#drink code

FYI, for people who don't know, drink code is ...

Coffee = straight

Tea = gay

Alcohol = feelings

Milk = state of the relationship

Anyway, when we first meet him, Carlton Lassiter drinks coffee every day, but he takes it with 3 creams and 4 sugars. This indicates to me that he doesn’t like the taste of coffee but puts up with it anyway — just like he doesn't necessarily like being straight, but still conforms to it. This is echoed by Shawn in Office Space, when he says he doesn't even like coffee, he just drinks it because that's what you do.

But Shawn tells Lassie in 9 Lives all those creams and sugars will lead to heart problems down the line. So Lassie eventually switches to black coffee — so, he stops trying to make the drink palatable to him, he just grins and bears it. Again, he's still conforms to straightness, but a purer form of it.

For that matter, we could talk about alcohol too. In From the Earth to the Starbucks, we see Lassie drunk in Tom Blair’s Pub, for perhaps the only time. This is Lassie in his feelings, which we rarely see, and what do we see him do? We see him take a liking to Shawn. "Spencer! 😊" instead of "Spencer! 😠".

I call this one “fuck Sarah Z.” Made with love for the fandom that taught me media analysis.

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Shamelessly tagging some people under the cut who I’ve seen post about the current bullshit and I think might appreciate this <3  I’m grateful for you all and your content always. Thank you for your work.

Ending the year in Sherlock/TJLC style.

The Empty Hearse

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s very telling that this version of events is dependent upon the removal of Moriarty’s body.

I can’t imagine putting contacts in with pliers. But hardly the least credulous thing going on.

And the closest sherlolly is ever going to get to a canon kiss. When I watched this with my brother, he was still buying the whole explanation and was just surprised that we got a kiss scene.

Heteronormativity is a helluva drug.

Had no idea the hypnotist guy was famous first time I watched.

“Bollocks!” You said it, Lestrade. Never mind the kiss or the perfect corpse dress up or the hypnotism, you can’t bungee jump discreetly.

But Anderson thinks it’s obvious because it keeps his sherlolly fic canon.

“There was a body.” A. Singular. Body. #moriartylives

I honestly wonder how many theories Anderson subjected Lestrade to.

I know the transition of the coffee cups to John’s eyes is haha funny, but it’s also drinks code funny. Blinded by heteronormativity, that one.

Also great job on turning his life around, “Mary”. 🙄

Might poke fun at the guard listening to music on the job, but it makes sense to want to drown out the beating of a prisoner who can’t very well escape a second time.

The torturer being a John mirror. (Unhappy love affair in the navy = Sholto, electricity not working in the bathroom = not good shaving and of course unfaithful wife.) Considering this is the season where Sherlock is most pained by his feelings for John, it makes sense. Ouch, but still makes sense.

The deep wounds in his back. If John only knew…

And that sweet smile about Baker Street… he smol

Boy, John does look so happy!/sarcasm

First time I learned about Guy Fawkes day was in an Enid Blyton book where the plot involved someone stealing the crime solving gang of youngings’ guy money. So I was proud of myself for being like

But like about a culture.

John really hasn’t been back since the funeral.

Kind of weird that Sherlock is okay with someone else shaving him when he’s been on the run, hunted and threatened for two years. But no one ever claimed the writers of this show actually understood ptsd.

Milieu. Or miljö, if you’re Swedish.

Ahh, sibling bickering. “I saved you” “no you sat and watched me getting beaten!” Classic.

“Field work! Ugh!” Very canon Mycroft. (Hence why he never leaves The Diogenes Club)

Passive aggressive Hudson is best Hudson!! 🤣

“Ages you.” The facial hair is a bit of a bad match there.

And again I’m sad that Una Stubbs didn’t live long enough for s5.

“Many bothans died for this info-“ “yeah yeah, where’s my Jawn?!?”

Of course Mycroft had a folder at the ready.

The facial hair must go!

Okay, so John’s grieving process is a bit much. But mrs Hudson… your income (supposedly) depends on renting out your one good apartment. Yet here you are letting it gather dust. “Not your mother” doesn’t seem quite right.

John, so stoked about his proposal, that mrs Hudson assumes he’s about to tell her he’s ill.

