What are the chances of the Cassablanc-esque plane scene was actually John and sherlock saying goodbye to those deeper feelings? Because if they choose to keep Mary/baby around in Series 4, they can’t riddle that with johnlock subtext nearly as much. Is it possible that the plane was the acknowledgement that those feelings were there, and now its time to say goodbye to them? Thats the feeling I’m getting.
the-hedgehogs-have-the-tardis:
loudest-subtext-in-television-d:
Standard disclaimer of “this is just my reading” here…
If the series ended there, then maybe. But it’s got two more series. The Casablanca parallel is set up to nod to the audience that the romantic feelings are 1) present, and 2) mutual. Sherlock’s plane turning around signifies that isn’t where the romantic story ends, that the writers intend to do something different. I said this earlier: They always do what they’ve seen done before, then add a twist or subvert it, and then take it a step further. They didn’t parallel Casablanca just to copy Casablanca, that’s not their style.
Past that, it would be incredibly bizarre to build up to romantic feelings for the entire duration of the show thus far, and then quietly bury them. I mean, there are no rules in storytelling, but balance of probability is that’s not what they’re going for: it wouldn’t satisfy hardly anyone, it would be a very unusual story to tell, and since practically the only thing we can be assured of is that John and Sherlock are going to spend their lives together, it’d be an odd decision that two guys who used to have feelings for each other just sexlessly live together later in life. It would be even weirder to set up things like Mary being as selfish as she is, and the Holmes parents as the only healthy relationship on the show as a mirror for Johnlock, if we’re going to be left with John and Mary.
I’m kind of surprised so many people think writing a baby — or anything — into the show means whelp, that’s it! It doesn’t mean anything for any story, much less Sherlock. Guys, Moriarty blew his brains out. That’s what storytelling is: you set up seemingly insurmountable obstacles so your characters can overcome them. You don’t set up obstacles to just shackle your narrative onto a narrow path.
I know we’re all used to really mediocre shows outside of Sherlock, but these writers know what they’re doing when it comes to character development and planning. Everything we saw in series 3 was prepped for in series 2, which was prepped for in series 1. Moftiss care a lot about their adaptation and thought about it for years, they’re not just flailing around trying to keep a show on the air indefinitely without a goal in sight. When someone is good at crafting stories, they will absolutely tear your heart out in the middle and make you wonder how anything will ever be okay again. If it didn’t look like John was going to end up with Mary right now, if things didn’t look hopeless, it would be a considerably shittier show.
Refer back to the signposts and you’ll see this is absolutely consistent with a narrative arc for a romance, and not consistent with much else. It’s taking this long because we’re not building up to a slapdash relationship, but a moving one. It hurts because it’s being done well.
Very nicely put.
Loudest-Subtext, if my hopes are dashed in the end I’m blaming you. JK. Well sort of.
IF YOU DIDN’T THINK SHERLOCK WAS GOING TO SAY ‘I LOVE YOU’ BEFORE HE GOT ON THAT PLANE YOU ARE A LYING MOTHER FUCKER
