, he genuinely care for his flatmate. He is willing to tolerate and forgive some truly awful things: I would not live with someone who puts severed heads in the fridge. Not only does he tolerate Sherlock’s behaviour, he also does his best to ensure that he eats properly (by doing the shopping). He is not ashamed of Sherlock despite his antisocial behaviour, John introduces them as friends in Season 2. 

There are many other instances of John just being awesome but I don’t have time to write about them in this reply. 

If you would like to read more about why John is awesome - read the semantics of healthcare series

I think there are many kinds of amazing characters: some are “superhuman” but others embody all the good qualities that make us more human. John is definitely the latter: he is caring, brave, loyal, intelligent. Whereas Sherlock has a superior intellect and is able to show up everyone around him, he is not someone I aspire to be. I admire his genius but as a person I want to be more like John. 

John may not be a spectacular shooting star but he is like the steady, twinkling light of the north star that guides travellers safely home. 

#john watson #bbc sherlock #bamf john watson #bbc sherlock meta #wellingtongoose

[jolieblack]

I think of S1E2 John Watson every single time I use one of those damn things, even when they work just fine.

I suspect that’s is kinda the younger cousin of what we think every time we fumble to plug in our phones.

literally just had a row, in a shop, with a chip and pin machine. the attendant had to come over four (4) times and I have never felt more like s1ep2 John Watson in my life

#john watson #bbc sherlock #chip and pin machine #tbb

[jolieblack]

John @ Sherlock: 😐😕🙁☹️😢

#bbc sherlock #john watson #looking at sherlock #martin freeman #through the seasons

[jolieblack]

@giftober 2022 | Day 28: Emotions.

#what a range #bbc sherlock #john watson #martin freeman