A Study in Sherlolly

2: What scene did you first put down?

3: What’s your favorite line of narration?

4: What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

5: What part was hardest to write?

6: What makes this fic special or different from all your other fics?

7: Where did the title come from?

8: Did any real people or events inspire any part of it?

9: Were there any alternate versions of this fic?

10: Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story?

11: What do you like best about this fic?

12: What do you like least about this fic?

13: What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn’t listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

14: Is there anything you wanted readers to learn from reading this fic?

Benedict Cumberbatch Acting Masterclass (v)

I had wanted to make this post a couple of weeks go but I got a thumb injury so typing was a real butt.  

During a Skype discussion, I was talking with a few people about the Sherlock “I Love You” scene.  While we were talking, someone mentioned that Sherlock’s face during that scene made them think of his face in The Great Game, when he has the revelation about the fake painting. 

Their point was that, when Sherlock is talking over the phone to Molly, he has several instances where his face seems as if it’s displaying a look of revelation.  Of course, they meant it felt like it in smaller ways, as he doesn’t make this very animated expression at all during the ILU scene.  In fact, his expressions remain very, very serious during the whole ordeal. That got me to thinking about some of the times we’ve seen Sherlock’s face when he’s “acting”  regarding his feelings.  

So many people here are still completely insistent that Sherlock was lying to Molly during Eurus’ test.  Everyone has pored over the scene, trying to analyze his facial expressions to prove that he was lying.  The above mention during that Skype call made me go back to some other key scenes where Sherlock WAS lying, and there’s some pretty interesting things to see.   

While on the call, I pulled up a few gifs of scenes that popped into the discussion.  First, off let’s look at the one below, which is such a fantastic example of Sherlock lying his butt off and faking the emotion we all fight over so much here: love.

We all know that in this scene, Sherlock is faking a proposal to Janine.  Sherlock tells John this, so John of course knows what he’s doing here.  In fact, John is there, just off to the side, steaming at how cruel this is of Sherlock.  What’s important to note here, is his face.  This is Sherlock “lying” about love in the most obvious fashion.  He has his full on acting game going.  He is exaggerating his happiness and even putting on a little bit of “look at my puppy eyes I’m too cute to say no to.”  This is the Land of B.S.

Next, I pulled up this gif from ASIB, when he’s standing on the front doorstep of Irene’s place:

While this has nothing to do with love, it is again one of the most memorable instances of Sherlock lying to get what he wants.  He is again overly animated, and generally trying his damnedest to get the person on the other side to believe his gratitude.  Sherlock tends to fall into the TryHard School of Acting when he’s manipulating people.

Next, here is Sherlock in TBB trying to convince the lady on the other end that he’s a resident in her building and that he’s locked himself out of the place. 

His face here.  There’s this German word that I love, backpfeifengesicht. It means “a face that cries out for a fist”.  In other words, he’s lying so hard here I want to punch him with my feeble girl mittens.  This is another example of prime lying Sherlock.  It’s worth noting that’s also talking to a female resident here, meaning he’s laying on his bullshit extra thick and creamy. Compare with his fake proposal above.  What a cheeseball.

To follow this one up, I’m going to put an image here of Sherlock lying to Molly to get what he wants.  This is pure lie here, he’s being a complete hippo shart by helicoptering his charm poo all over the place:

This is one of the most classic examples of Sherlock lying to Molly Hooper to, let me hear you say it class: Get what he wants!  I’m going to post a couple more from this scene because as much as it hurts me, it’s pertinent to the topic.

Notice his facefall in the gif version of this scene. He goes from super smiley, to flat.  Acting is the smile.  Truth is the fall of that smile.  Also the smaller gif, look at him talking to Molly just before that smile. Again, he’s very animated. He is playing a part.

Next is also a terrific example of Sherlock lying his nicely pressed pants off. This time it’s to Henry in THOB. This is just like the scene of he and Molly up there.  He’s faking being a nice, personable chap, then as soon as the person in front of him can’t see his face anymore, he shows his true colors (his true colors being Churlish Asshole® and Annoying Dick®).  

Doesn’t he look nice and animated though.  So incredibly smiley and giddy and oh-so-friendly you’d think he wanted to clean your granny’s house for her and walk her dog. No, it’s a lie.

Alright, now let’s look at some times when Sherlock is most definitely not lying, mostly to Molly Hooper since this post is about whether or not he was lying when he said “I Love You” to her.

