In 1941, famous author Rex Stout opined that Watson was a woman. His evidence is largely pulling out language that makes it clear that Holmes and Watson are a couple. In his mind that “proved” Watson was a woman. In the 21st century we tend to think it proves something else but nonetheless, the idea of a female Watson has long percolated. The American actor Lucy Liu arguably portrays the most famous female Watson. She received three People’s Choice Award nominations for the role, and directed six episodes of the show, Elementary. Even the artwork we see in Watson’s apartment was painted by Liu. Her Watson is notable for her independence from Holmes. In particular, Elementary shows us more of the late/post partnership period of Holmes and Watson’s lives than most adaptations. Ultimately a detective in her own right, we send our warmest regards to Lucy Liu and her Watson.
When NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars, it brought along Watson and Sherlock. Or WATSON and SHERLOC, anyway.
The Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals has a nickname: SHERLOC. Mounted on the rover’s robotic arm, SHERLOC uses cameras, spectrometers, and a laser to search for organics and minerals that have been altered by watery environments and may be signs of past microbial life. In addition to its black-and-white context camera, SHERLOC is assisted by WATSON, a color camera for taking close-up images of rock grains and surface textures.[…]
Dr. John H. Watson was Holmes’ partner in solving mysteries. WATSON the camera assists SHERLOC as it helps solve mysteries about life on Mars.
With its camera sidekick WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering), SHERLOC even has a modern version of the hand-lens magnifying glass used by the classic British detective!
While he would be EXTREMELY WELCOME (hello Royce if you Google yourself) we have no expectations of Mr. Pierreson attending the next meeting. We are just excited to start talking about the latest, greatest Watson. If you would like to attend this meeting and start swooning over Mr. Pierreson with us, please contact podcast@johnhwatsonsociety.com to be put on the list to receive the Zoom link.
If you have an opinion on when the JHWS meets by Zoom, even if you do not currently attend the meetings (but might at another time), please respond to the survey below.
Halloa, Bullpups! We would like to welcome Royce Pierreson, the newest actor to portray Watson, in the upcoming Irregulars. We are looking for someone who would like to give a brief talk or presentation on Mr. Pierreson at the March Zoom meeting. Please email buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com if you are interested!
Born February 28, 1978, Arend is known for roles on Body of Proof, Madam Secretary, and Daria. He portrayed Doctor Watson in a 2014 production of The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Hello all, I am very happy to be the Buttons of JHWS, the fun Watsonian society. In that role I haven’t felt a need to address you formally as Sampson Buttons. Today one of our own, Chris Aa Bakkane, published this essay and I am asking you to read it, to give it serious consideration, and to join me in finding concrete ways we, as a Sherlockian community, can do better. Because we need to do better. Let’s begin doing the work.
Shelley was born on February 16, 1903. For Brits of the early 20th century, his was the definitive voice of Winnie the Pooh. However he played Doctor Watson on the radio from 1952-1969 alongside Carleton Hobbs.
In my readings, I have found two editors working together who came up with 3 possible connections between Dickens and Sherlock Holmes and/or Arthur Conan Doyle.
One connection involves a quote.
Of the other two, one requires some comparisons and the other requires a visit from the Afterlife.
Illustration by Sidney Paget for The Strand, 1904
The answers are:
The quote, from The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton (CHAS): “Charles Augustus Milverton was a man of fifty, with a large, intellectual head, a round, plump, hairless face, a perpetual frozen smile, and two keen gray eyes, which gleamed brightly from behind broad, gold-rimmed glasses. There was something of Mr. Pickwick’s benevolence in his appearance, marred only by the insincerity of the fixed smile and by the hard glitter of those restless and penetrating eyes.”
The comparisons, from the entry for February 7 in A Curious Collection of Dates: Through the Year with Sherlock Holmes, by Leah Guinn and Jaime N. Mahoney: “Sherlockians can also thank Dickens for Bleak House‘s Inspector Bucket, the first police detective in English literature who, in his various investigations, provides the template for Inspector Lestrade and every policeman who consults the detective at 221B.”
The visit from the Afterlife, also mentioned in the same entry: During at least two seances Arthur Conan Doyle attended, Dickens’s spirit allegedly made contact and said that Drood (of his unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood) was not dead, but he still didn’t provide the answer to the mystery.
From a photograph by Gurney, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
February 7th 1812: Charles Dickens was born.
In my readings, I have found two editors working together who came up with 3 possible connections between Dickens and Sherlock Holmes and/or Arthur Conan Doyle.
One connection involves a quote.
Of the other two, one requires some comparisons and the other requires a visit from the Afterlife.
Who is your favourite Watson and Why? I do love both Burke and Hardwicke, but in a way I see them as two halves of the same character. Burke was very much the soldier and Hardwick the doctor, in my view. Which is why my favourite is Martin Freeman, who seems to embody both the soldier and the physician in one man.
If Watson were writing a story about you what would It be titled? The Case of the Obsessed Fan. Because I have been fanatic about Holmes and Watson since I was about 10, which is nearly 65 years ago, I think the appellation fits.
Give us an improbable fact about yourself: Many people I know do not realise that I actually won an Edgar A. Poe award from the Mystery Writers of America way back in 1983, for Best Original Paperback. Now I mainly write fan-fiction, in both the modern and the Victorian universes.
Why did you join the JHWS? Because I can never get enough of the good doctor and his detective. Although I am more of a lurker than anything else and I do not like to use Zoom, etc. I do enjoy reading everything from the society. And I hope that one day there might be some actual meeting up to be enjoyed.
Thank you, Teri! We love all of our wonderful Watsonians and we want to feature each and every one of you! Just respond to the questions above and send your answers to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com!
