Tag Archives: irene adler

A Scandal in Baker Street, CAM

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes looking out the Baker Street window with Martin Freeman as John Watson

Those women appear to be protesting. John, what exactly is a “male chauvinist pig?”

The Daily Dot has a piece on the growing concerns among a some Sherlock fans that the apparent sexism and misogyny of Steven Moffat ,expressed in various interviews and certain Dr. Who scripts, has taken root in BBC’s Sherlock series, particularly in the ending of “His Last Vow” in Series/Season 3. Now I’ve expressed my sense that Sherlock has been morphed into The Doctor in my Series/Season 3 rant review, however, I’d avoided publicly airing my earlier concerns about the show’s portrayal of key women from the original Canon. So since I’m burning bridges, let’s go ahead and discuss some issues with the women in Sherlock.

[Oh, and do I really have to say SPOILER ALERT?]

The Daily Dot notes:

What has some fans angry is that Sherlock’s interpretation of Milverton’s death completely removes the agency and power of the female character in the original story. An unfortunate occurrence that neatly fits in with Moffat’s track record with female characters in both Doctor Who and Sherlock.

“The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton” is one of the very few examples in Victorian-era Holmes canon where a female character takes practical action on her own behalf, while Holmes and Watson technically fail to solve the case. Milverton, like Sherlock’s Magnussen, is a foe so powerful that it’s virtually impossible to defeat him using Holmes’ usual methods, which is why the story has to end with Milverton’s death. The final scene of the short story is Holmes identifying Milverton’s killer, but tacitly agreeing with Watson to let her get away with the murder because Milverton was such a loathsome figure.

If Moffat and Gatiss had simply said they wanted Sherlock to kill Magnussen because it was a more interesting story for him as a character, or because it provided an exciting development to lead into the next season, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But the fact that they seemingly couldn’t believe that a woman defeated Milverton only exacerbates their problems with Sherlock fans who already take issue with the way women are portrayed in the show. Links to the interview are already spreading on social media…

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Sherlock Gift Tags Have Arrived, John!

A Holiday Gift for You

to say Thank You for your support of both Sherlock Holmes and this site.

Click on the image below or this link to download a set of 10 gift tags featuring characters from BBC Sherlock (sorry I’ll work on the other versions). The tags were designed to to be printed on Avery micro-perfed business card paper, but can be printed on any card stock and cut apart if preferred.

An image of the Sherlock Holiday Gift Tag PDF

Click on image to download the Sherlock Holiday Gift Tags PDF (6.6MB)

Have fun!

(Oh, and if you need some gifts to use with the tags, please feel free to check out our new MX Publishing Shop or consider a t-shirt, tote, or calendar… all profits for December go to the Hurricane Sandy Funds of the Red Cross and the Humane Society.)

How About Coming As Mycroft, Sherlock?

Martin Freeman as John Watson in the foreground and Benedict Cumberbatch as BBC Sherlock lips pinched pondering in background

Hmmm, I wonder who I should cosplay at the Seattle Sherlock Convention?

 

Of course, you could always go for a gender swap and come as Irene Adler in her “battle dress.” Oh, heck, just wear your sheet. If it was good enough for Buckingham Palace, it’s good enough for Seattle. Just make it a black sheet or at least your gray ones. Apparently, there’s a dress code in the city that is surprisingly similar to London’s.

So back from the preliminary Seattle Sherlock Convention volunteer meeting with some updates.

First, the space for the entire Season 2 episode viewings is limited to 295, so that’s the attendance limit. In other words, don’t dawdle if you’re thinking of coming. This also means that it will be a nice, intimate convention where you have a chance to meet new Sherlocked friends. Pre-registration is required to attend and ends 25 October, 2012 (October 25, 2012).

The convention location is surrounded by great eating and drinking (a simple walk around the block had a tally of 20 by one person). And the programming is designed to end at a time that will allow folks to get out and enjoy some of these facilities with some of their new friends. Woot! Forget the diet, Mycroft! The drinks and desserts on me!

Proposed panels are under discussion with some voting forms being developed to determine what attendees are most interested in seeing and participating in. For gamers there are all kinds of cool things planned including a custom-skinned version of Arkahm Horror with all the characters converted to Sherlock! Sweet!

Members of the local Baker Street Irregulars scion society, The Sound of Baskervilles, have been invited to discuss Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Canon and these are some absolutely charming “top drawer” people. The Cosplay/Costuming Contest will be held on the main viewing stage so everyone can see clearly. (I’m torn between trying to finish my sweater in time or doing a rendition of Mycroft — I have umbrella, after all.) I suppose I should warn everyone that the Trivia Contest coordinator is very keen about her job and was last heard muttering about “lighting and special effects” when she discovered that the Trivia Contest will also be held on the main stage. There will be a concert of Sherlock filks, a small assortment of vendors with a varied assortment of goodies on display, and much more.

It’s safe to say that even Sherlock will not be bored!

Updates on the schedule, panelists, and so forth will be posted on the official Seattle Sherlock Convention site (as well as PDF downloads of the posters). And I’ll be posting updates from time to time. I hope to see some of your there. (I’m going to come up with a some small give-away for Sherlock Cares visitors who come up and give me secret password — to be revealed shortly before pre-registration closes.)

Laterz!

Buy a Clue, Sherlock

Benedict Cumberbatch as BBC Sherlock Holmes in his blue dressing gown looking puzzled

Why does Irene Adler keep sending me copies of the 50 Shades of Gray books with a dinner invitation?

 

You Should Get Yourself a Hobby

by J.H. Watson
~ 950 words

“Sherlock, you got another package. You know, dear, it’s cheaper if they send everything at once instead of one book at a time.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hudson.”

Sherlock Holmes didn’t bother to look up from the paper, but simply put out his hand to receive the box. John Watson did look up from his plate and said, “That’s six this month, eighteen in the last two?”

Sherlock continued to avoid the questioning stares of the other two people. “What an amazing memory you have, John. Too bad you couldn’t remember to drop off your laundry before you ran out of socks.”

“How did you know— Never mind. Don’t tell me.”

Mrs. Hudson wandered away to putter in the kitchen, making the occasional “tsk” noise and once gasping after she opened the microwave. John took another three bites of his breakfast before asking, “So what’s in the boxes? Books?”

“Another brilliant deduction given their size, shape, weight and source.” Sherlock rattle the newspaper as he turned a page. He still would not meet John’s gaze.

“Research?”

At this suggestion, Sherlock  did look up from his paper and stared into space. After a few seconds, he said, “I wonder.” He jumped up, grabbed the box and took off for his bedroom.

“Now what was that all about?” Mrs. Hudson asked coming in wiping her hands on a tea towel.

John shook his head and replied, “I have no idea. I just hope it’s not too messy.”

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What Can We Deduce About the Critics, Sherlock?

Lara Pulver as Irene Adler in the BBC series Sherlock seated naked with a questioning expression

This didn’t win an award? Really? Are the voters all gay?

While I could understand the BAFTA choice because of the intensity of the winning material and performance, I was completely surprised by the Critic’s Choice loss. I mean this is Hollywood! And the performance was delightful — not to mention the visuals. (Okay, there is the hair. I don’t understand the hair. An Audrey Hepburn up do I would have understood, but the bat wings…)