Sherlock: BBC, Watson, and More

Although we are supposed to focus on the readings of Sherlock Holmes over the film adaptations, I just have to rant about something prior to being able to fully express who I feel Sherlock is as a character in the novels. This something that I have to rant over is how the BBC version painted an amazing adaptation of Sherlock, so perfectly that it takes great effort for me to be able to take that version of Sherlock out of my mind palace when referring to the original Sherlock Holmes who is portrayed in the movies. I also feel as if the relationship between Sherlock and Watson is depicted in an almost near perfect way too. Sherlock, in both the BBC version and the original readings we read, seems to be a complicated man who is more entertained with the idea of gaining knowledge than kindling his relationship with others. I'm sure that if Sherlock made the attempt to be less socially awkward he'd be able to, however, he'd rather use his skills elsewhere. It's apparent in both The Man with the Twisted Lip and Scandal of Bohemia that Sherlock can fit into society very well if needed (in one BBC episode he says, "The key to a good disguise isn't blending in by hiding, it's being so entirely noticeable that you become unnoticeable" or something along those lines). This makes me question if he has some sever form of OCD, in which case he must execute and perform the things that he is good at perfectly. And, no matter what the case is, Sherlock 99.9% of the time always figures out the case in such a fashion that no one can deny that he is right. It's understandable that he shuns society in this case, because being so perfect at what he does cannot be easily managed with distractions. Therefore, the fact that Sherlock strikes up a friendship with Watson is interesting to me, and I think understanding his choice to pick Watson as a friend is a huge piece in discovering who Sherlock is as a character. Personally, I see Watson as a war hero, someone who has had a not so normal past but is striving for normality in the future. He's laid back, does what he has to do, and does everything that he can to help others (i.e. going to the opium den against his own wishes in The Man with the Twisted Lip). I think a lot of these characteristics are hard to find in a person, because people are often times filled with selfish desires and the need to live a life that is different from everyone else's. I think that Sherlock noticed that Watson was different than a lot of other people, and he sought out the characteristics in a friend that were like the one's Watson had. Therefore, I admire Sherlock's ability to choose a wise friend who will stick by him through thick and thin and I feel like the attributes that Watson has are attributes that Sherlock finds important in a person. With this in mind, I begin to think that although Sherlock appears to only want to solve cases because it keeps him entertained, deep down he cares about others and enjoys doing what he does because, at the end of the day, he is helping someone as much as he is helping himself.