Holmes & Watson: The Partnership

[Athena]

This is the defining relationship of the canon and the show. What are your favourite moments? Your not-so- favourite moments between the lead characters?

 

The unavoidable debate on this show about the "Will they or won't they?" As always, please be mindful of your other posters when expressing your opinions about if you want the show to go there or not.

[jeansheridan]

Thanks Athena for making this thread.

I know in the other thread I said I was okay with a romantic relationship between them but what hooked me on the show was seeing a person discover a new vocation. It is rare to see a woman on television evolve professionally. She is either entirely competent from day one or it just takes an episode or two for her to become fabulous.

I liked watching Sherlock train Watson. I didn't care for the sober coaching side of their relationship but it gave her a plausible reason to put up with him until the work hooked her.

I think they could make great friends (just friends) but the show itself brings up the idea of Sherlock finding his equal. And maybe that is Moriarty but that hasn't been resolved yet.

Maybe this season is about Watson showing Holmes what boundaries are between friends. The show has always seemed interested in exploring how Sherlock becomes more connected to the world. Maybe Watson is just his most mainstream connection. She isn't a genius or math whizz or prodigy. Or addict.

[Miss Dee]

I like to think that this Holmes, while not asexual, is still aromantic and therefore Watson is the closest he will ever come to a lifelong partnership. I would love to see, sometime towards the end of the series, Holmes give Watson a passionate and emotional declaration of his undying (non-romantic) love and loyalty. Maybe if she's in danger of dying, as in "The Three Garridebs"?

[Boton]

I agree with Miss Dee.  I haven't been watching Elementary long, but I do like the idea of a lifelong non-romantic partnership.  And I do love that bit from "The Three Garridebs," but any modern adaptation that uses it has to be careful to only use it once -- you can't have Holmes spouting off his concern in every episode.  But one careful admission of affection near the end could work wonders.

[jeansheridan]

I haven't read that story. Thanks for the suggestion.

On this show Sherlock gushes his praise! He named bees after her. Plus in season one when he proposes the partnership...It is quite the declaration. It is all platonic which is fine.

I am fine with an asexual Holmes too but again this show has not gone that route. Sherlock doesn't just have sex with Moriarty. He even cuddles. So it would make me sad for him to be alone forever.

[Driad]

S06.E21: "Whatever Remains, However Improbable" established Sherlock and John as two people who love each other but don't have sex with each other.

The English language has so many words, but IMO it needs more words for love. The Greeks had at least four.  Sherlock and Joan's relationship might be philia, "affectionate regard, friendship, usually between equals."

[deepthinker]

My all-time favorite scene was in the brownstone of course in the last episode. brilliant, superbly acted and heart rendering. I hope they get married and have children.

Edited September 20, 2018 by deepthinker