we-start-with-the-riding-crop:
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.
The cycle of the Sherlock fandom
Fandom: *bored*
New thing: *is released without warning*
Fandom: omgomgomgomgoHMYGAWD I’M SCREAMING I CAN’T HANDLE THIS SLAY MY ENTIRE ASS I’M DYINGGGG
Fandom: *gifs thing in lightning speed and reblogs 221 times*
Fandom: Hey, did you notice this (prop/costume), it’s the same as in (setlock date/episode) *adds 1k worth of research*
Fandom: … is that a dick joke?
Fandom: Also, this is definitely (ACD canon reference).
Fandom from different time zone: WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING
Fandom: … that’s definitely a dick joke.
Fandom: This is so gay. I love it.
Fandom: What can we predict for the plot from this 0.1 seconds of footage? *adds 57 theories*
Fandom: MOFTISS *shakes fist*
Fandom: This is so gay. I hate them.
Fandom: *starts to make (nsfw) crack posts using the new footage*
Fandom: *has analysed every single frame of the new footage in less than [footage time x 1895]*
Fandom: …
Fandom: *bored*
i love our little corner of this fandom so much. i really do. i love our sense of humor and our positivity and how much fun we have despite the fact that we’re all in hell and burning and everything hurts. i love our passion. i love tjlc. i love our art, meta and fic. i love the friends i’ve made and i love that i spent entire nights blogging and writing headcanons and crying with laughter. i’m so happy to be a part of this, and in the very unlikely event that we’re wrong about canon johnlock, i won’t really care because the actual show isn’t even that important at this point. the belief in canon johnlock is just a small part of everything this fandom has given me and nobody can take those memories away from me
every other fandom: nice, new season
sherlock fandom: THERE’S A NEW ONE SECOND CLIP OF A TRAILER OF A SINGLE EPISODE THAT MIGHT AIR IN THREE MONTHS IF WE’RE LUCKY; HOLD THE FUCK UP BECAUSE MY ASS IS ON FIRE; HIDE YOUR CHILDREN THIS IS THE APOCALYPSE; LET ME GRAB THIS ELECTRONIC DEVICE THAT RULES MY LIFE AND WATCH THIS ONE SECOND OVER AND OVER UNTIL THE HEADPHONES IN MY EARS ARE DROWNING IN MY OWN BLOOD AS MY CONSCIOUSNESS SLOWLY FADES AWAY; THIS IS MY LIFE NOW AND I AM PREPARED TO SACRIFICE MY FIRSTBORN FOR ANOTHER SECOND OF FOOTAGE;;;
Look, I don’t want a giant pile of wank pointed my way, but I’m going to put this out here and say it once:
I’m so tired of this fandom. Not all of you, of course, not even most of you. I know the vast majority of us just want to ship whatever we ship, delight over the show we love, discuss and create what we want.
But there’s also a reason that people stay out of it. My best friend enjoys the show, but says that she’s ‘not in the fandom’. Because she’s seen how much shit goes on over here and wants no part of it. And that’s sad. It puts up a wall. If all someone sees of a fandom or a group is shitposts and infighting, then why the hell would they want to be part of it?
I know I haven’t been writing as much. Part of that is time and stuff going on with me, part of it is the show, and part of it is fandom. It’s difficult for me to write anything with the show where it stands now. I don’t mind writing stuff going back in time or AUs, or other pairings, but my Johnlock feels kind of broken and I don’t know how to get that back.Hopefully S4, whenever we get it, will fix some of that.
I’m lucky in that I joined fandom when I did. It was the late summer of 2013, things were still vibrant, everyone was still puzzling over Reichnbach and I was able to write and grow and get so much positive feedback and meet so many amazing people that my life was literally changed.
But something has happened over the last year. Maybe it’s just part of a fandom’s lifecycle. Maybe we’re all just trying to deal with s3. Maybe the more strident voices in this fandom are driving out those of us just trying to do what we do. Well, that one isn’t a maybe, that has certainly happened. And it makes me sad when we lose those voices, when people are so fed up and tired of this fandom that they stop participating. Sure they’re still writing and creating other things, turning their attentions elsewhere (for the most part), but I can’t blame them for wanting out of this. Even if they aren’t a target of the wank themselves, how much are they willing to have on their dashes, how much are they willing to tolerate?