To most Sherlolly shippers, this is like the first page of our holy book.  In this scene, so many people thought he was lying to Molly, faking his wet eyes, faking his fear.  Then, Steven Moffat said that no, he was absolutely sincere here. I don’t always believe Steven Moffat, but he had no reason at all not to be truthful about this scene’s nature. Note his face. The lack of animation, the lack of cornball smile or overly dramatic tears or gesticulation.  This scene is very serious to Sherlock, so he’s turned off all Jerk Mode and he’s just being real with Molly.

I want to also mention that, for contrast, Moffat did says that Sherlock’s tears on the roof of Bart’s were not sincere, as he was trying very much to convince John Watson that he was about to kill himself.  It was an act, and it had to be good, because his whole plan hinged on John believing that. I’m not saying this to hurt other shippers, I’m saying this to make a clear point. Sherlock looks and behaves in a very particular fashion when he has to ‘act’, regardless of the nature of the situation.  The rooftop scene was literally life or death. He had to put on the best performance of his life.

Next is this scene, where Sherlock takes Molly on a case with him.  There’s so many great shots, but here’s some good shots of Sherlock’s face during several intervals:

Note how much less animated Sherlock is.  All of these little moments, he is being genuine.  That smile he’s giving Molly just before he kisses her cheek, that’s a real smile.  As an artist, there’s little tells instructors teach you to watch out for in your work. If you’re going to paint a person smiling, make sure the smile is in the whole face for it to look real.  That’s what Sherlock’s got here. Put that face next to the one where they’re in the cafeteria where he’s giving her that fake stuff.  Totally different, especially if you know what to look for.

And finally, let’s get to my real point.  I could go on and find more examples but I don’t want this to get too long (also I have to go get dinner).  Here’s the scene where everyone thinks Sherlock is lying to Molly to get what he wants, or simply to save her life as Eurus is threatening to blow her up.

Look.  At.  His.  Face.  This face does not line up with his lying faces.  You could always say that, “Sherlock’s gotten better at lying though, so now he knows how to lie while looking sincere!”  Okay but that’s a heck of a reach.  It doesn’t line up with the evidence of all the other times he’s been lying.  

“But all those other times where Sherlock’s making those weird faces, the other person can see him!  Molly can’t see him so he doesn’t have to put his acting face on!  He could still be lying!”  Yeah, true, but why doesn’t he just look over his shoulder then and say these words. Honestly, if these words were for John, why doesn’t he simply turn around and say them right to John’s face?  If he was going to confess true love to John, this was his prime chance.  Mary is gone, they’re in a life threatening situation, why not just take this opportunity?  All Sherlock had to do was say it like he meant it, right? He could have turned, said the words to John (or Mycroft, his brother), Molly would have thought the words were for her, she’d have said ILU back, fulfilling the terms of Eurus’ test.  But no…he says them to the camera, to make sure we as viewers know he is talking to who’s on the other end of that call: Molly.

I can’t get this out of my head and so I have to write about this. Please bear with me. My posts tend to get a bit long (understatement). But Sherlolly is my favourite ship and I just can’t help it!!

Okay so my question is What’s going on with Mycroft in TFP I Love you scene?

MYCROFT (interrupting): Yes, very good, Sherlock, or we could just look at the name on the lid.

MYCROFT: Only it isn’t a name.

I LOVE YOU

JOHN: So, it’s for somebody who loves somebody.

MYCROFT: It’s for somebody who loves Sherlock.This is all about you. Everything here.

MYCROFT: So who loves you? I’m assuming it’s not a long list.

Till this point, I’m fine. I mean Mycroft is being Mycroft, smart, sarcastic, talking in riddles even. Though I can’t help but notice a certain softness in his voice. Like, he’s almost helping Sherlock figure out who the person is, in case he has not already done so.

So, Assumption no. 1: Mycroft knows the minute he sees the name on the coffin lid that it’s Molly Hooper, only he doesn’t say it out loud.

MYCROFT: So who loves you? I’m assuming it’s not a long list.

I don’t think this was a question really. Somehow to me, it seemed more like a statement. It’s almost like he’s telling Sherlock, “Come on now, You know who it is.”

Then John says Irene Adler and Sherlock dismisses him immediately and I am not going to go into Sherlock’s reactions in this post. But when Sherlock says Molly Hooper and the timer on the screen goes off Mycroft gives a small sigh like he knows what is to follow. Again, this does not look out of place.

But my real surprise began when the scene progressed with Sherlock visibly cracking at every turn. Mycroft looks tensed, his body language completely changes. I can understand why John looks tensed. Molly is his friend too. She’s Rosie’s godmother, she’s helping him the most (probably) with rosie after Mary’s death.