“I’m moving on.” What a normal heterosexual flat mate thing to say. What are you moving on from, John? The flat? You left it ages ago! Sherlock’s death? What does Sherlock being dead have to do with your relationship status? Why are you equating a proposal to your friendship (?) with Sherlock?

Hudson is way happier about John’s relationship than he is.

“So soon after Sherlock?”

Don’t you *deep breath* “well yes” at mrs Hudson, young man! You’re the one making the implications she’s inferring from.

Why is mrs Hudson shocked that it’s a woman? Bisexual erasure? Maybe she thought Sherlock was his closet key, or his exes were all beards. Well, not like any of those relationships lasted that long.

“Of course it’s a woman!” Of course. Because he’s moving on and don’t want any reminders of the “could-have-been”s. That’s why she’s short, blonde, has big eyes and is in his mind as far removed from Sherlock as possible.

“Sherlock was not my boyfriend!” No, just your “could-have-been”.

“I am not gay!” Immediate transition to Sherlock sighing.

“Jump out of a cake!” Very heterosexual flat mate of you, Sherlock.

“Baker Street?” Here I paused on Mycroft looking like he’s thinking “my dumb gay little brother really thinks he left London on pause, doesn’t he?”

“What life? I’ve been away!” At first I thought he really was just dismissive of John’s non-Sherlock life. But rewatching I can see a slacking of his face as he takes in the fact that of course John moved on. So he plasters on some false bravado to cover for his mistake of confusing the dream (returning to old life with John) with reality (missing out on his friends living their life).

“How would I know?” Trying almost desperately to save his little brother from the inevitable heartbreak.

And Sherlock feeling his upper lip. If not imagining bristly kisses, then why?

“It’s possible you won’t be welcome”. He can’t say it outright because a) Sherlock won’t believe him and b) Sherlock will just become more determined to prove Mycroft wrong.

The deerstalker = his public image. The coat = his armor.

Stop standing atop buildings!!

I love whenever he does drive by deductions.

This disguise on the go is so fun. Like I don’t care if it makes sense for him to get away with it or not, it’s just good old fun!

“Madam, can I suggest you look at this menu? It’s completely identical.” Fun!

And the fake accent!

All to amuse John who doesn’t even notice his dramatic reveals!

Hmm, The Quiet Man feels. John may be so used to seeing Sherlock everywhere that he doesn’t even think about seeing him in a waiter he never looks directly at.

Dear God in heaven, I’m not even twenty minutes in!!

The femme fatale entrance. It’d be only more perfect if she had her fur coat on.

“You’re the best thing that could have possibly happened to me.” “I agree. I’m the best thing that could have happened to you!”

Gaslighting girl boss.

You may not think it’s a big deal that she dropped the “possibly”. But John is always careful with his word choice. And Sherlock is the best thing that could happen to him, because he did the impossible before, and maybe he can again. He asked Sherlock not to be dead. Maybe…

Does she really have to giggle and prod him while he’s struggling with his words? Best thing my foot!

Did he steal that wine bottle from a table or even the kitchen/bar? The latter seems more likely what with it being unopened and all.

Direct look and the mood has extreme shift.

“Not dead.” Maybe not the best time to remind John of Irene.

“In my defense it was very funny.” 😠 “okay not a great defense”

“Does yours rub off too?” You know, a better title for this episode might have been “Everyone Bullying John Over His Ugly Mustache” though it would make for an awful title card. (EBJOHUM, almost sounds like a biblical name.)

“Donde estas, Yolanda?”

How Sherlock survived = what the fans/Anderson cares about

How Sherlock could do this to John = what actually matters to John/the writers.

The gag of the eating establishments getting progressively less refined as they’re thrown out for violence. 😘🤌 (Am I doing chef’s kiss right?)

Srsly, Sherlock. Why not bring in John into the secret when you already got 25 members of your homeless network involved? Is it because you’d rather he think you were dead? Because if you told John Danger Boner Watson that you’d travel the world to dismantle a criminal network, you knew he’d tag along? So instead he grieves your death. Lose-lose situation, I guess.

Wow, they sure are harping on John about his facial hair in the episode where he gets engaged to be married. No hidden meaning in that.

Even his beard doesn’t like his mustache.

