#a study in scarlet

[winter-wise]

Direct quote from A Study in Scarlet: "Holmes was certainly not a difficult man to live with. He was quiet in his ways, and his habits were regular."

And yet nearly every adaptation (especially the more modern ones) play into the 'arsehole genius' trope and make Holmes a bad housemate.

I cannot accept 'bad housemate' Sherlock. Not when the first conversation he ever has with Watson is when he ensures that they compare habits to see if they'd be a good fit for sharing a flat.

When adapting Sherlock Holmes, I can only accept one of two things:

Holmes is genuinely a good housemate, or

Holmes is weird as hell, but there's something equally wrong with Watson to the degree that Holmes will be doing science experiments with poisons in the kitchen at 3am and all Watson does is glance at it and go "ah such quiet habits, I'm so lucky to have found such a good and reasonable housemate".

[the-guilty-monographer]

[holmesunenthusiast]

I feel like no one ever talks about the one scene in Study in Scarlet where we find out that before Watson met Holmes he was, in fact, a FAN OF DETECTIVE FICTION?? He got insulted when Holmes started hating on Dupin and Lecoq. He had faves. The FIRST thing he told Holmes when old dude said he was a detective was "oh like my blorbos! :D" and Holmes told him "your blorbos are shit". Like we talk about Watson being enamored and a d1 glazer all the time but we don't talk about the fact that he MANIFESTED ts into his life. Soulmated so hard that Holmes was his favorite genre before he even met him.

[dr-graf]

"A Study in Scarlet" part 1

[livingforthehopeofitall02]

Excuse me Mr Arthur Conan Doyle, explain why I’m sitting here blushing at Watson making Sherlock blush

And Sherlock seems so happy to be complimented each time too

It’s so cute, I don’t even need fanfiction to queer-ify it.

[nortism]

Reached the halfway point of A Study in Scarlet

[i-dont-talk-for-days-on-end]

I am thinking about the beginning of Holmes's and Watson's relationship. We all know Sherlock Holmes enjoys being praised complimented on his deductions, so much he even blushes when Watson does it impulsively. I think it is safe to say that this endears Holmes to Watson, but also the other way round - Holmes enjoys Watson's company (for many reasons, but this is one). He enjoys being around someone who makes him feel good about himself.

And this made me think ... the one thing that immediately makes *me* want to marry a person is when they are laughing about my jokes. And if I think they are funny too, I will very desperately much try to become their friend.

So, I think it would be super cute if Holmes thinks Watson is hilarious. If Watson makes really dry, deadpan jokes he did not include in his stories because it doesn't seem fitting to him, but they just send Holmes. (Yes, I'm thinking of the Clive Merrisson laugh.) I imagine Watson making a remark that he knows nobody else will understand but it makes Holmes gasp and his eyes twinkle and he will snort very indelicately at a crime scene.

I just ... I love them so much. They are having such a good time with each other. Waaaahhhhh <3 <3 <3

[224bbaker]

Close enough happy 144th anniversary Sherlock Holmes and John Watson!

[loonylupin2]

I can not specify enough how Watson is not the Normie in the Sherlock and Watson Duo.

THEY ARE BOTH INCREDIBLY ODD

At least Sherlock has the excuse of not knowing he’s being a weirdo freak (autism)

Watson knows and just doesn’t care????or is in denial?

Like who’s the weirder person:

The one that beats corpses to see if they can bruise, does chemical experiments on himself (and possibly on others)

Or the guy who’s informed of this is horrified, and still becomes his roommate of 30 years and only friend

Not even going to bring up how, in-universe, the Sherlock Holmes novels are real books written by Watson in real time, that he is publishing. Like you willingly put out there that you have memorized your new roomates daily routine IN DETAIL, the things he does and doesn’t know, the appearance of his hands IN DETAIL and so on.

Watson and Sherlock are both freaks, in similar yet very different ways and I think that’s hilarious

To be friends with Sherlock Holmes, you must be somewhat similar to him in your madness ❤️ heartwarming

[ponkydraws]

It’s really funny to me that in the BBC version Sherlock is introduced as this badass intimidating cold hearted genius who saw straight through John without lifting a finger while in the original ACD story he’s just really fucking excited about his own discovery, speaking excessively, jumping around in excitement, super enthusiastic about sharing a flat with Watson and is - quote - “a little queer in his ideas”

[moroniccats]

Stamford: this guy might poison you and himself just to see what would happen

Watson: AS HE SHOULD

[bunnyryuz]

there's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it, and isolate it, and expose every inch of it.

[the-guilty-monographer]

I can't get over Holmes and Watson in A Study in Scarlet. Holmes seriously puts out an advertisement trying to lure a murderer to the rooms at Baker Street and uses his brand new roommate's name in it without even asking him first, and then mentions it offhandedly later like. oh yeah. by the way. I asked a murderer to come visit you. should be here any minute. hope that's cool.

and Watson is just like:

okay <3 yay <3

[holmesunenthusiast]

Lestrade and Gregson are actual d1 haters in a Study in Scarlet bro cuz when prompted on why he didn't check the front lawn Gregsons like "uhhhh it was HIS job ��" at Lestrade and when Lestrade finds the writing on the wall he's like "ha YOURE STUPID 🫵" in Gregsons face and when Gregson thinks he locked up the right guy (he didn't) he's like "LMAO Lestrades such a DUMBASS going for the WRONG GUY 🤣 honestly I feel BAD for how DUMB he is" but the MILLISECOND both of them think Sherlock Holmes fucked up a deduction they immediately forget they're supposed to hate each other. INSTANTLY start putting their heads together and giggling and pointing and clapping each other on the back and planning to get drinks about it acting like it's a personal achievement. THEYRE THE ONES WHO INVITED HIM TO HELP ON THE CASE IN THE FIRST PLACE 😭😭 Bringing this dude along JUST to pray on his downfall oml

[dr-graf]

"A Study in Scarlet" coming soon :333

[motorghost]

I have to rant about this part of A Study in Scarlet because... it seems to me that Holmes didn't just discover the hemoglobin test at the moment Stamford and Watson walked in. It seems more like he seized the first opportunity to tell ANYONE. Like he simply couldn't contain his joy and desperately needed to share it with an audience. He actually BOWS after giving Watson a demonstration.

Also... "I found it!" are the first words Watson hears from Holmes. He may as well mean "it" to be Watson. He's found IT: his audience, his best friend, his soul mate. His path in life.

This first interaction sets the pattern for their entire relationship: Holmes performing for the best and most high-value audience one could hope for while Watson gets front row tickets to the greatest show on earth. Five stars.