Question.

[mrv3000]

[Poll #1808796]

ETA: Spoilers for Sherlock's "Scandal" in the comments.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_thirty2flavors/]

Option 2 lolol THANKS BUT NO

[http://users.livejournal.com/_thirty2flavors/]

Also man I haven't used the new comments page in ages except just now and man, it sure does suck. Still.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

But...Moffat logic!

[papilio-luna.livejournal.com]

I maybe should have picked depends on the situation but mainly I just need some variety to exist. Everyone needs saving sometimes, but option 2 is definitely not on.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Yeah, 2 is just plain bad circular logic.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

HEH!! I think half of fandom is diappointed about that. :D

[nandamai]

I think it depends on the rest of the story, but in the episode in question, #1 all the way.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

*nodnod*

(Too bad the writer is spouting off #2 on Twitter.)

[goldy-dollar.livejournal.com]

Is a very feminist thing since it means that the woman has power over the knight, which compels him to save her.

But....!

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

SHHHHHHHHHH! It's right, okay?

[fauxkaren.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on the context and specific situation in the text. Option B is very medieval romance-y because that is a concept that a lot of scholars talk about when it comes to courtly love. So idk.

But in the specific case of Sherlock, the entire point of Irene as a character is that she outwits Sherlock and then rides into the sunset. Having her be rescued by Sherlock in the end completely undermines that.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on the context and specific situation in the text. Option B is very medieval romance-y because that is a concept that a lot of scholars talk about when it comes to courtly love. So idk.

Honestly, that sounds like a lot of basing the scenario off the end result rather than the result off the scenario. I'm no history expert though, so I could be wrong. (Not sarcasm there - am admitting potential wrongness.)

But in the specific case of Sherlock, the entire point of Irene as a character is that she outwits Sherlock and then rides into the sunset. Having her be rescued by Sherlock in the end completely undermines that.

Totally agree.

[elirrina.livejournal.com]

I'm checking "it depends" because I'm looking outside of the "Irene Adler is supposed to WIN" track that my mind is on because of the spoilers note. ;)

One of the guys at the place where I sometimes work likes to ask really random and/or irritating philosophical questions, and he has decided that "it depends" is my favorite answer. I maintain that his questions are usually so broad and/or vague that there's no way to give a good answer that doesn't start that way.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Very rarely is something 100% certain. There are too many variables in life!

[janetmaca.livejournal.com]

lol at #2

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I know, right? :D

[jedi_of_urth]

I'm of the opinion it depends on the situation. It depends on what the DID is doing while the knight is coming to rescue her, who the characters are and how they relate to each other, what the expected outcome of saving said damsel is, why there needs to be rescuing, etc.

Because I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it romantic as hell in some situations. Even if I do find it annoying as shit in others.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

I think that it depends as well, but often enough it goes iffy.

[shinyopals.livejournal.com]

Haha, what Kali said, because Kali is always right: in a show like DW everyone rescues everyone, so it's all good, providing it's doled out fairly evenly. Actually, given the history and baggage in the situation, I would prefer more her-saving-him than him-saving-her (obviously shows like DW are set up so it's the male Doctor doing most of the rescuing, and I guess to some extent I have to deal in that case, but I'd like more shows where the female character does it).

Also option 2 is the stupidest thing ever and nothing will sway me of this opinion.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

You know, you should to a DW chart of saving based on gender! New Who, that is.

[selenityshiroi.livejournal.com]

I put other, because it depends not only on the situation but the characters, the intent (both in universe and authorial) and any other scenarios that have taken place that supports or contradicts the moment in question.

For example, in Scandals I would have probably been far less angry about Irene losing the battle of wits (even over something as utterly benign as her swooning over Sherlock) if she had done something at the end of the episode that baffled Sherlock (say, escaping on her own). And I would have been far less annoyed at her being saved by Sherlock if she had won the battle of wits earlier in the episode.

I think it depends on what you mean by a damsel in distress, too. Is it just a female who has gotten into a situation she can't get out of on her own? Or is it someone who sits back and waits for rescue. If the former, then that isn't always a bad thing-but the context is important...and if said character has already had her agency removed from her in a previous scene, then that is discouraging context.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

It would have been SO nice if Irene had gotten that moment. It's been a while since I've seen the first SH movie, but I think at least Irene even got that moment there? It looked like Holmes was saving her but she was really putting one over on him? I don't remember though!

And yeah, it really does depend on the situation a lot.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

:D Your reality sounds fun!

[zoecorkhill.livejournal.com]

Nothing to do with the question, but... I take it you know they have updated Watson's blog? :-)

http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Yes! I love the updates! Apparently it's written by some guy who's written some Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures episodes. He's doing great, as far as I'm concerned! I love the comments too. (Especially when Sherlock comes along to comment.)

[krabapple.livejournal.com]

Moffat is invoking his right to Twitter again? Oh, dear.

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Well, I suppose I did wish for continued twitter wankiness by him in my 2012 fannish wishes. Be careful what you wish for indeed.

[beck-liz.livejournal.com]

Has poor Moffat gotten his feelings hurt by people calling him sexist? Poor dear. *eyeroll*

(Since I haven't managed to comment anywhere about this yet, am quite conflicted about the episode; parts I just loved to bits and other parts... yeah.)

[mrv3000.livejournal.com]

Why did this comment not show up in my inbox? DAMN YOU, LJ.

Has poor Moffat gotten his feelings hurt by people calling him sexist? Poor dear. *eyeroll*

Yup. BUT BECK. HE DOESN'T BEAT UP WOMEN SO HE'S TOTALLY NOT SEXIST. (That article. LOL.)

(Since I haven't managed to comment anywhere about this yet, am quite conflicted about the episode; parts I just loved to bits and other parts... yeah.)

Same here. I was sort of expecting it though, because seriously that man can't not fail when it comes to writing women and/or emotions. It might work in sitcom land where everything's a laugh, but when it's supposed to sort of kind of reflect any sort of reality...