Ambiguous Masculinity & Sexuality in BBC’S Sherlock 2010 - Present

The Sherlock Holmes stories have been prominent since 1887, and there have been many films and Television (TV) adaptations, the most recent being produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), but set in the present day Sherlock Holmes has been very popular. He is unusual and a mystery to many people, including his best friend DR John H Watson (known to Sherlock as Watson).

The most recent adaptation of Sherlock, which is owned by the BBC, it represents diversity as it looks more into the current contemporary issues, such as sexuality and masculinity within Sherlock’s character and his relationship with his friends, especially Watson.

The BBC has ownership of the series Sherlock but many people have doubted that there is a copyright within the actual characters. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle conceived of the characters Sherlock and Watson, so the ownership lies with him. The stories of Sherlock were written over 100 years ago the copyright law didn’t come into play until 1988. It states ‘“70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last remaining author of the work dies’” (2000. UK copyright. [ONLINE]. This relates to the recent adaptation where the BBC faced legal action.

In 2014, the BBC faced being sued by an American heiress called Andrea Plunket who claimed she had the ownership of the characters Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Plunket said that 'I have the rights, that is clear and I will be suing the BBC for Sherlock’ (MailOnline, 2014, [Online]) and also stated that ‘I also have trademarks on the Holmes and Watson characters in Europe.' (Ibid). She says that her mother bought her the rights, for £40,000 from the Russian Princess Nina Mdivani.

The technology they used to film the Sherlock series has changed throughout the series. During series one they for the negative format they used HDCAM and the camera they used was Sony CineAlta F35. During series two this changes to Arri Alexa, Cooke S4 and Zeiss Super Speed Lenses. With their negative format being SxS Pro. The cinematographic process they used is for their master format they use Digital Immediate (2K) and for the source format they used HDCAM (1080p) and ProRes 4:4:4 (1080p). When the cameras are used well, it helps creates a good visual technique for sherlock, as the series go on you can see how well they have created new techniques which adds to the aesthetic of Sherlock. Sherlock, uses more cinematic than television.

Sherlock has representations of homosexuality more during the BBC adaptation I think that the BBC have made a interest in the two characters sexaulity, because of the close friendship they share. The BBC are known to have diversity and are giving more of a accurate reflection upon the modern British Society by having these representations and are they looking to appeal towards the LGBT community which is still overlooked at. Even on-screen chemistry between Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman characters has a certain depth of homosexuality.

In the very first episode ‘Study in Pink’ (Sherlock, 2010) We are introduced to Watson who is ex army in which he was Royal Army Medical, but he suffers from PTSD. his therapist says he got trust issues and that he should write a blog, as it will help be adjust back into civilian life again, and his reply was “nothing happens to me” which suggests he has given up on life and is closed off. Most men tend to not talk about their problems, as they do not want to be seen as weak as this goes against being masculine and this is show in , mental health statistics stated that ‘In 2016, 5,668 suicides were recorded in Great Britain. Of these, 75% were male and 25% were female’ (Mental Health, 2016, [online]). Which means every year more men committed suicide than women. Those ratings are shocking because if it was not seem as weak to men talking about their mental health issues then maybe they will be less suicides from men.

When Holmes and Watson first meet the first question Holmes asks him is if it was “Afghanistan or Iraq” which initially throws John off in which you can see in his body language, as he seems shocked and becomes upright. Then proceed to see Sherlock analysis John even more, in which we see that Sherlock agrees with John that his bad leg is a psychiatric limp and that there’s nothing wrong with it, but John shoots him down to this comment.

During the first episode of Sherlock we see how Holmes introduces Watson as a ‘friend’ even though that they have just met and takes him to all the ‘suicides’ in the first episode. We see their friendship developed a lot because at the end of the episode, Watson saves Sherlock life after he is nearly shot, but why would he save someone after just knowing them for a matter of hours?

Even Mrs Hudson mistakes the pair for being a couple when Holmes shows Watson the 221b Baker Street she asks Watson what he thinks and says “there’s another bedroom upstairs if you will be needing two bedrooms” in which he replies “of course will be needing two” Watson looked a bit confused when asked about if they need two bedrooms but even from the start Mrs Hudson thinks they are a couple.

