Sherlock, S1 Ep1, A Study in Pink

analysis
#41

For ease of reference this is what we have given our domains and OS/ MC problem of Inaction

OS

Domain: Universe
Concern: The Present
Issue: Attempt
Symptom: Re-evaluation
Response: Evaluation
Problem: Inaction
Solution: Protection

MC: Watson

Domain: Psychology
Concern: Conceiving
Issue: Expediency
Symptom: Production
Response: Reduction
Problem: Inaction
Solution: Protection

IC: Sherlock

Domain: Activity
Concern: Gathering Information
Issue: Analysis
Symptom: Re-evaluation
Response: Evaluation
Problem: Acceptance
Solution: Non-acceptance

RS

Domain: Mind
Concern: Conscious
Issue: Doubt
Symptom: Re-evaluation
Response: Evaluation
Problem: Reduction
Solution: Production

In my post earlier, I had Watsonā€™s Symptom/ Response backward. I think itā€™s Start/Stop that determines the orientation of that.

Looking over this, what really jumps out at me is that OS Symptom/ Response being Re-evaluation/ Evaluation seems totally backward. Wouldnā€™t this mean the efforts in the OS are directed at going back to first conclusions because they see issues with their subsequent analysis. Iā€™m not sure if thatā€™s the right way to think about it; I find comparing those elements to be somewhat mind-bending. Certainly, the story seems to be moving in the opposite direction, seeking out Sherlockā€™s new interpretations because initial assessments arenā€™t yielding results and are incorrect.

Is it possible we have the Domains of the OS and RS reversed?

Fixed Attitude/ Mind in the OS would be illustrated by the policeā€™s early insistence that these must be related suicides, which the press finds unbelievable, but when the press suggests that these might instead be murders, the police shoot that down. Plus, you have Sherlock texting ā€œWrong!ā€ over and over, which seems pretty Fixed Attitude. You have some of the police feeling really strongly about Sherlock not being part of the investigation, Sherlock feeling strongly that everyone else is an idiot. Thereā€™s the argument between Sherlock and Cabbie over the nature of his gameā€¦ ā€œItā€™s a 50/50 chance.ā€ ā€œIā€™ve won four times.ā€ Plus, the issues under Contemplationā€“Investigation, Doubt, Appraisal, Reappraisal are seen everywhere in the storyā€“not just in the relationship.

The RS in Situation would be that theyā€™re flat-mates (or soon to be). I can see where a lot of their relationship is based on their physical proximity to each other. The running gag about the perception theyā€™re in a romantic relationship even seems to fit well in Situation.

I also think, at first glance, the Solution quads look better, but Iā€™ll let everyone consider it before I run too far down a rabbit hole.

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#42

Interesting. I know I started out saying I could be talked out of that arrangement, but I feel pretty strong about it now. If we were to switch the OS to Mind, Iā€™m not sure how the serial suicides would factor in. As it is, the suicides are what create all the conflict in the OS. To say that the policeā€™s insistence that the deaths were suicides is the problem, thereā€™d have to be conflict that comes from that. it seems to me that the policeā€™s insistence that the deaths were suicides is part of the conflict stemming from the unsolvable nature of the crimes. It would be easier for me to accept that thereā€™s not enough emphasis on relationshipā€”although I donā€™t want to do that yet, Iā€™ve barely even looked at itā€”and go back to saying itā€™s just not a complete story. But Iā€™ll try to rewatch a couple scenes and see what I can come up with.

#43

You donā€™t think the RS could be activity?

#44

Okay, so this is my best effort at using just the first couple of scenes. Iā€™m not sure how good these examples are, though, so donā€™t let me force a storyform that doesnā€™t fit.

OS
Problem: The inaction of the cabbie in causing the deaths of multiple people leaves the police baffled when trying to solve the case.
Focus: Driven by the cabbies inaction, the police refuse to re-evaluate that these people were murdered rather than having committed suicide.
Direction: With police focused on not re-evaluating the suicides as murders, Sherlock appraises the information they give the journalists as ā€œWrongā€ three times. Wrong about there being a connection, wrong that they have their best people on the case, and wrong that they are all as safe as they want to be.

