Sherlock/John/Mary Conflict (TAB)

fleur-de-bee:

A great thing about the special was how in the beginning, before Sherlock could really get into the case, he set up some exposition. Since exposition explains those things that are going to be relevant to understanding the continuing story, and in this case serves as a bit of a refresher going into the episode, it’s interesting what the writers choose to show us.

After we’re shown Sherlock and John’s introductions and first meeting, the next thing we’re really shown is the ongoing conflict between John and Mary. There are still plenty of people, especially casual viewers, who view the “forgiveness scene” between John and Mary in HLV as genuine. As making things work, and resolving the conflict and tension in their marriage shown earlier on in HLV.

However, this scene we’re given in 221B in the beginning of TAB quickly establishes that the conflict is still very present. It’s as if the writers are saying, “Well, because some people didn’t quite catch on the last time around…” Mary rarely gets to see her husband, and vocalizes her frustration with his constant absence. As they argue in the background of a shot of Sherlock playing their wedding waltz on his violin, it is revealed that John /still/ abandons Mary for Sherlock; Sherlock is still coming between them. No matter what they do, John’s putting Sherlock and their adventures before his own wife.

Mary is continuing to come between John and Sherlock’s relationship as well, initially by standing right between their chairs in 221B and immediately causing an interruption as they enter the flat (which kind of reminds me of Sherlock and John each returning to 221B in The Empty Hearse, and each being immediately aware of a shift, a change brought on by Mary’s presence in their lives), being placed between John and Sherlock visually in the frame in which John and Mary are arguing:

(gif by @soratasekakoi )

…and finally, to push further and insinuate that John isn’t of any value to Sherlock on a case. Upon hearing this, Sherlock stops his music, says “Enough!” and begins the case. He has set up everything he needs to. The conflict still exists. Even the casual viewer must be aware of it now. And yet, it is never resolved in any way within the special. Nothing anyone’s doing is smoothing it out. So it will be an issue that must be handled in Series 4. John must pick one or the other. And because this is about John and Sherlock, because the last scene in Sherlock’s mind palace was he and John, together, “There’s always two of us,” this won’t be resolved in favor of Mary.

This.