Even in a scene in ‘Study in pink’ (Sherlock, 2010) where they are sitting in a little restaurant Watson is discussing with Holmes about archenemies and that no one really has them, but friend and people they know and don’t like. This is a point where Holmes brings up a homosexuality towards Watson, as when Watson asks if he has a girlfriend, he replies with “no, not really my area” in which he replies will “oh right” in which we see that Watson isn’t fazed by this and then the proceeds to ask if he has a boyfriend, which he clearly states is fine, Holmes replies with no, in which Watson lets out a little smirk and licks his lips. Which are you looking into the meaning of the body language of someone licking their lips, it can come across as flirtatious, but also tension with the person they are with. Did Watson lick his lips due to the fact he is some attracted towards Holmes? Or is it due to the fact he was put under tension of the adult conversation that they were discussing.

Following on from their very open conversation this is where Holmes first questions Watsons sexuailty as he says “You’re unattached just like me.” Holmes pauses for a second, looking a little confused, but replies to John with “John.. urm I considered myself married to my work, and while I’m flattered I’m not looking for anything” in which Watson immediately interrupted to put his point across that he isn’t gay. But, was this a little hint from Holmes himself that he may consider himself gay? Or maybe even bisexual because he wasn’t thrown by Watsons comments.

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian Neurologist who was the founder of psychoanalysis. He also developed the Oedipus complex which is introduced into his book ‘Interpretation of Dreams’ (1899) . This idea was adopted by film theorists who saw it as a way of explaining character relationships in film and referred to it as The Oedipal triangle, is where there is a rivalry between two partners. For example, there are three threats between the relationship of Holmes and Watson- who are Moriarty, Watson’s wife Mary and Irene Adler.. This is shown throughout the seasons, but also shows homosexuality between Holmes and Moriarty.

Mary is not such a threat as Moriarty but she is one to watch out for a bit like the black widow jumps on their prey quickly. When we first meet Mary in the second season, she comes across the perfect match for Watson. She accepts their rekindle friendship and she does not get too much in the way of their bromance and she trusts both Watsons and Holmes judgement on each other and knows that they are best friends and to some extended best friends have gay moments.

Irene Adler grabs the attention of both Holmes and Watson. In the remarkable essay ‘There's a name everyone says, Benedick Turner states that ‘If holmes ever comes across a true intellectual in equal in Conan Doyle's stories, it is the person of Irene Adler’ (Turner, 2015). Alder is a dominatrix and she bought Holmes and Watson attention when they are a summoned to Buckingham Palace by Mycroft Holmes, as a matter of national importance. Alder had taken compromising photos of a young member of the Royal family during a dominatrix session. She is not a big threat towards to the relationship of the both men, but she definitely catches the eye of Holmes, as he is intrigued in what she does.

At the end the first series the final episode ‘The Great Game’ (Sherlock, 2010) is where we see Moriarty make a comment about the potential of Holmes homosexuality by saying “Is that a British Army browning L9A1 in your pocket or are you just please to see me’” and Holmes replies with “both”. So this can suggest that there is some chemistry between the two characters or hint towards either Sherlock or Mortality being gay. Which is also hinted at earlier in the series when we meet him for the first time in the episode ‘The Great Game’. (ibid) Where he is introduced as the boyfriend of Molly Hooper, ‘Jim from IT’ Sherlock intentionally says that he is gay and as Moriarity accidentally drops something onto the floor, he slips his number a dish. Molly jumps down Sherlocks throat, saying that he isn’t gay, but he decided him even more telling Molly all the signs that he is gay, but why would Moriarty want to give off the impression to sherlock that he is gay? Is it because he knows that Holmes maybe gay?

There is a theory in the third series where Holmes proves that he faked his own death. That the Sherlock Holmes fan based discussed a theory that Moriarty and Holmes were gay and they faked his death, so they could potentially run away together.

