Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson from the Sherlock Holmes series are one of the most famous duos in literary history. This crime-solving pair has a polar opposite dynamic that’s hilarious and strangely efficient, and it’s drawn readers in for over a century. But what exactly makes them so great? Read on to find out.
Sherlock’s Wit Meshes with John’s Empathy
It’s a well-known fact that Sherlock has poor people skills — or he just chooses to be an ass. Regardless, part of the reason he can work out complex cases so well is that he doesn’t let his emotions distract him. He doesn’t bother with empathy since it muddles his thoughts and disrupts his work.
John, on the other hand, doesn’t ignore having empathy. And as a doctor, he’s great with people, and he’s much more in tune with their emotions and knows how to talk to them. He makes sure to humanize the cases instead of only thinking rationally.
Their Individual Skills Work Together to Solve Cases
Sherlock is a genius at sleuthing, and with his observation skills and out-of-the-box thinking, he can figure out answers that nobody else has even considered. His eccentric nature works well with his intelligence, and he uses it to follow through with his theories and discoveries, regardless of what he has to do.
John is more practical and realistic, and he grounds Sherlock’s theories and wild ideas. This isn’t to say John can always stop Sherlock from acting on these ideas, but rather that he’s a voice of reason and practicality, and he can cover Sherlock when needed.
They Have a Unique Understanding of Each Other
Sherlock can predict John’s behavior and reactions to scenarios, and he knows how John supports him. Whether he actually acknowledges it or takes it into consideration is up for debate, but he has an understanding of what John will do, which is perhaps why he feels so comfortable pulling off crazy schemes.
Most people have trouble understanding Sherlock’s ideas and musings, which is where John steps in. He can explain them in much simpler terms, having been around Sherlock for so long and understanding how his mind works.
They Push Each Other
Sherlock definitely pushes John’s patience a great deal, but he also inadvertently pushes him to be more flexible. His abnormal behavior forces John to stay alert and on his toes, lest he get surprised and pulled into yet another crazy scheme.
John is more rational and reliable, and he tries to make Sherlock watch his behavior and words — at least around other people. He also acts as the voice of reason when Sherlock gets in his own head too much, proving to be a steady partner in crime-solving.
We’ve already had about 137 years of this fantastic duo, and, hopefully, we’ll continue to see more versions of them in the years to come.
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