Observation One

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

BBCs Sherlock: A Study in Pink
Note: This observation took place over the last 30 minutes of an episode that is originally 88
minutes long. So the reader can have a clearer understanding of what is happening, I must give a
quick synopsis of what happened in the beginning of the episode. Sherlock, our beloved detective, is
given the mission to find what has linked the four identical serial suicides together. The latest
suicide has ended with our mysterious Lady in Pink etching someones name into the floor where
she was dying. My observation begins here, where Sherlock and Doctor Watson are in the process
of cracking this mystery.
Relevant Background Information: The observations in my analysis take place in several different
locations. The first episode we come to is located in many places such as the British flat at 221 B Baker
Street where there is a so called drug bust that happens to be in Sherlock's apartment. He was in fact not
accused of having any drugs, but his former colleagues were trying to pull something over on him. This is
where most of Sherlocks prime detective work is done. He is renting this apartment so it doesnt exactly
have such a cozy feel, but rather has all of Sherlocks experiments inside of it (shooting range,
decapitated head, etc.) Other places that we get to see are the inside of a psychotic taxi-drivers cab, and
the Roland-Kerr Further Education College. In the second episode we get to get a closer look at the
National Antiques Museum, and the 2 flats of the murder victims.
Figured World: In Sherlock, there is a group of people that actually demonstrated appropriate, respectful
behavior; but then we have Sherlock himself. He is a man that will do whatever he pleases, whenever he
wants. This doesnt negatively impact his work, but does make some people slightly suspicious of his
actions. There are certain specifications that the detectives must follow, such as always wearing the
appropriate protective gear when examining a body, or not being extremely loud on the site of the crime.
All the detectives seem to try and one-up the other, especially Sherlock and his fellow detective
Anderson.
Actors:

Sherlock: Sherlock is the main character in our series and is our perfect embodiment of the typical
detective. He doesnt care what anyone thinks, and all he wants to do is solve his current mystery.
Sherlock is obnoxiously rude and will gather information about a person without them willingly giving
permission, which seems to be a recurring problem throughout the series. One thing that has become
prominent in this episode is that he doesnt seem to show much love or compassion like normal human
beings do. One example of this is when he seems to wonder why a woman would still be attached to her
daughter that she lost during pregnancy.
The Cabbie: The cabbie is our ultimate game player in this episode. He lures Sherlock to have a ride in
his cab while professing a game that he simply cant refuse. We find later in the episode that he is dying
of a brain aneurism and is conducting all of these suicides in order to have money funded into his
childrens bank account. As a part of solving his puzzle, the cabbie pulls out 2 pill bottles. One bottle is

filled with the poison, and the other is completely harmless; but it is Sherlocks job to pick the one that
will not drop him dead the second it enters his system.
Dr. Watson: Dr. Watson is our wounded soldier that is tagging along with Sherlock on his crazy
adventures. In many ways he differs from Sherlock, such as having emotions and feelings towards living
beings; but together they make a great team. Throughout the course of this figured world, he is able to
help Sherlock and discover his burning desire to get back into action.
Soo Lin Yao: Soo Lin is the young girl with all of the connections in episode two. She is the sister of the
murderer that runs a criminal gang. We learn in the beginning of the episode that she is skilled with the
handling and knowledge of these ancient Chinese pots and they become crucial in the discovery of her
disappearance.
Artifacts:
The Pill Bottles: These pills that were distributed by the cabbie are the main pieces of evidence as to how
these people were dying. Not only are these a symbol for how people have died, but also how Sherlock
can feel defeated. Without knowing which of these pills was the poison, he felt as if he had lost the
game between himself and the psycho serial killer.
The Cabbie Game: Knowing exactly how Sherlock operates is a way of defeating him at his own game.
The entire process of tricking him into taking the poisoned pill was the cabbies ultimate goal of the night
until he was shot dead. This game is significant because it is when we see Sherlocks true colors come out
and how he actually cant stand to lose at something that involves others lives.
Mysterious Symbols: The ancient symbols are some type of code that has allowed Sherlock to connect to
where he will find the next victim throughout the entire second episode. They are spray painted on the
wall after they have murdered their next victim and are two small symbols that really have no meaning to
us. He realizes that these arent just a modern way of coding something, but an ancient scripture that has
multiple meanings that need to be discovered.
Communities of Practice:
Sherlocks Enemies: The cabbie, Moriarty, Mycroft, and Sergeant Donovan are the group of people that
despise the work of Sherlock Holmes. Technically, the Cabbie and Moriarty are fans of the detective,
but are also out to kill him because of their jealousy. The communication that happens between these 4
isnt directly linked but they all have the common goal of wanting Sherlock off the job.
Domain:
Sherlocks Intelligence: Sherlock himself withholds so much information and wisdom that anyone
around him can learn something just by a casual conversation. But also as the other detectives gather this
thought process from him, they are making a greater competition among them all without realizing it.
Many thoughts that Sherlock has are left unsaid, which leaves the other detectives speechless as to how
he solved the crime.
Seemingly Unsolvable Crimes: What makes this show so suspenseful is the thought of Sherlock not
being able to solve the puzzle. Of course not all of this can be discovered by Sherlock himself but he does
have a few helping hands. Dr. Watson is who unwraps many pieces of evidence through his background
knowledge of being a soldier, and we soon see that this comes in good use.