John, this is how mrs Hudson felt. Don’t you see?

Tbf, John. Sherlock has seen your “acting” before. Also, anyone suspecting Sherlock faked his death would watch you more closely than any of the people Sherlock involved.

That said, he isn’t “over” reacting. Just reacting.

“Still a secret” love the extra in the background shaking his head at these terrible secret keepers.

“SWEAR TO GOD!” Angry John is very human, but also very funny.

Martin “do that with a face” Freeman acting out “can you believe this bitch?”

Love that this line that was used as an awesome epic voice over for the trailer, is just a reason for John to headbutt Sherlock in the episode itself.

“I’ll talk him around”. Gatekeeping girl boss. Putting herself in the position of mediator. At the start she was all “omg what have you done?” But now she’s on Sherlock’s side, supporting him in the face of her boyfriend’s (justified) anger.

Also could she pick a more femme fatale coat? Especially with that hairstyle.

“Can you believe his nerve?” “I like him.”

Forget supportive girlfriend, a work acquaintance would feel socially obligated to be more emotionally supportive!!

Sure do! Here’s what I have:

Phones and Hearts (main meta) [blog tag]

Sherlock Keeps John’s Heart Close Right From the Start

Sherlock’s on His Phone in T6T, John in TSo3

Do They Have a Joint Account?

Mary’s Phone

Food Equals Sex / Drink Code [food equals sex tag || [drink code tag]

Food = Sex in ASIB

Cases Equals Dates

Drink Code Meta blog tags

I Saw Something About Tea Being Code

John’s Long Lasting Drink Issues?

Drink Code Meta Mini Masterpost

Water Meta Masterpost (not drink related, but it’s interesting)

A lot of things suddenly come to a new light, once you realize there was more to one scene.

Take the resturant scene in TEH for example. Looks clear and straightforward while it is anything but.

Remember that ‘waiter’ advising John? There are two different conversations going on.

SHERLOCK: Can I ’elp you with anything, sir? JOHN: Hi, yeah.  I’m looking for a bottle of champagne – a good one. SHERLOCK: Well, these are all excellent vintages. JOHN: Er, it’s not really my area.  What do you suggest? SHERLOCK: Well, you cannot possibly go wrong, but, erm, if you’d like my personal recommendation... This last one on the list is a favourite of mine. SHERLOCK: It is – you might, in fact, say – like a face from ze past. JOHN: Great.  I’ll have that one, please. SHERLOCK: It is familiar, but, er, with the quality of surprise! JOHN: Well, er, surprise me. SHERLOCK: Certainly endeavouring to, sir.

Why was Sherlock so focused on that bottle of champagne? He’s stressed, I give you that. But playing the role of the waiter also let him choose what champagne John was going to pick.

Yes, he’s playing a role. But for him to go as far as say which wine was his favourite while he isn’t a waiter and couldn’t read which wine was on the carte... And for him to outright pick that bottle of champagne.

You suddenly get the feeling that champagne was chosen because Sherlock wanted to drink it with John.

Not only a surprise, it very much like Sherlock had every intention of serving him that champagne while taking a chair and take a spot on the table. Later, he’d explain between two glasses how he survived the fall.

SHERLOCK: It ’as all the qualities of the old, with some of the colour of the new. (...) Like a gaze from a crowd of strangers (...) suddenly one is aware of staring into ze face of an old friend.

For Sherlock, this bottle of champagne is their bottle of champagne. Because, according to probably one article of his website, this is the champagne that is the best for them to drink during their reunion.

Which makes sense, in a Sherlockian way.

Unfortunately, John is clearly not in the mood for it.

Because, the truth is, he’s absolutely terrified.

Just think about it: you come and see your former landlady and tell her you’re moving on. Considering that Mrs Hudson had seen him happy and sad, the first conclusion she reached was that he was dying.

Okay, funny, but you don’t think someone’s going to kick the bucket without some good reason. Like, the person’s face and behaviour have to scream ‘I’m not okay.’

You see someone you haven’t seen in years, he comes to see the flat he used to share with the man he loved (or you think he did), he looks at the place with regrets, you feel he’s in pain and then he tells you he’s moving on.

I’d jump to the same conclusion tbqh.

