The One Time John Watson Beat Sherlock in His Own Game
No matter what adaptation of Sir Conan Doyle's famous story we're talking about, one thing is always true: Sherlock Holmes is a genius, and his partner John Watson is somewhat lagging behind in the wits department.
Sherlock BBC is no exception, and the great detective makes sure to constantly remind his friend about it. Sherlock never sleeps or misses even the slightest detail, always sharp and vigilant.
Watson, on the contrary, fails to notice crucial elements all the time, and Holmes has to explain everything to him — sometimes gladly, but often with frustration. This is just how it goes, dealing with one of the most intelligent people in the world.
But the viewers are so accustomed to the fact that John's not the brightest individual that they sometimes completely miss his good moments. We can bet that you never paid attention to how he beat Sherlock in his own game!
In the last episode of season 2, we watch flashbacks of Sherlock trying to guess or learn Watson's second name, to no avail. John is busy with his blog and seemingly pays no attention to whatever Sherlock is up to…
And in the background, Sherlock is hiding his cigarette stash in a slipper.
What is so special about this scene, you may ask? The thing is, we saw how it ended in the previous episode — and Sherlock's lost in this little hiding game!
In episode 2 of the same season, Sherlock's running around the flat going through all of his secret (not so much, apparently) stashes in search of cigarettes. He can't find any, even in the slipper which John did not presumably see.
This means that John always pays attention to whatever Holmes is doing. Even if he appears busy or uninterested, he keeps a close eye on his friend — this time, making sure Sherlock won't be able to smoke when he snaps.
What's more important, this also proves that Watson is capable of watching or learning what Sherlock is up to without the great detective even noticing! Apparently, John Watson is far better than Holmes or the viewers tend to think.
Oh, and he also managed to keep his second name secret from Sherlock. He later revealed at his own will, just to make a quip about the tension between his friend and The Woman.