Practices of the Community:

Solving the Cabbies Game: In order to uncover any mystery, it cant just take the work of one person.
In this episode, Sherlock relies on the help of his friend John Watson to save him and could not have been
alive without him. Once people started to realize that Sherlock had been missing, they were after him and
that is what saved him from his death. All of the detectives have the common practice of learning to pick
up on small details that others might simply overlook, and this is what helps them all learn together and
grow in their profession.
Literacy Practices:
Texting: The act of a simple text messages becomes very important in this figured world. Sherlock is able
to communicate with the other detectives and update them on his location just with a text or GPS locater.
This is very important to solving the crime later on in the episode. \
Blogging: In episode three, Dr. Watson picks up a habit of blogging everything that Sherlock does and
says. This creates one of the most widely watched blogs and is an easy way for them to communicate with
their fans. or murderers.
The Observation:
Season One, Episode One:
56:00mins: Sherlock Holmes has had all of his fellow detectives break into his flat on a supposed drug
bust and they are searching for the pink suitcase that Sherlock discovered for evidence in the latest serial
suicide. While going through Sherlocks apartment, the name Rachel has just been identified as person
who was linked to the most recent suicide. We find out that Rachel was the stillborn daughter of the last
woman found dead by the pill, and that her name is actually a code so the detectives can track her phone.
Sherlock then is told that there is a cab outside waiting for him and he goes to check on it.
61:00mins: The cab driver confesses to being the murderer of the past 4 people. He then invites Sherlock
into his cab so he can experience what the people have been though, and tells him that once he speaks to
him -- hell want to kill himself too. The cab driver tells him that hes a big fan of all his work and has
been warned about him by some other colleague of his.
67:00mins: Sherlock and the taxi driver pull up at the Roland-Kerr Further Education College where
supposedly where the place is closed and quiet at the time. Meanwhile, Dr. Watson has located the spot of
Sherlock and the cabbie with the GPS coordinates linked in the phone. The game that the cabbie plays
with all his suicide victims is beginning to play out.
70:00mins: The cabbie pulls out the first pill bottle and explains how his game works. He tells Sherlock
that there is a good bottle and a bad bottle, and they each contain the identical pill. His victims are
invited to choose one bottle, and whichever one they take - he will promise to take the other. Simply, if
they refuse to take either bottle; he will shoot them. Sherlock soon figures out that the cabbie is an
estranged father who was told 3 years earlier he was dying of a brain aneurism. He realises the gun is
actually a fake cigarette lighter and starts to leave. However, the cabbie challenges him again to choose a
pill and see if he can solve the puzzle.

