This article contains only one spoiler from the finale of Sherlock: no gay stuff.
The finale of the hugely popular BBC series, Sherlock, has angered a particularly rabid subsection of its fanbase that is fully committed to the idea that Sherlock and Watson are meant to be homosexual lovers.
These people are known as “shippers,” or people who believe that two fictional characters are meant to be together, and defend this idea through copious research and at times online harassment (read our full explainer here).
A shipping community has formed around Sherlock in the bowels of Tumblr, with the idea that Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch ) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) must be gay for each other. This group known as Johnlock shippers scour the show for homosexual subtext and some even draw upon the text of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original novels. They even have an acronym called TJLC (The Jonlock Conspiracy) which is the theory that the show was building up to a big reveal of the gay relationship.
While this kind of hobby is perfectly fine in a free society, there is a point in every shipping fandom when all hell breaks loose, known as the ship wreck. It’s the point when the fictitious relationship is no longer even remotely plausible.
Without spoiling the ending of Sherlock, the final episode appeared to close the window of possibility of a Johnlock relationship without so much as a kiss between the two characters. And the speculation is that this season is the final in the series.
The Johnlock shippers are in meltdown mode on Tumblr, calling the show an act of queer baiting. This is a popular charge for shows that allegedly tease a homosexual relationship with no steamy payoff.
Some are blaming the fact that their careful sleuthing had tipped the show’s creators off and led them to change the ending. Since the showrunners didn’t want a predictable ending, they actually changed the plot to something the fans had not already figured out, their theory goes.
Others are calling on Jonlockers to file complaints to the BBC for “shitting on a portion of their fanbase.”
The cream of the crop Tumblr shipwreck meltdown would have to be this animated musical short detailing the devastation of finding out their Johnlock ship did not pan out .
Many liberal blogs have accused the show of queer baiting for allegedly dropping hints of a gay relationship, despite the fact that the shows creators and actors have repeatedly stated that there were no gay feelings between Sherlock and Watson.
Despite the clear fact that there is no homosexual relationship people will still find ways to blame the show for their mistreatment towards the LGBT community.
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