They’re about to fall out
I have now rolled my eyes so many times over this ridiculous kerfluffle over Lucy Liu having the temerity to play Dr. Watson in CBS’s Sherlock Holmes adaptation that they are now stuck in the “please go fuck yourself” position at this point.
There’s a valuable argument to be made that there’ve already been numerous TV shows in the US that utilize the man!Holmes/woman!Watson dynamic - “The X-Files,” “The Mentalist,” “CSI: Original Gangsta,” “House,” (although Cuddy was more Lestrade than Watson, really) “Castle,” etc. And with the exception of “Bones,” and “Rizzoli & Isles,” not nearly enough shows where a woman gets to be the eccentric genius who doesn’t quite understand people. But that’s not the argument I’m seeing - what I’m seeing is anger over the fact (undisputed as far as I’ve seen) that John Watson must be weaker by sheer dint of being female. That only certain aspects of Watson’s character - his wartime service, his womanizing, his infallibility as a doctor, his ability to shoot a gun - are valuable and should be preserved at all costs, while other aspects - absolute and immediate loyalty, “years of humble but single-minded service” (direct quote from Doyle btw), concern and worry over the health of a friend - are weak and girly. Joan Watson is a woman, so if she has any stereyotypical characteristics that anyone ever associates with women, she is? All together now kids: a terrible character.
Every single post that I’ve read can be boiled down to: “Joan Watson is another example of the wrong kind of woman, so none of you should watch this show.” Or, more basically, ”Joan Watson is wrong. John Watson is right. Only a man - who’s been to war and is MANLY and STRONG - is believable as Watson.”
Fuck that noise.
WHAT THIS LADY SAID.
^^^ Everything here.
Though I must say I’m worried that Joan Watson won’t be portrayed as a well written woman. It is possible to have her as a military doctor, and am sad that they got rid of John’s military history when they switched him to a woman, and I think they could’ve done some excellent commentary.
Let me repeat this again, the problem is not that Watson is a woman, but it might not be handled with the skill it deserves. A female Watson can be badass and amazing, but I don’t know if they can pull it off.