79:00mins: Across town, John has caught a cab to the spot of where Sherlock and the murderer are. We
see that Dr. Watson is sitting in a building across from where the two are, and shoots the cabbie. Sherlock
questions the dying cabbie about the identity of his "fan", the cabbie's sponsor, and finally he reveals the
name: Moriarty.
82:00mins: The police arrive on the scene and start to question Sherlock about who they believe the
shooter to be; and he suddenly starts to realize that he was giving away clues as to it being John, so he
abruptly stops. Sherlock and John leave the scene and run into the man who had abducted John earlier. He
turns out to be Sherlock's elder brother, Mycroft.
Season One, Episode Two:
2:30mins: The episode opens with a series of events that show someone properly filling and cleaning
ancient tea pots. History about the tea pots are spoken and told by a woman that seems to be of some
asian descent. This woman is seen replacing and cleaning all of the objects that are in a museum and
suddenly she hears a lock click. She checks the hall to look for security and it curious about a certain
object that is covered by a sheet. We see her start to reach for the curtain, and as she pulls it her face drops
in awe; the camera cuts and the Sherlock theme song comes into play. We notice that this lady seems
very shy and speaks very little to anyone that she encounters, but has a strong passion for these teapots
that she takes care of.
4:00mins: Dr. Watson is shown having some trouble while trying to check out his own groceries at the
store. In between his troubles, the camera flashes back to Sherlock at their home of 221B Baker Street
and currently shows him fighting someone dressed in unusual clothing. There are things being destroyed
and swords being thrown, but Sherlock is seeming to win the fight. Dr. Watson notices Sherlock using his
computer and wonders how exactly he got into it, because its password protected. But as usual, Sherlock
has meddled into someone's personal life once again. Sherlock distinctly hears a siren wail in the distance
and knows exactly where it is going, so he rushes out the door to go to the bank.
10:00mins: At the bank, Sherlock and Dr. Watson meet up with a former classmate of Sherlock named
Sebastian. He tells us that the bank has been broken into and left nothing but symbols written on the wall.
These seemingly meaningless pair of symbols have been painted over portraits and in distinct view of
only a certain person. Sherlock then finds out that this message has been left for the eyes of Edward Van
Coon, and then discovers that he has not come to work. He breaks into Van Coons flat and discovers that
he is dead. Detective Inspector Dimmock seems to believe that this is a suicide, while Sherlock has
evidence to believe theres been a murder.
19:00mins: We go back to the museum and see Andy quietly working. The museum director approaches
him and asks that he go and get 2 vases appraised for their collection. Andy then insists that Soo Lin
should go because she is the expert, but he is told that she has resigned from her job. In hopes of gaining
financial stability, John is out looking for a job. He obtains a job at a local hospital and is filling in for
someone that is out for some time. Sherlock and Watson soon discover a second killing that happened the
exact same as Van Coons and they demand to inspect the new victims flat. He discovers that the killer is
someone who can easily climb and sneak around, then he demands to find out what connects the two
men.