MC
Problem: There is not enough excitement in London, a lack of action.
Focus: Thereā€™s got to be a better way to word this one, but John is focused on his old friends efforts to produce that he is trying to stay in London.
Direction: John replies to his friend by reducing himself. ā€œCanā€™t afford London on an Army pensionā€, ā€œIā€™m not that John Watsonā€, ā€œHarryā€™s not going to helpā€, ā€œWhoā€™d want me as a flat mate?ā€

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#45

To be clear, I was pointing this out as an instance where Fixed Attitudes cause conflict; I wasnā€™t trying to say that the policeā€™s response here was a primary source of problems for the story.

Having said that, Iā€™m sure youā€™re right. Itā€™s not immediately clear to me how the suicides fit in to Mind.

I donā€™t see a good angle to approach that from which wouldnā€™t pull in the OS as well. If nothing else, the IC Signpost 4 of Learning we have now (with either OS domain) is so good, Iā€™d be heartbroken to see it change:

Sherlock has the Cabbie beat, but he simply must Learn if he chose the correct pill, even though it means betting his life. Watson sees Sherlock about to take the pill and shoots the Cabbie.

#46

Or maybeā€¦
MC
Focus: Driven by the lack of action in London, John produces that he has PTSD.
Direction: Focused on producing that he has PTSD, John reduces himself with a psychosomatic limp and trembling hands.

Mehā€¦Iā€™m not super happy with those attempts.

#47

I get what youā€™re saying. And I could see the police being Fixed Minded about the murders being suicides as causing conflict between them and the journalists in that one early scene, but I have trouble feeling like that defines the genre of the story. To me it feels more like the conflict created by the Universe.

#48

I think this might be a situation where Symptom/ Response captures it better:

Symptom: The lack of action in ordinary civilian life produces PTSD-like, psychosomatic symptoms in Watson, a limp and shaky hands.

Response: Because of his limp and tremors Watson reduces his options and determines he can longer afford to live in London.

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#49

Well, Mind used to be called Fixed Attitude. That might work since attitude and suicide, unfortunately, go together. The very first thing they teach you in college psych counseling class is to reassure the family and friends of a suicide that it is not their fault. It was all the state of mind and decision of the suicide person. Such attitude makes for shortsightedness and a blind spot, imho, in not considering those left behind. There is a grand delusion of having worked everything out. (two uncles and heartbroken mother, here, years apart) Thatā€™s talking generalities and fits mind/fixed attitude for this episodeā€™s plotting of seemingly regular suicides.

Then when the cabbie explains things and/or as Sherlock reveals what really happened, it changes to being the deadā€™s attitudes that the cabbie had played on. It looked like, even, Sherlock was being seduced into taking the pill by pulling his attitude of superiority strings. I have to finish rewatching the episode, so I will modify if other thoughts come from it.

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#50

If we pick judgement good, several storyform points pop right in. Everyone would agree the judgement is good, right? Sherlock and Watson get togetherā€¦GOOD!

#51

I would agree with a Judgment of Good in that by the end of the episode Watson is no longer limping, a sign, I suppose, that he no longer misses the war.

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#52

If that doesnā€™t describe Sherlock Holmes, Iā€™m not sure what doesā€¦

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#53

Iā€™m confused. Do we still have your IC Signpost 4 of LEARNING? I think Iā€™ve put the wrong points into the storyform. I donā€™t show that option.

#54

Itā€™s possible I jumped the gun a bit, and filled in a couple points there wasnā€™t a consensus on. Iirc, my Story Engine settings are:

Changed
Start
Be-er
PSS: unchosen

Action
Optionlock
Success
Good

Situation
The Present
Attempt
OS Problem: Inaction

Iā€™m not at home atm, but I think thatā€™s what Iā€™ve got. I believe that gives me completely filled signposts for MC and IC, the first two for the RS, and none for the OS. Afaik everything else in the storyform is filled out.

Iā€™m not sure if we ever discussed Story Driver, so that might be the difference. I saw Action drivers.

The suicides are the first, specifically the third since it establishes a pattern and makes the police reconsider the nature of the crimes.

Then after finding the Pink Lady, the police show up at Sherlockā€™s door to bring into the investigation.

