2. "John, I'm Flattered By Your Interest" 'A Study In Pink'
Watson and Sherlock Holmes have been the subject of gay speculation literally since the first novel appeared in the 1800s. There are critics who say that Irene Adler and Mary Morstan were created solely to refute rumours that Watson and Holmes were homosexuals. People have written thesises on the gay undertones of the story. Today, we see it as a kind of ultimate bromance, which is a main selling point of Sherlock's renewed popularity. So obviously, any modern update would have to deal with those homosexual implications. Two men, very close friends, sharing adventures, a bathroom, and a flat? Add to that the modern understanding of sexuality as a spectrum, where a person isn't necessarily either gay or straight. Then throw in a dash of determined tolerance in liberal societies, and what you have is speculation so self-evident it often ends up in the show itself. Irene Adler, Mrs. Hudson, newspapers, and random strangers make assumptions about John and Sherlock that John, at least, is really uncomfortable with. Still, nothing beats the moment in the first episode when Sherlock himself speculates on the nature of their relationship. John fails to dispel awkwardness in asking Sherlock if he's in a relationship, or if he's gay. Unfortunately, flailing around in such a personal conversation, he manages to give Sherlock the wrong impression, and Sherlock tries to let him down easy. Which is nice of him, I suppose, but still utterly hilarious.
Rebecca Kulik lives in Iowa, reads an obsence amount, watches way too much television, and occasionally studies for her BA in History. Come by her personal pop culture blog at tyrannyofthepetticoat.wordpress.com and her reading blog at journalofimaginarypeople.wordpress.com.