I don’t like bullying, in any form. I was bullied far too much as a kid to tolerate it as an adult. Even if you’re self-righteously convinced that yours is the only way, that what you’re doing is best for other people, I would plead with you to think about what you’re doing, and who you’re hurting in an effort to ‘correct’ things.
I’m not going anywhere, I don’t think. I’m still here, in my own little corner. But I’m also posting this because even though I’m a nobody I’m still afraid to post it, still afraid this will make me a target. And that’s not right.
JOHNLOCK FANFIC CULTURE IN A NUTSHELL
Cases: NO TIME FOR REAL CASES. THERE’S PORN ON THE HORIZON. (Either story begins just after a case, or incorporates a few legit-sounding details.)
Anderson: Not usually in story but inevitably mentioned with appropriate scorn.
Mycroft: Usually either very for or very against Johnlock. Either way he’s kinkily watching the CCTV.
Tea: Everyone drinks at least half their body weight in tea during the course of a story. Even drabbles. You see that 800-word story? 400 of those words deal with making tea.
Milk: Getting the milk is a thing. It’s practically a euphemism at this point. If Sherlock gets the milk, he’s DTF. Or apologizing, and then offering his body as an extra form of apologetic-ness.
Mrs. Hudson: Ships Johnlock like a beast. Hell, she usually has some kind of Johnlockfucking-sense. She just KNOWS when they’re hooking up and is determined to facilitate this/make it kind of embarrassing for them in a cute way.
Mummy Holmes: For not actually being in the show, she’s surprisingly mentioned a lot. She’s everything from a horrid bitch to actually a really loving rich lady who somehow just has these two weirdo sons.
Moran: Ditto, kind of. Moran is sometimes a woman, sometimes a man, sometimes seduces Moriarty/John/Sherlock/all of the above. Also somehow capable of holding 7 laser pointers I mean snipers in TGG.
Jumpers: JOHN WEARS JUMPERS ALL THE DAYS AND SHERLOCK SECRETLY LIKES IT.
Boredom: The best way to cure Sherlock’s boredom to sex him vigorously. Or somehow get him hooked on James Bond and/or Doctor Who.
Sexytiems: This is the fun part. There is so much beautiful variation here. John is everything from secretly gay, to comfortably bisexual, to not even really wanting to fuck Sherlock but kind of wanting to anyway. Likewise, Sherlock is everything from purely virginal, to wholeheartedly asexual, to secretly shagging half of London for a case. Their sex ranges from WE ARE GODS OF LOVEMAKING to it goes where?
Common Situations: Being outed at crime scenes, very thorough medical investigations, post-case-compulsion-to-fuck, the Scotland Yard has a betting pool, heartfelt realizations during kidnapping, gratuitous casual high-functioning sociopath nudity.
Violin: Totally a euphemism. He took dat bow in his hand like some kind of musical god slut and handled it with sexual precision.
AUs: Dude, I don’t even understand this crazy shit. There’s wings and cats and Greek alphabet letters thrown all over the place.
Genderswap: Love it, but it’s really funny because we never know what to call Sherlock other than Sherlock. Sherlock…ina? Sherlockette? Dafuq.
Avengers: They show up a lot, somehow. I think it’s because we’re all from tumblr and Hiddles is love.
Conclusion: I fucking love this fandom never change.