Holmes is not an example of hegemonic masculinity; hegemonic masculinity is a part Raewyn Connell's concept of hegemonic masculinity in which it recognises multiples of masculinity that change over time. ‘identify those attitudes and practices among men that perpetuate gender inequality, involving both men’s domination over women and the power of some men over other (often minority groups of) men’ (Connell , 1987) If you look at from a critical psychological view he is not. Androcentrism or androcentric is dominated by emphasising the masculine interests or a masculine point of view. Androcentrism, was introduced was a analytic concept coined by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Androcentrism is an ancient Greek male practice where ‘privileging of masculine or male-associated traits over feminine or female-associated traits, whatever the gender of the person with these traits’ (Gilman, 1911)

In conjunction with this idea of Androcentrism happened a lot during film, tv or even stories when the shows were written by men, then why did Doyle not adapt this idea to Holmes himself? But inside, he made Holmes relationships, dysfunctional, but turned the tables and produced a ‘weaker’ side of a man, as he is awkward around women, he’s a drug addict and is very closed off and doesn’t show off any masculinity in the way he’s dressed or doesn’t show an interested in most masculine things such as watching the football, growing a beard, change a tyre or even have an interest in the gym. Or even fight for a woman's interest.

Queer theorist Judith butler wrote a 1990 book ‘Gender Trouble’ in which she described what she calls ‘gender trouble’ which is any representation which goes against any traditional notions of masculinity or femininity. Sherlock Holmes appears to be a example of gender trouble and because of his complicated and ambiguous identity. You can see this throughout the series, as he is has a touch of femininity towards his character, as when Mary dies he hugs Watson and holds him as he cries.

Laura Mulvey’s influential work ‘Visual pleasure narrative cinema’ argued that mainstream Hollywood film was the product of a male - dominated and controlled industry. She also coined the term ‘male gaze’ which describes the way that films display women as objects of sexual desire to be gazed at by men. But you cannot apply all of Mulvery works across media texts. Unlike in Television it sets a precedent because is it constructed for the glance not the gaze with a greater emphasis on sound, as viewers are often doing the other things as the same time as watching. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatsis who are the writers of the adapted Sherlock episodes on the BBC don’t follow this rule, now is this because of Holmes lack of interest in women?

In Ginny Walrecht essay on ‘Brain is the new sexy: Masculinity in Sherlock holmes’ she looks upon the masculinity of Sherlock in the stories written by Doyle and she compares them with the BBC adaptation where she says “On the other hand, seems to be a underdeveloped on a emotional level. He is often fails to see what appropriate behaviour in certain situation is, in which gives him an in sentensive quality” (Walrecht, 2017). Holmes back in the Victorian era on when Sherlock, was actually set he is well mannered, polite and well understanding, but the BBC adaptation makes him more straight to the point of where he has no filter on what he says. Did the BBC do this to make us believe that Holmes may have Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or even Aspergers. Contrasting that theory a way that Holmes always describes himself as is a ‘high -functioning sociopath’ but what about him being having a Narcissistic Personality Disorder which is ‘a long-term pattern of abnormal behavior characterized by exaggerated feelings of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a lack of empathy’. (Walrecht, 2017) Have Moffat and Gatiss included the idea of that Holmes, having ADHD or Aspergers, because it is more accepted in today’s society, as more and more are diagnosed with the condition each day. Also, are people are more interested in a contemporary society? If so, they are interested in this as opposed to society of the past?

Touching upon the recent Sherlock many people who he meets calls him as ‘psychopath’ which he tells most people that he isn’t but the is a ‘high-functional sociopath.’ According to the an article in the Independent the differences between a ‘psychopath’ and a ‘sociopath’ are that; ‘Psychopaths..., will plan their crimes down to the smallest detail, taking calculated risks to avoid detection...psychopaths don’t get carried away in the moment and make fewer mistakes as a result” (Independent, 2015 [online]) and that sociopaths are ‘Sociopaths are normally less emotionally stable and highly impulsive – their behaviour tends to be more erratic than psychopaths. When committing crimes – either violent or non-violent – sociopaths will act more on compulsion... They will lack patience, giving in much more easily to impulsiveness and lacking detailed planning’ (Independent, 2015 [online]). Judging by what the differences are between the two traits, Holmes falls more into being a sociopath, as he is highly impulsive, but did they just bring this idea of Holmes into the BBC adaptation to draw and audience in?

