Snowflake Challenge #5 and #6

[kingstoken]

Okay first off, I had to delay fandomtrees reveals because not everyone had two gifts, if you could take a look at the needy list I'd appreciate it, the minimum is only a drabble (100 words) for fic and a sketch for art. And now onto the Snowflake challenge!

Challenge #5

Talk about what has improved in your life thanks to fandom.

I don't know what to put here other than joy. Fandom has really given me joy in my life when other stuff is going badly.


Challenge #6

Share your favourite piece of original canon.

I could share so many things here, but since Sherlock Holmes has been taking over my brain, lets talk the Granada adaptation. I have mentioned before that this adaptation follows the books very closely, they make some changes, but the changes they do make I think work well. I'd say the biggest change is that Watson does not marry Mary Morstan after the Sign of Four, there is some hint that he is attracted to her in that episode, however nothing ever comes of it. I think this probably made sense for the TV series production wise, plus it is great for the viewer, because Holmes and Watson remain together at Baker St. for the entire series.

They are so married in this adaptation! I don't mean that literally, it was shot in the late 1980s and early 1990s, so they are nothing but best friends in canon, but they do very much act like they are the most important people in each other's lives. Plus they bicker like an old married couple much of the time.

There are two different actors who play Watson during the series, which sounds bad, but they really made it work. I talk more about the two Watsons in this meta post if you're interested. Another thing is that both actors are in their late middle ages (50s) when the show starts, and you get to see them growing older together, and there is something wonderful in that. I don't know if it is just me, but I find it hard to imagine Holmes and Watson as young, when I read the books when I was young I always pictured them as older men.

I'm pretty sure the whole series is on YouTube, the Youtube channel Your Daily Brew has I think all the episodes uploaded, and they are in the original TV format, so they don't look stretched like others do. Unfortunately, they are not in a playlist, so you will have to check Wikipedia first to get the viewing order.

Anyways, if my blabbering hasn't sold you on the show, enjoy some shippy gifs instead:

Them walking arm in arm:



Watson tending Holmes' wounds:



Holmes' caressing Watson's face after fainting:



Holmes and Watson trying not to laugh at Lestrade:



Lingering in doorways:

Comments

[senmut]

Oh my heart, yes!

I will never forget when Mom, knowing I can't always match young actor to older actor, looked at me and pointed at the screen (we were watching My Fair Lady) and said 'that's your Sherlock you love'. Mind blown!

But yes, I am now off to read your take on the two Watsons because it never bothered me at all.

[kingstoken]

Yes, I was so surprised when I found out he had been in My Fair Lady, I didn't recognize him.

[sixbeforelunch]

I adore the Grenada adaptation! I actually prefer it in some ways to the books, in large part because they keep Watson single which does work better for the story. Watson is constantly finding reasons to run off and join Holmes anyway, and that's before Doyle kills Mary off off-page to get them back together full time. The simplicity of not having the marriage happen at all just works better for both the plot and the characters IMO.

[kingstoken]

Yes, poor Mary, but I think the story works so much better if they just remain bachelors sharing rooms together.

[gingicat]

#5: Fandom can be so amazingly joyous.

#6: I hear you about this Sherlock Holmes adaptation - it made it difficult to watch any other one.

I am going to go read your take on the two Watsons, which I never noticed!

[kingstoken]

When I first saw gif sets of the series, before watching it, I didn't realize that they changed actors part way through. I knew the series had gone on awhile so I just assumed that it was the same actor only older. They did such a great job finding two actors that looked so much alike. I would say the only big difference between them, aside from age, is that the second actor has a softer, gentler voice, but I think that works really well for the character.

[barbaratp]

Deus amado a cada dia que alguém abre a boca para falar de Granada Holmes eu me torno mais e mais apaixonada e querendo assistir enfim. Como não shippar eles? Impossível.

[kingstoken]

It is very hard not to ship them!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Aw, lovely gifs!

[kingstoken]

I wish I could take credit for them, but I found most of them on tumblr.

[walgesang]

It's so wild to see the fandom of my childhood in gif form, by which I mean happy nostalgia! :D I don't think I appreciated enough when I was younger to have media about old men growing old together but I sure appreciate it now.

[kingstoken]

One thing I appreciate about tumblr is the amount gifs everyone makes for every fandom :D.

The older I get more appreciate stories where the characters get to grow old together.

[walgesang]

I was cleaning out my old LJ folders recently and found one of my favorite Jeremy Brett as Holmes photos (which now I'm kicking myself for deleting because I can't find it online!). It was definitely a time where I was into the "tall, thin and tortured" brooding look. :D

[kingstoken]

Oh no! Hopefully you find it online again some day. Jeremy Brett was such a treasure as Holmes because he could pull off the brooding and joyous parts of Holmes.

[switchbladeeyes]

Granada was also my favorite adaptation and the truest (though I enjoy other adaptations as well... “The Great Mouse Detective”, anyone? 😄)

Like you say, the changes made sense for the show. Thanks for linking to where the episodes can be found streaming!

[kingstoken]

I loved the Great Mouse Detective as a kid, I should watch it again, because I would probably appreciate all the references now.

[delphi]

😍 I've seen some of those scenes in stills many time, often on folks' personal web pages back in the day, but I don't think I've seen them in motion. They really are some fantastic moments.

[kingstoken]

Awe, I'm so happy to bring the gifs to you.

[tjs_whatnot]

I remember when Sherlock came out, I didn't want to watch it until I'd read the entire works of Sherlock Holmes. But, it wasn't until I watched this show that I thought, THIS is Sherlock Holmes! So perfect, and his Watson? *chef's kiss*

♥

[kingstoken]

Yes!

[malinaldarose]

My first husband turned me on to that show and it remains my favorite adaptation.

[kingstoken]

Yay! It is pretty great.

[mekare]

Ah I still need to watch this, it keeps getting recced by Holmes fans...

[kingstoken]

Trust me, there is a reason for that.

[potentiality_26]

Yes, Granada's decision not to have Watson ever marry or moved out was really wonderful.

[kingstoken]

It was the best decision really!