BBC's Sherlock

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Tolkien was, as Verlyn Flieger points out in the best book about Tolkien yet written, Splintered Light, a man of antithesis. The side that you refer to, can be summed up with the word "dyscatastrophe". This reflects the Beowulf influence, and I presume from what you and others have said is where the parallel with Martin comes in. But the other side, of course, can be summed up with the word "eucatastrophe". As Tolkien wrote, "The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending: or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous 'turn' ... does not deny the existence of dyscatastrophe, of sorrow and failure: the possibility of these is necessary to the joy of deliverance; it denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal final defeat and in so far is evangelium, giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy, Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief." In short, it Tolkien Faith -- and his believe in the power of Love (arguably the same thing) -- that transcends that generally pessimistic view of human nature, in a way that I am confident (sight unseen) that Martin is unable to duplicate.

Edited to add: Irene Adler? (naked, of course)

[Passdagas the Brown]

I agree, and Tolkien's depictions of eucatastrophic moments (particularly in LOTR) are, I believe, the primary reason why I am deeply inspired and moved by them. For me, it is an essential element of the successful faery story, and Tolkien delivers in spades.

In GRRM's world there is not much eucatastrophe, and lots of dyscatastrophe (or just plain catastrophe).

However, there is a bit of the former (though on a less grandly spiritual scale than found in Tolkien's world) shot through GoT in both the story of Daenarys Targaryen, and Brandon Stark.

My hope is that the series (which is not yet completed in book form) ends with a eucatastrophic victory for the most honorable of the remaining characters. That can't be guaranteed, but it also can't be ruled out.

Lastly, the existence of eucatastrophe in Tolkien's stories does not necessarily counteract (or conflict with) Tolkien's view of the essentially fallen nature of man. In Middle Earth, man is still deeply flawed. It's just that Middle Earth is guided by a benevolent God that seemingly rewards moral acts from time to time, whereas in GoT we have no idea if there's a hand of fate, or if that hand is benevolent.

At least, we don't know yet...

-PtB
P.S. And eucatastrophe is my favorite of Tolkien's invented words. Such an excellent word with significant explanatory power.

[Sunsilver]

To haul this wandering thread back on track again....

However, my birthday is coming up soon, so I may drop some hints to family and close friends...

Guess what popped up in my mailbox today, and was duly forwarded to my brother and SIL?

Sherlock Season 1

Great price, too!

[Passdagas the Brown]

Hope you enjoy it! Season 1 is excellent.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Almost as good as Season 3.

[Passdagas the Brown]

I'm pretty sure there are only two seasons.

[Smaug's voice]

I'm sure you'll like s1 Silver! it has none of the WTH! moments from s3. Tell us when you're done.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

This isn't really news, more like confirmation of what we already knew:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/pro ... herlockpbs

[Smaug's voice]

Great.

Thanks V.

[Frelga]

Bouncing between for another series and for another year of waiting.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

So apparently the much-maligned (at least by a few people here, though not generally) third season won Sherlock its first Emmy's with Benedict and Martin winning Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, in a mini-series, movie or dramatic special, and Stephen Moffat winning for best writing in a mini-series, movie or dramatic special. Well deserved, in my opinion.

Moffat had some encouraging comments about the upcoming Season 4:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/08/25/sherl ... -4-moffat/

[Elentári]

Yes, congratulations to the boys!

Am a little bit in trepidation regarding the "darker from the outset" part, and how the cast were in tears after hearing the writers' plans....do we need fear for John and Mary's baby?

[Frelga]

And probably Mary herself, which is canon.

[Primula Baggins]

Yes, alas. Baring-Gould's Annotated Sherlock Holmes, which breaks down all textual clues as to the dates of particular cases, makes a solid case that Watson was married four times and widowed three. The assumption is that Conan Doyle wouldn't have gotten years or wife-names mixed up, although I think there's a wink in that assumption. But Mary is the only unquestionable marriage Watson made, and his wife unquestionably dies.

OTOH, these guys can do as they please and we'll eat it up.

[Sunsilver]

I have finally decided to treat myself, and purchased Season 1 of Sherlock. In the first episode, Sherlock is seen taking a riding crop to a body, and getting VERY carried away with his efforts. He then tells the woman in the lab to let him know what sort of bruises show up, and when.

If this was indeed a corpse, NO bruises will show, as a dead body does not bruise (a bruise is caused by bleeding underneath the skin.) If it is a living person, Sherlock is indeed a total psychopath!

Comments, anyone?

I find it very hard to believe the creative staff behind Sherlock could make such a grievous error, and equally hard to believe that Sherlock would whip a live person so viciously, even if they WERE unconscious!

[Elentári]

Sunny, according to this website, it was a book reference...

The whipping scene at St. Bart's in the beginning is a reference to a conversation between Stamford and Watson in "A Study in Scarlet". Stamford tells Watson that Holmes "beats the subjects in the dissecting-room with a stick, to verify how far bruises may be produced after death."

[narya]

In celebration of the Emmys, Sherlock Season 3 is available on PBS.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365150373/


Edit: just watched the first episode of Season Three again. Still delightful!

[Sunsilver]

[sigh] Not in Canada, it isn't! Maybe they'll air it, though. I'll keep an eye out for that!

[Sunsilver]

Okay, only THREE episodes in Season 1?? And they have to end it with a killer cliff hanger??

The chemistry between Sherlock and Watson is just SO good, as is their acting when alone. Cummerbach's face is so fine, almost feminine, that it's hard to believe he can be so heartless, "It's been reliably said about me that I HAVE no heart!" (Or very similar words.)

Yet somehow you catch the tiniest glimpses (so small you wonder if you're mistaken) that this is not really true. His awkward 'thank you' to John for trying to save him from Moriarity is one of those moments. He comes across to me as someone who was absolutely brilliant in school, yet hated, bullied and rejected by his peers because of it. I've been there myself, and knows what that feels like, know how to keep a stiff upper lip, and pretend it doesn't hurt, and that you don't care. (I was not brilliant, but was bullied anyway...) Maybe I'm reading too much of my own experience into his character, but I can see how his character could have formed from similar experiences.

Anyway, his portrayal is brilliant.

The show moves along at such a fast clip that you tend to overlook or forgive any plot holes as you are just too busy trying to follow the action, and Holme's brilliant lighting-swift deductions. You just want to sit back and enjoy the ride!

And now, of course, I have to go out and buy Season 2... I SO wish this was more available in Canada! It would be, if I was wiling to spend the money on a DVR, and a special subscription to HBO, but the DVR alone is around $400, and the subscription an extra $10 a month. So, in the end, it's cheaper to spend $30 for the DVDs. For some reason, Season 2 is even cheaper!

[narya]

Alas, season two has only three episodes as well, but you'll like them.


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