But Mycroft, he’s looking as tensed, if not more than John. Why??? Why would Mycroft be so tensed? She’s not his friend, he barely knows her, they have minimum interaction except for that scene in the morgue in ASiB. But it’s obvious from the way he reacts that it matters to him whether or not Molly Hooper lives.

I mean we’ve all talked about how Sherlock is not at all himself in this scene but so little about how Mycroft is so far away from the cool and controlled man he usually is. When the phone rings for the first time and Sherlock asks, “What’s she doing?” Mycroft answers, “She’s making tea!”

I mean come on. That was extremely sarcastic in my opinion. Of course Mycroft knows what Sherlock means. He’s not stupid to think Sherlock will ask such an irrelevant question at this juncture. He knows Sherlock means why is she not taking the call. But he still says it, doesn’t he? And Sherlock in his anxiety does not recognise the sarcasm in his brother’s statement. He goes on to further clarify himself. I think Mycroft was trying to say, she has better things to do other than answer your phone. She has a life and really you may not be the focul point of it, even if that’s news to you. In a sense, Both John and Mycroft come to Molly’s defence in that scene. It’s a wake up call for Sherlock.

On a separate note, I think it was important from the script writers point of view that the first call made should go unanswered. It was necessary for Sherlock to know that he may not have the same effect on Molly that he had a few years ago. The dynamics of their relationship have changed. It was important for the soon to follow admission of love!!

Anyway back to Mycroft. He sighs and looks away when she doesn’t pick up her phone. He looks up and down several times throughout the scene. He has crossed his arms like he’s really trying to keep calm but is not doing a great job of it. I mean he was calmer when he thought he was going to die!!

Then comes the part when Molly says “Say it like you mean it.” and Sherlock blanches. Mycroft actually opens his mouth as if he’s going to say something, interve at this point, shifts on his feet and then thinks better of it. What was he going to say??

Then Molly says I love you and all the three of them looked relieved. And Mycroft who doesn’t usually express anything, visibly express his relief and is the first one to react. “Sherlock, however hard that was…”

What would I not give for him to have finished what he started to say.

So why was Mycroft tensed??

Probability no. 1: If Mycroft didn’t know Molly that well, one can simply assume that all the tension on his face was for his little brother and the devastation HE KNEW would follow in Sherlock’s life if he lost Molly Hooper in front of his eyes, failing to save her. Which means Mycroft knew that Sherlock was in Love with Molly. But How could he possibly know that?

Mycroft has surveillance on Sherlock. We all know that. He has a fair idea about what he’s doing, where he’s going, who he’s with. He’s a silent observer, intervening from time to time. Molly Hooper’s bedroom is one of Sherlock’s bolt hole, isn’t it? He asks her to solve crimes with him doesn’t he? He goes to her for drinking advice. She and Mycroft are the only ones who know he’s alive when the whole world thinks he’s dead. I’m sure he put two and two together, to say the least.

Let’s rewind a bit now to ASiB.

MYCROFT (to Sherlock): The only one that fitted the description. Had her brought here – your home from home. SHERLOCK: You didn’t need to come in, Molly. MOLLY: That’s okay. Everyone else was busy with … Christmas.

Mycroft could have brought the body anywhere. Why only St. Bart’s? He could have taken Sherlock anywhere. Look at the above conversation again. It doesn’t look like Molly came because Sherlock called her to come. He wouldn’t have; not after her mortification at the Christmas party shortly before. It seems like Mycroft Holmes engineered her presence in the morgue that night. He is the one who thanks her, for her time. Was he trying to tell Sherlock that life goes on. So what if Irene is dead, looks what’s right in front of you. Dunno, maybe.

Also, the Home from home comment (while Sherlock is fixedly staring at Molly, mind you!). He was teasing Sherlock. But did he mean that Sherlock spends a lot of time in the morgue because he’s a detective and corpses and murders go hand in hand or did he mean that you spend an awful lot of time in this hospital brother dear and with this person whose with us right now, this might as well be your home.

So Mycroft did know in all probability that Sherlock had deeper feelings for Molly.

Back to the final problem.

Probability no. 2: All of Probability no 1 plus, Mycroft knows something about Molly that no one else does. Not even Sherlock. Probably the reason why Molly is stressed!I dunno. But I mean when he opens his mouth as if to say something in those crucial 30 seconds or his palpable relief at the averted disaster or those words. .“However hard that was Sherlock. …” What was he going to say?

“However hard that was Sherlock, you need to pull yourself together . …” No I can’t see him offering that kind of advice is such a hurry, instantaneously

“However hard that was Sherlock, the important thing is that she’s safe…” I don’t know maybe.

“However hard that was Sherlock. …”