Great meta on "Scandal" and fannish reactions.
Stop everything & read this essay by 
jblum on fandom's odd reactions to Moffat and his adaptation of "A Scandal in Bohemia". It offers another reading of that final scene that I found fascinating and persuasive.
It also goes into the fannish impulse toward black & white interpretations that undoes the fannish experience of complex characters. The fannish woobification of evil-but-complex Spike is an example of the pattern in action here. Holmes is an ass; Lestrade calls him a great man who might someday be good. The series is us watching that transformation, not seeing the end result. (As with Spike, yes? The change is what's interesting. Always-been-good Spike is boring.)
Anyway, read it and discuss there or here in the safety of friends. Many thanks tosnickfic for the link!
jblum on fandom's odd reactions to Moffat and his adaptation of "A Scandal in Bohemia". It offers another reading of that final scene that I found fascinating and persuasive.It also goes into the fannish impulse toward black & white interpretations that undoes the fannish experience of complex characters. The fannish woobification of evil-but-complex Spike is an example of the pattern in action here. Holmes is an ass; Lestrade calls him a great man who might someday be good. The series is us watching that transformation, not seeing the end result. (As with Spike, yes? The change is what's interesting. Always-been-good Spike is boring.)
Anyway, read it and discuss there or here in the safety of friends. Many thanks to
snickfic for the link!