Favorite Characters: John Watson (Sherlock)

While Sherlock’s titular consulting detective is of course the eye-catching one, a whirlwind of deductive genius and dramatic flourishes, the series wouldn’t be nearly what it is without the presence of Martin Freeman’s John Watson.  I really love this take on the character and appreciate all he brings to the show.

The generally-accepted role of Watson in Sherlock Holmes stories is to ask questions and marvel at Holmes’s brilliance – not saying that that’s his true function or only purpose, just that there’s a prevailing idea that that’s what he’s there for.  And different adaptations of the stories have portrayed him that way, some going as far as to make him a little dim and blundering.  But on Sherlock, that’s not what John is about; if Sherlock calls him an “idiot,” it’s only with the qualification that “practically everyone is.”  When you hold him up to Sherlock’s brain, he’s not going to compare, but he’s not supposed to.  The show doesn’t need two Sherlocks – it does, however, need a John.

So what does John bring to the table?  There’s his medical knowledge, of course – although Sherlock knows a lot about nearly everything, John’s the one with tangible, applicable skills when it comes to physical injuries, and in a dangerous line of work, that’s an important skillset to have around.  He’s also a trained soldier, an adept marksman who can more than hold his own if the situation calls for it (Sherlock knows his way around a fight as well, but John’s talents are different than his.)  And, significantly, because his mind isn’t wired the way Sherlock’s is, he’s sometimes in a position to see a big picture when Sherlock can only see the puzzle.  I love the moment in “The Sign of Three” when Sherlock notes that he was intent on solving a murder, he couldn’t see what John saw – that the victim was still alive and could be ressussitated. 

A big part of his role might be considered being Sherlock’s “handler.”  It’s most definitely a thankless job, and there are times when John gets fed up with doing it, but given Sherlock’s deficiencies in tact and empathy, it’s an important one.  When Sherlock, say, steamrolls his way through questioning a grieving family, it’s John who pulls him back and reminds him of the actual human beings involved.  John is the one to smooth things over, to observe the niceties Sherlock doesn’t bother with, and to deescalate the situation when Sherlock irritates or offends someone.  Additionally, although he has his moments when he can’t take Sherlock’s callousness anymore, John generally recognizes the Sherlock that most – even, sometimes, Sherlock himself – can’t see.  He knows that Sherlock isn’t as uncaring or untouchable as he pretends, that he’s affected by things even when he shrugs them off, that he sometimes needs help even if he won’t ask for it.

Apart from his role on the show as it relates to Sherlock, I just like John’s characterization.  I especially love how he’s portrayed in the pilot as a man who’s been through war and trauma but who, rather than wanting to get away from danger, thrives on it.  He’s not swept up in Sherlock’s crazy life – he dives into it.  And as much as he’s a solid, grounding presence amidst the insanity in 221B Baker St., he ultimately wouldn’t want it any other way.