Hmm.

[rabidsamfan]

This looks interesting.

We Love the Women That Fandom Hates. And I'm contemplating it. But Irene Adler or Mary Morstan? I mean, is killing off Mary (which is canonical, blast it) really a form of fannish distaste or is it canonical fidelity?

And will my brain manage to stay online long enough to actually finish something?

Comments

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

Killing Mary while honoring what an awesome person she was is fidelity to both the letter and spirit of canon.

Characterizing her as awful and John as henpecked with only Sherlock understanding him -- that's hating on her whether or not she lives all the way through the fic.

It's not what one does, it's how one does it. I wrote a story where I killed Rosie Cotton (well, technically, Galadriel did) and no one would think I don't love her.

[only-po.livejournal.com]

AGREE, AGREE, AGREE!!!!

In my experience it's mostly H/W slash that casts Mary as a villainess ( . . . although I've seen it once in print.)

The only way I can get through any of those is to say, "Ok, this is an AU. MY Mary would never act that way."

[shes-a-geek.livejournal.com]

The only way I could understand portraying Mary as anything but awesome (by today's standards) is a canon-based H/W fic wherein Mary:

1. Doesn't have amazingly modern views on homosexuality/a gay relative/an affair with Mrs. Forrester.

2. Is shocked and angry that Watson is being unfaithful.

Because those things would make sense. It wouldn't make Mary a villain, but a normal heterosexual woman of her time. (I also love fics where Mary is progressive and/or lesbian, but historical complexity is complex.)

[goldvermilion87.livejournal.com]

See, killing off Mary Morstan is canon, but making her into a truly awful awful person who Watson is better off without... that's not canon, and I've seen that an awful lot in Sherlock Holmes/Sherlock fandom. What makes me most frustrated about it is that the same people whinge (or get riled up) about how misogynistic ACD and Steven Moffat are. I'm not really saying anything about whether either man is misogynist... but it seems sort of hypocritical to me...


(I can't do the fic thing because I'm terribly busy, but I'm really glad to see it!)

[vsee.livejournal.com]

What she said about Mary *points up*. I think there can be fun to be had with Mary, and deciding what side of the line (of death) to put her on is all part of the plot-making fun. She's dramatic. Sorta.

I have always had the feeling like ACD was like, wow, I have her, now what do I DO?

[only-po.livejournal.com]

I haven't written a word of anything since the Month of Watson's Woes ended so I signed up to get my butt in gear.

Agent Donovan (BBC!Sherlock)

She's made out to be one of the bad guys on the show because she calls Sherlock "freak" and hates to work with him. And the way that the MALE writers try to discredit her? They make her have an affair with her married coworker. See, she's a slut so you have to hate her! *rolls eyes*

Donovan and Scotland Yard

[shes-a-geek.livejournal.com]

This isn't specifically about Donovan (or women), but I think a lot of fans don't get that Sherlock would be a terrible person to work with, especially in today's system. I recently heard a great discussion about Scotland Yard (possibly on the Baker Street Babes podcast, which is amazing, btw) where someone basically said that Holmes gets away with so much in ACD's writings because the whole concept of an organized police force was relatively new and controversial. 1880s Inspector Lestrade might not agree with Holmes' methods, but he couldn't argue with the results.

Today? Not so much. Sherlock would be a skilled, law-abiding officer's worst nightmare.