Yichu Wang

Writing 39B
Professor Lynda Haas
RA Essay

An Upgraded John Watson Throughout

John Watson, the irreplaceable character in the whole series of Sherlock Holmes
stories, plays an extremely important role throughout, and his role also got upgraded
from paper to screen. Watson shows up as a narrator in Conan Doyles texts. His
existence in the texts successfully reduces the distance between the famous detective
Sherlock Holmes and the readers. He makes the story more lively, and attractive to the
readers. Conan Doyle invented John Watson by following the classic convention.
Watson always reacts slower than Holmes, he can see obvious clues but never finds the
real answer before Holmes, as the narrator, he can delivery the mystery objectively to
the audiences. However, it is obvious that Watsons role got upgraded in BBC Sherlock
TV shows. He as the best partner and closest friend of Holmes participated more in the
cases and even Sherlocks life. Hes role got upgraded from a narrator to a colleague, a
friend, and even a lifelong participant in Holmes life. In BBC TV series, Watson
became more intelligent, more active, and always ready to fight. He provides help for
Sherlock to finish the detective process, looks for the next clients story Holmes may be
interested in solving, he is Sherlock one and only loyal support from the beginning till
the end. Additionally, Watsons role got different from the classic conventions because
he had several romantic relationship happened to him in the BBC Sherlock TV series.
It is undoubted that Watsons role got upgraded from texts to TV shows on plenty
different aspects.
First, Watson in Conan Doyle texts is based on classic conventions, his slow
reaction and lack of deduction power can abstract how high Holmes ability is, and his
job as narrator makes the story more brilliant. Panek describes Conan Doyles design
for Watson as Doyle, of course, realized the uses for plot and characterization of the
detectives assistant as the narrator: the writer can use the narrators ignorance to hide
important facts and through him can praise the detective and keep him civilly reticent at
the same time (Panek 80). This quote shows how Watson meets the classic convention
in Conan Doyles texts, his ignorance can lead the audiences to the direction Doyle
wants them to think, and can also praise Holmes. However, in BBC TV series, Watson
shows his intelligence and braveness instead of ignorance that is mention above. For
example, in Season 2 Episode 1 A Scandal in Belgravia, Watson smartly ran the fire
alarm in order to help Sherlock found where the safe is, and defeat the Americans with
Holmes. For another instance, in Season 1 Episode 1 A Study In Pink, when Holmes in
danger by playing the game with the murderer a taxi driver, Watson showed up duly
and shot the taxi driver in head. Watsons brave decision and fast reaction saved
Holmes life. From the two examples from BBC Sherlock series, we can notice
Watsons apparent changes. He is braver, more decisive, more supportive, and react
much faster than he did in the texts. Additionally, Watsons power of deduction got
upgraded in BBC TV series and the Sherlock film. In BBC TV series, Watson has
provided Holmes much help. His medical knowledge helps Holmes to exam the body in
order to find little clues and details about the case. He helps Holmes to research any
information that is needed to provide Holmes clear ideas and also save his time.
Sherlock is more like a teacher to Watson, and Watson is apparently a cheering student,
he learns and lot from Holmes, and uses this knowledge to help Holmes. As Roger
Ebert wrote in A Game of Shadows Movie Review, Dr. Watson has a more proactive
role this time... He's not just a confidante and chronicler but a her, too, involved in
fights and shootouts (Ebert 5). Knnoikova wrote in How To Think Like Sherlock
Holmes that not noticing or understanding the small things that occur in their
surrounding (Konnikova 4).These two quotes represents Watsons improvement in the
film, his power of deduction has been upgraded a lot, and he even can be regard as a
hero after upgraded.
Second, Watson takes more important role in Holmes life as time passing by. In
Conan Doyles texts, John Watson is a narrator, an assistant, and a supporting role. Like
Panek wrote Watson in Abbey Grange listens to Holmes like an interested student
who observes the demonstration of his professor (Panke 85). the relationship between
Watson and Holmes in the book is more like a teacher and a student. They cooperate
well, but they dont seem have any personal emotion or close relationship with each