The Sherlock fandom has an awful lot of Sherlock haters in it, for the Sherlock fandom.
it’s certainly the only example i’ve seen where a significant number of hardcore, highly productive fans transformed into ‘i fucking hate this show, i…
i think if the show had been consistent backwards from S3 (ie, if S1 had been matched to S3), you wouldn’t see this. certainly for myself, i’d have had a look, gone ‘nah, not for me’, and moved on. but people who fell hard, hard, hard for S1 in a full-on fangirl love of my life kind of way, are not surprisingly having a hard time modulating their emotions as they try to disengage. i lived through the long, slow, miserable death of my x-files feelings, it was fine, the show worn me down gradually until i was able to throw my hands up and go on with my life. the sheer suddenness of this turn around is hard on the temper.
it’s perfectly normal for people in the holmes fandom to say they ‘hate’ the comedic-idiot reading of watson in the rathbone movies, for example. it doesn’t mean they equate it with genocide or racism. i can say i ‘hate’ the moffat-gatiss characterization without implying it’s somehow the largest thing on my mental horizon. but it is, at this point, my least liked adaptation of the canon.
Yeah. The fact is, S3 was a major departure from S1/2 in a lot of ways – tonally, structurally, in characterization. They also retconned some things from S2 in the name of a “clever” Reichenbach resolution (like, say, most of Sherlock’s emotional growth). Then on top of that, there are plot holes and things that just don’t quite line up, a lot of threads left dangling, and unfortunately the subpar resolution of S2’s problems has left a lot of us no longer confident that the writers will actually resolve those dangling threads.
I don’t hate S3, and I don’t hate the show. But I can totally understand why someone WOULD hate either or both now. There are definitely some things that leave me uneasy, and if they aren’t resolved (or worse, pushed farther) in S4 I might lose interest in the show altogether. But I think it’s entirely understandable why people would give up at this point.
Oh, I so agree with all of this.
For me (and possibly for a lot of long-time Holmes fans, though I can’t speak for anyone but myself), the most important feature of any adaptation is the “click” in the Holmes-Watson relationship. Change (almost) anything else, but if you’ve got that totally satisfying click of two intelligent, emotionally needy, and adventurous people who get each other and light up in the other’s presence, and you’ve got the adaptation.
(This is part of what the Elementary fandom is dealing with currently. I’m a few episodes behind, but this element was there in season 1, and then in season two they progressively spent less and less time on Watson to the extent that she is so underwritten as a character that the click doesn’t happen anymore. People are losing interest, which is incredibly sad because that adaptation has so much potential.)
But back to Sherlock: I know for myself I was HOOKED by ASiP because of the strength of that click. Those boys are glowing in that hero-walk at the end. It’s there again in neon lights at the end of TGG. It becomes harder to find in Series 2, where we get misunderstandings and Sherlock pushing John away; and then what so many cling to as the rooftop moment—the tears, the involuntary laughter—as evidence of the perfectly clicking relationship again even at this extreme moment, was, as pocupine-girl wrote, reconned by series 3. And then in Series 3 you have to go looking for that click with a microscope. It’s evident at the end of TEH, once in the train car, which is why the scene may be emotionally if not morally redeemed, then again in the hallway, even though it’s nearly indecipherable, and then again in the Rizzla game. The saddest part of all: HLV has none of it. I’m tempted to look at it this way: Gattiss likes his arguments and then his make-up
sexscenes, while Moffat for some reason, after ASiP, is really enjoying writing jealousy and distance.As many people have said before, I think it’s possible to see this lack of ‘clicking’ as a ripple-effect of Reichenbach: a ripple of distance that precedes it and a long ripple of distance that follows. But in BBC Sherlock-timeline terms, that’s 2/3 of the entire show, without any promise that it will get back on track any time soon. So if what I’m seeing on screen, instead of this intimate, sparking relationship is one that is simultaneously distant; at times physically and at times emotionally abusive; and at times so underwritten that we have to fill in the most pivotal bonding scenes (like hospital bedsides) ourselves, you have to bet that’ll harsh my squee. 🙁
All true sadly but I just can’t bring myself to hate on any of the Sherlocks. I am still hopeful for a better S4. There were parts of S3 I loved but most of it was disappointing after waiting so long. If they don’t get that click back, the show will start to fail because the Holmes/Watson dynamic is what it’s all about.
The entire Sherlock fandom is sustained on the ridiculous belief that it’s perfectly normal to edit and reblog the same exact screencaps in hundreds of different ways