A psychologist called Maria Konnikova believed that Holmes is not a psychopath or even a sociopath.. In an article by Konnikova, ‘Stop calling Sherlock a sociopath,. Thanks, a Psychologist’. In this article she goes to explain on how he is not a sociopath or even a psychopath, but it is just a coined idea that the BBC added to his character. Konnikova even asked Cumberbatch, who plays the even said that “Sherlock Holmes is not a sociopath. He is not even a "high-functioning sociopath," (Konnikova,) . Konnikova being a psychologist knows that sociopaths and psychopaths are the same. She goes on to explain that the term ‘Psychopathy is the term used in modern clinical literature, while sociopathy is a term that was coined by G. E. Partridge in 1930 to emphasize the disorder’s social transgressions and that has since fallen out of use.’ (ibid). She also argues that Holmes does not fit the full behavior of a either, as he does not have the coldness of a Psychopath, but a different coldness as he does not have any empathy for people. Which has been shown throughout the series.

Argumentatively maybe Holmes has some underlying issues that maybe date back to when he was a child and lost his dog Redbeard, which make him believe he is a sociopath. Recently in series four of Sherlock we are hinted about their being a ‘third brother’ as this was foreshadowed in the finale of series three ‘His Last Vow’ (sherlock, 2014) when Mycroft says "I am not given to outbursts of brotherly compassion. You know what happened to the other one". Eventually in the second episode ‘The Lying Detective’(sherlock, 2017) is where we find out that both Holmes and Mycroft have a sister, who turns out to be their younger sister, Eurus. We also find out that she has appeared before in the fourth series as a love interest towards Watson, but she eventually turns out to be Watsons counsellor. It is revealed that Eurus killed Holmes, childhood friend who was called Victor Trevor. It was deemed that she decided to kill him due to the fact of her being ‘lonely’ and later on she decided to burn down the Holmes family home, which led her to being put into ‘Sherrinford’ which is an intuition that is in the middle of the British Isles. It is also later revealed that Holmes rewrote his memory to get rid of the truasming event of losing his best friend. So, it could arugmentally be that Holmes is a sociopath, has ADHD or some sort of condition due to his childhood.

Throughout the series he does show the lack of empathy especially towards women. In ‘His last vow’ (Sherlock, 2014) this is where we see Holmes introduced his first ever girlfriend to the screen, who is Janine, who was a bridesmaid at Watsons and Mary’s wedding. He uses her, as a way of getting close towards an enemy of his. Eventually in this episode he proposes to Janine as a way of getting access to the office he indents of breaking into his office. This where we see a spiteful Holmes, cause it is just not acceptable to be proposing to women to get what they want, but in today’s both men and women do horrible and spiteful things to each other.

On the other hand, he does not lack some sort of empathy towards some people; being Watson, Mrs Hudson and Molly Hooper. Even though it is mention a few times by Mrs Hudson herself that she is their ‘landlady’ and nothing else you can see that Holmes has a soft spot for her, it has been hinted at that they have a ‘mother-son’ relationship, as they argue like a mother and son would. Holmes has also saved Hudson a few times, as she was tortured by probable Central Intelligence Agency agents (CIA), as they were looking for a phone that Irene Adler, had left in Holmes procession. We also see how see a bit of how protective Holmes is over Hudson, as he throws the person who attacked Mrs Hudson out the window.

In addition to this, we also see how far Holmes would go to protect his friends. In the finale of the second series ‘ The Reichenbach Fall’.(Sherlock, 2012) We see a broken hearted Watson speaking his therapist for the first time in a long time where he says ‘My best friend, Sherlock Holmes, is dead’ this follows lines of non-linear, as the episode flashes back to the lead up to Holmes death. Moriarty, escapes from Mycroft's prison and proceeds to break into the ‘Tower of London’, in which the crown jewels are kept. Throughout, the episode we see a lot more of unwanted attention from media, in which Holmes does not like. Holmes, is set to testify at Moriarty trail, where he says he is a criminal mastermind. Later on they are asked to investigate the kidnapping of the US ambassador's daughter, when they find her and Holmes is introduced she screams, meaning that Holmes was the person who kidnaped her. Following up the lead, Detective Inspector Lestrade, arrests him, as it looks like Holmes implicated all these crimes, but it turns out to be Moriarty. Turns out that Moriarty has taken on the new identity of ‘Richard Brook’ and that Holmes made up Moriarty. This is where people start to doubt Holmes and where moriarty has full control over the situation. During this, we see how far Holmes goes to protect his friends, as a way to save them he has to kill himself, in which he does. He phones Watson and tells him this is ‘note’ before jumping off the hospital.