Because, frankly, none of this says ‘I’m happy now and getting married. I just want to close this part of my life.’ Actually it screams, ‘I HAVE to move on but I don’t want to. Let me just watch this place one last time. Please, I beg you’ and the fact that you’re doing this is breaking your heart.

Back to the restaurant, John is so stressed he’s drinking. He even finishes his glass as he tells Sherlock to ‘surprise him’. Liquid courage indeed.

MARY: You okay?

JOHN: Yeah, yeah.  Me?  Fine.  I am fine.

MARY: Now then, what did you want to ask me?

JOHN: More wine?

MARY: No, I’m good with water, thanks.

JOHN: Right.

You can’t pour wine for yourself in that kind of restaurant, that’d be just rude. If you’re a gentleman, you only refill your glass after refilling the woman’s.

He’s not proposing Mary to have more wine because he’s being a good gentleman.

He wants to drink and is trying to find an excuse to refill his desperately empty glass.

Because, he’s not okay. Because, a few seconds ago, Mary asked him one question.

MARY: Now then, what did you want to ask me?

I think that everybody can admit, considering that John doesn’t know anything about champagne, and really that décor isn’t John’s style at all that this raises ENORMOUS red flags. A superspy like Mary supposedly is?

She must have known why he invited her. She knows that John is about to propose.

And she knows that this question about wine is an attempt of deflection.

MARY: So?

Still, back to business. You have a proposal to do, John.

And, I’m sure everyone will unanimously agree, he has every right to be freaking terrified.

MARY: So ... JOHN: Er, so ... Mary.  Listen, erm ... I know it hasn’t been long ... I mean, I know we haven’t known each other for a long time ... MARY: Go on. JOHN: Yes, I will.  As you know, these last couple of years haven’t been easy for me; and meeting you... Yeah, meeting you has been the best thing that could have possibly happened.

But seriously, on one hand, I feel like you’re talking to a business partner with that body language, on the other if I were in her place, I’d be slightly insulted you paused there.

Because, it’s as if he’s trying to remember everyone he’s met in his life and consider if the statement he’s about to make is truthful.

JOHN: Let’s see... is she the best thing that could have possibly happened? Because, there’s Sherlock, you know. Wait a sec, Mary, I’ve got to think about it... yeah. I suppose meeting you was the best thing that could have happened these last couple of years, since Sherlock killed himself.

MARY: I agree. JOHN: What? MARY: I agree I’m the best thing that could have happened to you.

He’s about to make a similar face in a few minutes.

Are you kidding? Because, he tried to shake it off right after Mary’s apology, but he didn’t like it.

Like I said, John is stressed, he’s trying to be honest with her, he’s trying to move on. But at the same time, this kind of thing isn’t easy for him to begin with. Like he’s going to tell us as he’s waiting for a bomb to explode, this is difficult. It took him a bomb for him to tell Sherlock ‘I forgive you’, he’s doing something that is against his own nature there, and anything going not according to his ‘plan’ makes the exercise even harder.

And whether Mary realizes it or not, her interruptions, her insistance in him telling her what he wants to tell her... all of this is making it harder and he is getting irritated.

JOHN: So ... if you’ll have me, Mary, could you see your way, um ... (Mary giglles)... if you could see your way to ...

Looking back, this proposal is actually painful. This isn’t John. From the setting, to the (underwhelming okay) proposal, everything is making him uncomfortable. This isn’t a good moment for him, he wants to propose but he probably hates every second of it.

He’s not proposing because he loves her, he’s proposing because he wants to move on. He wants to have a life after Sherlock Holmes. He’s not moving on because he’s found someone and is going to marry her, he’s proposing because he wants to move on.

He’s rather detached all thourough the proposal. He is leaning but doesn’t try to reach her. He’s not pulling the ring out of his jacket. In fact, he had posed it in front of him and had decided to put it back as she was coming.

And the each character’s drink shows us where each character stands:

Sherlock has picked champagne for their reunion. This is a happy moment, and he wants to share that bottle with John.

John is terrified and needs to drink. He’s about to do something against his very nature and is trying to find a way to drink more wine, if only to delay the inevitable. Because, he’s about to propose, but at the same time, he’s terrified and he doesn’t want to move on.