other in Conan Doyles texts. Fortunately, Watson found himself more and more
important while time passing by. In BBC TV series, Watson only got more chances to
participate in the process of solving all mysteries; he also became a part of Sherlocks
life. They live together, they work together, and they meet each other everyday.
Because Watsons power of deduction got upgraded in the TV series, Sherlock listened
to Watsons advices more than he did in the texts. Also, BBC TV series emphasized
more about Sherlocks personal life including living environment and people around
him. We have an idea that people around Sherlock dont think he is a normal person,
even though the police admit that Sherlock has higher ability of deduction than them,
and the police always ask Sherlock for help, they think Sherlock is crazy. All these
information that BBC TV series provide us highlights more about Watson than the text
does. Because people around Sherlock dont understand him, Watson became especially
precious. For example, in Season 3 Episode 1 The Empty Hearse, when Sherlock and
Watson found the bomb in the train underground, and Watson said he couldnt stop the
bomb and asked Watson to forgive him. Watson said, I wanted you not to be dead! he
shares. You are the best and the wisest man I have ever known. And yes, of course I
forgive you. This quote can totally show how Watson and Sherlock are important in
each others mind. Watson can die with Sherlock together, even it is such a hard thing,
he accepts it very quickly. For another example, in Season 3 Episode 1, when Sherlock
came back to Watson. Watson could handle his emotion, he was surprised, mad, happy
yet sad. Because Sherlock and Watson were the best partners, the close relationship and
irreplaceable emotion toward each other can be shown on their face when they finally
meet each other after two years separation. Generally, Watsons role got upgraded
from the text to the TV shows because he turns to the most important person of
Sherlocks life from a little student or narrator. He is no longer a supporting role; he
Sherlock Holmes story will not be the same if there is no John Watson.
Third, according to the classic convention, there werent much romantic
relationship happened on Watson in Conan Doyle texts. However, there are different
period of time that Watsons relationship are directly showed in front of the audience
through BBC Sherlock TV series. In Season 1 Episode 2, John had a romantic
relationship with his colleague at the hospital Sarah. They went to a Chinese circus, but
the date finally ruined by Sherlock, because the circus was actually related to a crime,
and Watson and Sarah got kidnap by the criminal. Also, in Season 3 Episode 3, Watson
married to Mary. It was a complicated but romantic relationship happened between
them. Watsons role got upgraded on romantic basis. BBC TV series broke the classical
conventions that detective stories dont have much romantic elements involved.
Watsons changing in the TV shows represents his role got upgraded.
In conclusion, Conan Doyle mainly created three classical conventions in his
Sherlock Holmes series. First, Watson as a narrator is ignorant about deduction; he is
old, slow and helpless. Second, Watson is just an assistant of Sherlock Holmes; he
doesnt play any important roles on any other aspects. Third, the detective stories can
barely have romantic relationship involved. However, BBC TV series and the film
broke those classic conventions and got Watsons role upgraded throughout. On the
screen, Watsons power of deduction got improved a lot, he could be very helpful for
Sherlock Holmes during the detective process. He reacts fast, behave bravely, and
always put his knowledge into use in order to find more clues to help Sherlock. He is
not just a narrator or a partner, he is the best friend, the closest individual, and the most
important person in Sherlock Holmes life. Also, as an important role in the story,
Watson had several romantic relationship happened to him in the TV series. In general,
Watsons role got upgrade throughout the whole Sherlock Holmes series.

Works Cited:
Konnikova, Maria. Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes. New York:
Viking, 2013. Print.
Panek, Leroy. An Introduction to the Detective Story. Chapter 1 Beginnings. Bowling
Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1987. Print.
Panek, Leroy. An Introduction to the Detective Story. Chapter 7 Doyle. Bowling Green,
OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1987. Print.
"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Movie Review (2011) | Roger Ebert." All
Content. Web. 18 May 2014.