Nigel Bruce was born on February 4, 1895 and his portrayal of Doctor Watson defined the character for generations. He starred in a long-running series of films alongside Basil Rathbone and recorded hundreds of radioplays as the good doctor.
That is such a hard question to answer. I think, in terms of affective engagement, it’s Martin Freeman’s Watson. I love how dangerous he is, and how he lets Sherlock know exactly what he thinks. A wonderful sounding board for Sherlock. I do really, really love Vitaly Solomin’s Watson, too. He gives the best side eye and is so human. I love his portrayal. Another Watson I love is Jude Law, for similar reasons. He keeps Sherlock in check when he goes off where he shouldn’t go. I really like the dynamic between a capable Watson who also has a life outside of the immediate relationship with Holmes and a Holmes who allows himself to depend on Watson in more than just a connection to work. It seems most canonical to me.
If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled?
“The Adventure of the Disoriented Lecturer” – Just, as a reflection of my general being. It would possibly involve the disappearance of a to-do list which would lead to utter and total chaos which then, as if by a miracle, is resolved again because I accidentally do, in fact, get all he things on the list done, but possibly in a slightly altered order with with a couple of glasses of wine in between.
Give us an improbable fact about yourself!
I am dyslexic (though not severely) and hold a PhD in English Literature.
Why did you join the JHWS?
Because I love John Watson so, so much! And what could be better than to be a member of a group of people who feel the same way?! Also, the Watsonian is a truly wonderful publication and I love to read it.
Thank you, Maria! We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Especially you! Please respond to the questions above and send your reply to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com
The Watsonian is a much better thing to find in one’s mailbox!
The Fall 2020 issue of the Watsonian is now making its way to 2020 Paper+ members. There was a bit of a delay, but we hope you’ll find it worth the wait.
The digital PDF edition of the Fall 2020 Watsonian and all previous issues are available for members to download now. Log in and visit the Member Resources page for the links.
Who is your favorite Watson and why? David Burke! The moment I first saw him in Granada’s “A Scandal in Bohemia” was pure magic: he WAS the Watson in my head. I had already been reading through the canon and I had a mental image of the good doctor and then David steps on screen and I’m just like, “Oh my gosh, that’s WATSON.” I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t mention my other favorite Watsons: Michael Williams, Howard Marion Crawford, and Edward Hardwicke, who are all magical in their own way!
If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled? “The Problem of the Beleaguered Sister”!
Give us an improbable fact about yourself! I am the oldest of seven and 20 years older than my baby sister. No, really! She was a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one! The funny thing is that I was getting into Sherlock Holmes right when she was born, so I have a lot of memories of reading the canon for the first time on my Palm Pilot (oh my gosh, remember THOSE??) while holding my sleeping newborn sister. Good times. …She’s ten now and I don’t know what to do about that.(If I’m allowed to self-promote, I also run a weekly comic called The Adventures of Professor Moriarty at https://theadventuresofprofessormoriarty.tumblr.com/. It’s VERY Watsonian because half the time Colonel Moran is trying to bully Professor Moriarty into a better life and if that isn’t Watsonian I don’t know what is. 😀 )
Why did you join the JHWS? Well, I was already thinking about it because of binging the Watsonian Weekly! I’d attended the Left Coast Sherlockian Symposium in its virtual setting and I had been feeling an ache ever since to just… fellowship, really, with other fans. The breakout room time I spent there was just some of the most fun I’d ever had. So a couple of months later, in December, I took to Twitter and asked my Sherlockian mutuals how to get into SH societies because I just had no idea. Several lovely people were very willing to help me out and it was suggested I could join the JHWS. And I’m so glad I did! I’ve been having a lot of fun so far. <3
Thanks so much, Madeline! We love all of our wonderful Watsonians and want to feature each and every one of them. Just answer the questions above (and send a picture if convenient) and send your replies to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.
Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know): Noel
Who is your favorite Watson and why? I love David Burke and Edward Hardwicke equally. They both portrayed Watson as kind, loyal, and intelligent, just as he should be. And both were perfect for where they sat in the timeline. I read someone saying ‘David Burke and Jeremy Brett are newlyweds, Edward Hardwicke and Jeremy are an old married couple’. I think that sums it up perfectly!
If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled? The Adventure of the Tired Scientist.
Give us an improbable fact about yourself! I can’t remember things I need to do without writing them down, but I can remember really odd things from years ago. Thanks, dyspraxia!
Why did you join the JHWS? I was looking for a Holmesian society that isn’t only scholarly. I’m looking forward to being nerdy with fellow fans, and perhaps making some contributions.
Thanks, Holly! We love all of our wonderful Watsonians and want to feature each and every one! Just answer the questions above and send the answers (along with a photo if you like) to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com.
Bullpup moniker (Contact us if you don’t know):Reggie
Who is your favorite Watson and why? I have a soft spot for the good Watsons in bad adaptations, like the excellent Donald Pickering in the so-so Anglo/Polish series of the late 70s. He was a great actor who definitely deserved better. I especially like when Watson is quick and smart, as he should be, so I add David Burke from the Granada series, Vitaly Solomin from the 80s Russian series and Gianni Bonagura from the 1968 Italian adaptations.
If Watson was writing a story about you, what would it be titled? The Curious Case of the Lazy Italian Gentleman
Give us an improbable fact about yourself! I ran my first marathon at the young age of 49.
Why did you join the JHWS? When I found out in 2013, through Internet browsing and word of mouth, that a John Watson society had been founded I immediately thought it was a great idea. Our Good Doctor sometimes does not receive all the attention he deserves. Furthermore, I saw the names of many friends among those who had already subscribed, so joining on the spot was a no-brainer.
Thank you, Michele! We want to feature all of our Wonderful Watsonians! Just answer the questions above and send your reply to buttons@johnhwatsonsociety.com!