They figure out the significance of ā€œRache(l)ā€ and track the phone.

Cabbie shows up and Sherlock leaves with him.

Watson shoots Cabbie, bringing the OS to an end.

I left PSS unselected, since that was where this all started and I wasnā€™t sure we found great evidence support of either choice for Watson. Itā€™s going to determine our final order of SPs in the OS (and RS, partially), so it might be interesting to try to work backward from there.

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#55

Iā€™m pretty happy with what weā€™ve got so far, but I wasnā€™t particularly happy with my attempts at symptom/response. Do we need to look at those any further? @dbareford? @BillyBenji?

As far as drivers go, I agree with action.

#56

I assume weā€™re looking at OS symptom/response. I actually thought your example was pretty good. Good enough to talk me off the ledge, anyway.

Iā€™ve been thinking of a slightly different angle as well. In the press scene, the nature of the third suicide, the similarities between all three, has caused the police to focus on Reevaluating their initial assessment that the first two incidents were regular, unrelated suicides. Their new direction will be to go back and take a look at all the crimes with fresh eyes and new knowledge. Theyā€™re discarding their original Evaluation and looking for new first impressions given what they now know.

Then you have the press sort of split, with one reporter showing the lack of Reevaluation by inisting there canā€™t be serial suicides, and another focusing on if the police are Re-evaluating enough and directing them toward a new take on their first impressions, that these might be murders.

And, like you said, youā€™ve got Sherlock focusing via text on the his own Reevaluation of the policeā€™s new ideas and directing them to bring him for his own evaluation of the situation.

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#57

In Cabbie and Sherlock scene, note how Sherlockā€™s original decision to do nothing (because he recognizes the gun is fake) cause problems for the Cabbie. Itā€™s always cool to see the problem causing issues for the antagonist as well.

Also, Cabbieā€™s response isnā€™t to invoke the solution and flip the table over and try to get away. Instead, he pokes Sherlock about the game, essentially responding, ā€œDonā€™t you want to know if your Evaluation was correct?ā€

The whole pill bottle game is a cycle of Evaluation and Reevaluation, and it distacts the Cabbieā€™s victims from the real problem and solution. Instead of trying to protect themselves outright, they focus on getting out their predicament by playing Reevaluation Rx roullette.

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#58

Thanks. I feel like the Mc examples could be better, but I guess his whole throughline has been a challenge.

Looking at Watsonā€™s PSS, this isnā€™t concrete at all, but I donā€™t see him as having goals or problems, but as dealing with inequities and imbalances and relationships. It feels like heā€™s trying to balance himself into a civilian life. Not sure I could explain it the way Iā€™d like, but having a limp and tremors that disappear when things get exciting seem like a balance issue. Pointing to the scene where he meets Sherlock again, Sherlock needs a flat mate and is ready to move in as soon as he has one, a very linear approach. But Watson wants to get to know Sherlock first, to develop a relationship. And then weā€™re told that Watson trusts Sherlock very quickly and he wonā€™t betray that trust for any amount of money. Again, Sherlock counters with a very linear approach ā€œWe could have split the fee. Think it through next time.ā€

Iā€™m not at my laptop where I could check, but I think Holistic puts his SP1 as Being, which would be him at his therapist looking for help joining society, or playing the role of not-a-soldier-anymore.

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#59

Okay, I think these are great examples.

#60

Nor am I, unfortunately. Whereā€™s Dramatica for Android, when you need it?

Iirc, the MC SP1 is Being either way. I seem to recall it being one of the things I really liked about the plot progression. If getting there requires selecting Holistic, then Iā€™m convinced because I absolutely agree MC SP1 is Being.

Where I really see it is when heā€™s on the bench talking to his friend. Heā€™s trying to do the normal civilian thing and have a fairly banal, small talkish conversation with an old friend, and his hand starts shaking.

What is really throwing me is that weā€™ve got a RS SP1 of Memory, I think. Maybe itā€™s that because they just met, they have no memories (ie knowledge) in their relationship, which makes moving in together questionable decision?

Iā€™m not sure. I think weā€™re getting really close, but weā€™re going to have to try tackle this RS pretty soon. :frowning:

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