In ASIP, John Watson is shown in front of a line of (closed) closets while talking about his trust issues to his therapist Ella, reading her writing upside down. Symbolism is strong in Sherlock. And the colour of John’s jumper even coordinates with the closet doors’ wallpaper. In other words (or in another upside down reading), John is coded as a closeted man! We then hear the Sherlock opening titles which combine John’s chords with Sherlock’s theme, confirmed to be of a “slightly off-kilter quality” by Mark Gatiss himself.
Our very first look at Sherlock is upside down, referencing the earlier scene in Ella’s office.
‘Upside down’ and ‘off-kilter’ are synonymous for ‘queer’. A connection is drawn from John Watson to Sherlock Holmes that literally and figuratively spells it out: QUEER. That’s the theme of the show. We were told….