In a ‘ The Sign Of Three’ (Sherlock, 2014) we see a how both Holmes and Watson cope with going out for Watson’s stag and this doesn’t end well. This is the first time we have seen Holmes or Watson drink alcohol on screen. Holmes being Holmes decide to plan out the evening using his logically brain with help from DR Molly Hooper. Throughout the evening we see the boys’ drink pints or ‘’443.7 millilitres”’ as Holmes says to the bartender. Holmes carefully watches Watsons behaviour and even predicts on when he is going to use the bathroom.

In one particular scene when they get home from the stag they are both drunk and collapsed at the bottom of the stairs. Mrs hudson spots them at the bottom and says to them “oh, what are you doing back I thought you were going to be up late” in which a drunken Holmes replies with “Ah Hudders, what time is it?” in which Hudson replies with a sarcastic tone “You’ve only been out two hours”. Most men should be able to hold their drink and not pow out within two hours and if you copped out early. You will be considered a lightweight in today’s society.

You also see come compassion from Holmes during this best mate speech which plays the part mostly throughout the episode, as the speech foretells on what happened in the lead up to the wedding. At the beginning of the speech you can Holmes is nervous, as he stumbles upon his words and does not know what to say. Maybe it is cause he does suffer from ADHD.

Postmodernism can be played into the BBC adaptation of Sherlock because it is essentially a parody of the tremendous detective Sherlock Holmes. As each apdation has their own twist of Holmes itself. For example, in the Sherlock movies ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and Sherlock Holmes: Game of shadows in which star Robert Downey JR and Jude Law.

The style that Downey JR played Holmes was exceeded in extravagant style and he also plays the character more true to the stories than what Benedict Cumberbatch does in the modern day era. Another case of parody would be across the pond in America with their adaptation of ‘Sherlock Holmes’ which is called Elementary, where we see Jonny Lee Miller takes on the role of Holmes.

Elementary is very different to the movies and the books, because the case of Watson is played by actress Lucy Liu. Elementary, has its own twist of Holmes, but it still follows the main characteristics, as he is a recovering addict, but in his adaptation he is a former consultant for Scotland Yard. Which suggests this is life as living in London, as he relocates in Manhattan, after he follow a recent stint in rehab and after rehab his father makes him live with a sober companion Dr Joan Watson. Watson in the Elementary is a complete antithetical of the John Watson that is written in the books, in the American adaptation she was a successful surgeon who left her job, after losing her first patient on the table. Holmes arch enemy in this adaptation is played by a woman and called Jamie Moriarty. Elementary, include the idea of post- feminism, as they the women have two powerful main roles, as Moriarty and Watson are played by female actors’.

To summarise, there is an extended theme of ambiguous masculinity and sexuality in BBC’s Sherlock. Masculinity, has changed throughout time and has changed a lot during the 21st century in comparison to the society of when Sherlock was set during the 19th Century. It is more acceptable for men to have more of a feminine side and vice versa. Sherlock portrays these themes well, as he does not necessarily fit into the turns of what masculinity states. It is now more acceptable for male grooming, as it was seen a few decades ago, that if you had male grooming you were seen as homosexual, because you liked to keep up your appearance which links to homosexuality in Sherlock. Each adaptation of Holmes is very different and both Moffat and Gatiss have brought Holmes into the 21st century and adapted more contextual themes into his character. Maybe this is is why the most recent Sherlock is very popular by the viewers because it is more adapted to the 21st century and not still stuck in the 19th centuries of how men should be represented and portrayed in that society. Also, if people did not like Sherlock then it would not have won all the amount of awards; such as a BAFTA in 2011 for the very first season and Martin Freeman won best supporting actor. It also won awards for the Cymru BAFTA where it won awards for Television Drama, photography and production design.

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