25:00mins: After finding a book in the journalist's apartment, he immediately takes it to the library. He
discovers that the book he found, was checked out the same day as his death. Going to put the book back,
they find the same mysterious symbols written on the inside of the bookshelf. Sherlock has realized that
these arent any modern day codes that can be discovered by anyone, so he goes to find an expert. The socalled expert that they find is a graffiti artist named Raz who has seen everything on the city walls for
quite some time. He is able to give Sherlock and Watson the name of the paint that was used, and this is a
big key to the puzzle. Andy is very inquisitive as to why Soo Lin has resigned her job, but realizes that
she would never leave those pots because it was one of her favorite things to do. Dr. Watson receives an
ASBO for seeming to be the person that had painted the graffiti on the wall while they were standing on
the corner with Raz, and he is very angered by this.
Season One, Episode Three:
2:00mins: This scene opens up with Sherlock interviewing someone that seems to have committed some
sort of crime. We find out that he has murdered his wife and is asking Sherlock for help since he is the
best. This man has extremely bad grammar and is corrected by Sherlock almost every time, which is
assumed to irritate him and lead us to believe this is why he will not help him. After this conversation has
ended, the screen cuts to the Sherlock theme song/intro.
3:00mins: Shown are a series of gunshots that suddenly lead to Sherlock holding the gun. Dr. Watson
barges in on him and immediately starts interrogating. Sherlock is bored because there has not been
another murder mystery for him to investigate lately. He reveals that his memory is what he calls his
hard drive and it only makes sense to him. He stores everything that he believes is useful, and deletes
what he wants. This makes perfect sense to us because we have already realized that he doesnt have
much common sense when it comes to other people, but can tell how long a person has been lying dead.
6:00mins: John gets word that there has been an explosion back at his home with Sherlock and rushes
over to see what has happened. He comes home to the scene of Sherlock being safe and his brother
Mycroft, pressuring him to investigate the murder of a clerk that was found dead beside the train tracks
with his head busted in and a missing memory stick. After his brother leaves, Sherlock is called to the
Scotland Yard by detective Lestrade. There, the detective has something for Sherlock that was found
inside the bombed flat. A small mobile phone that was found similarly to the one in A Study In Pink
was discovered to be in the envelope.
13:00mins: Unexpectedly, the small phone seems to have an incoming message. It has five pips that it
sends out, then a picture appears on the phone. Sherlock discovers that this is a warning and that it will
happen again soon, it is just a matter of time. He suddenly recognizes the place, and realizes that it is the
abandoned flat that is in 221 Baker Street. As they go to inspect the room, they see a pair of old sneakers
that are his next clue to the puzzle. He receives a phone call that has woman on the other line, sobbing
and crying her eyes out. The woman is reading something to Sherlock from a third party and says that if
he doesnt solve her puzzle within 12 hours, the bomb suit she is wearing will detonate.
18:00mins: While Sherlock is trying to find out every small detail about these trainers, the lab assistant
Molly Hooper decides it is the time to introduce her boyfriend to him and Dr. Watson. Sherlock does his

first appearance impression and tells Molly that her boyfriend is gay, so she gets angered and storms out.
Sherlock asks Dr. Watson for a second appearance and what he notices about the shoes, and he seems to
pick out some of the same thing that the detective has. They soon connect that they were worn by a male
with large feet and had caked mud on the bottom from London. Soon we see Sherlocks face brighten and
he puts together that this is a boy named Carl Powers who had drowned at a swimming tournament when
he was young. Sherlock was the only person that found something odd about it, and no one ever believed
him. What he found so odd about this case was that the boy had all of his clothes left in his locker, but no
shoes.
24:00mins: John is sent by Sherlock to go see what his brother needs so urgently solved. His brother
seems pleasantly surprised that John is here to pick up the missile plans and gives John the details about
the victim and that we learn he was an MI6 clerk. Meanwhile, Sherlock discovers that Carl Powers was
poisoned with Clostridium botulinum that caused his death. Sherlock must send out a post on Dr.
Watson's blog to get the bombers attention.
Interview:

1. Tell me what you like about BBCs television series Sherlock:

a. I personally love how when Sherlock is explaining something to someone he uses
sarcasm. He acts as if they think they way he does and when they ask him a question he answers
sarcastically to show his disappointment in them. I also really like the mysteries that they use to
get us interested in the show. It is written so well it is hard not to love and enjoy.
2. Describe to me why you think Sherlock acts like he does when he learns that he has another
mystery to solve?
a. The only excitement in Sherlock's life is when he has something to work on and
solve. Im sure youve noticed by now that when Sherlock has nothing to do he is a wreck and is
willing to do ANYTHING to calm his mind.
3. Why do you think that Sherlock HAD to play the game with the cab driver and not just
walk away?
a. I feel like Sherlock had to play the game to show that he could outsmart the taxi
driver and prove to him that he was the smartest human being and that he wasnt just a cocky
British man who thought he knew everything. It was to prove to himself that he indeed was
Sherlock Holmes.
4. Do you think this show keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat, and how?
a. I do! I believe that the style of writing and the energy that is put forth by the
characters is what keeps the viewers so intrigued. If Sherlock was any less sarcastic and brilliant
I feel that the TV show wouldnt do as well.
5. What do you think Dr. Watson could have done differently when he was going to find
Sherlock?
a. Thats a good question. Hmm. Im not really sure. Dr. Watson could have not
allowed Sherlock to use his cell phone or be intrigued in what he was doing and by those two
small things Sherlock could have never of brung up becoming flat mates and join and Sherlock
would still be searching and Dr. Watson would still be using his cane.