UK Sherlock fans: help!

[lady_ganesh]

Are there indications in the show about what class John might have come from? I'm toying with Harry being successful in tech and overcoming her social station, or, alternately, John being the one who rebels from his upper-crust background by running off and joining the military.

Help the tone-deaf American?

EDIT: Just running into say I love using my 'flist knows all' tag because IT'S TRUE.

Comments

[lynndyre]

They talk about him being working class and 'not officer class' in the audio commentary.

[lynndyre]

sorry, I meant 'middle' instead of 'working'.

[lady_ganesh]

Thank you! "Not officer class" is particularly helpful. Is it like the US, where people might join up to get, say, the MD degree with less college debt, or is that less of a concern, do you know?

[lynndyre]

I'm not sure- the discussion was mostly about clothing, talking about what Martin Freeman wanted John's clothes to show - the military cut of some of the jackets, but the country practicality of the fabric choices and sweaters, etc.

If you get a chance, the audio commentary for TGG is really funny, it includes 'oh marry him' from Benedict Cumberbatch to Mark Gatiss over the actor playing Moriarty, as well as BC going 'And I'm wearing expensive wool! Which is fantastic!'

[lady_ganesh]

talking about what Martin Freeman wanted John's clothes to show - the military cut of some of the jackets, but the country practicality of the fabric choices and sweaters, etc.

Oooh, that is good to know.

And holy crap, that sounds awesome!

John

[evildrem]

..is very much middle class. Sherlock's portrayed as upper class.

Re: John

[lady_ganesh]

Thank you. Sherlock and Mycroft I pegged as upper class from day one, but I couldn't figure out what signifiers there were that I could rule John in or out.

[threewalls]

It's proving hard for me recall illustrative examples without access to the show, but I third that John is portrayed as middle class, so is Harriet. That fancy phone her wife gave her suggests that sort of affluence is shared between them, too.

(Also, what you didn't ask for: Lestrade, Donovan, Anderson = also middle class, though I may be misreading Donovan because I'm much clearer on white British middle-class markers. Lestrade might be lower middle class, possibly the only one who is up a rung from his parents' class. I stress might.

Sherlock + Mycroft = upper middle class. Ie went to exceptionally exclusive public schools/Oxbridge but they seem to be lacking titles/I doubt Mycroft sits in the House of Lords/etc. I think "upper class" in the UK strictly means titles, but I say this as a commonwealth colonial, fwiw.)

I would guess Anthea is of a similar station to Mycroft and Sherlock, or has at least been trained to appear so.

Moriarty is anyone's guess, but I'd say -- if he's actually British -- middle class because to me he looks like he tries to hard to appear more lower class. I would also expect a different flavour to his dramatics if he were upper middle class. Also, he positions himself as a non-Brit, which means the system doesn't map so well.

[lady_ganesh]

Thank you for all this information that I do not need now but no doubt will try to figure out the next time a plot bunny eats me.

It's hard with Moriarty, because how much of it is really 'him' and how much is a show he's putting on for Sherlock, et al?