SuperWhoLock

We have got to talk about how these three shows actually interrelate. We have now discussed all of their first seasons individually but in order to discuss the internet fascination that is SuperWhoLock we must discuss what ties these shows together. I think we have 4 main threads that connect these seemingly different TV shows.

The first golden thread here is the well-balanced partnership; in Supernatural the act now think later character is clearly Dean whereas Sam wants to do the thinking. They also have the interesting dynamic of being brothers and in this first season that means that Dean is the brother that does what their father says and Sam is the one that wants to do what he feels is right despite what his father says. In Doctor who the impulsive character is the Doctor, the more rational character being his companion in this case Rose. They add the dynamic of being in love though maybe not so fully in this first season but they very clearly care for each other more than just platonically. In Sherlock our trigger happy character is Sherlock, leaving John Watson to be the grounded one. Their dynamic starts as roommates and partners and by the end of the season ends as friends.

Second we have the show's standard formula. Individual episodes have their own story but it connects to an overarching season long plot. The show's formula is not uncommon, it's actually one of the most standard formulas for television. Starting with Supernatural we have what would be referred to as monster of the week storytelling all leading the boys to reuniting with John. Doctor Who is also a monster of the week format though I think calling it adventure of the week is more appropriate, leading to the Bad Wolf storyline which I still think is one of the most amazing stories told on television. And then for Sherlock we have a case of the week all leading to Moriarty.

The third thread is that all these shows center around stories that are mysteries and they focus on helping or saving people. Now this point is my second favorite connection between these shows because it's kind of a genre on its own. They aren’t just crime shows, we aren’t just catching killers. The stakes are so high all the time and you can immediately see the impact that these teams have on the world around them. It's why John stays with Sherlock, it's why the Doctor always has a companion, saving people, hunting things is a compelling and rewarding line of work and it's captivating to watch. So from a storytelling perspective all of these shows took classic themes and gave them a twist and that's what kept audiences watching.

Last but not least all of our main characters suffer from a mental illness of some kind, the most obvious being depression. The mental health depictions of this show are what drove us all to Tumblr to find community. Now obviously I can not speak for everyone that was a fan of these shows but I can speak for myself and this fandom as a whole SuperWhoLock saved my life. Supernatural got me through a period of time where I was isolated and I needed to survive until I could come home, Doctor Who made me feel important and like I had a reason to be alive once I was home and Sherlock reminded me that no matter how messed up I was I could still find someone to care about me. Now season 1 doesn’t reveal too much about any single characters' struggle with depression but the main characters of all three shows are lonely and sad and that’s why they bond so closely with their partner and why they’ll fight so hard for that person. It's also why I will never not love these shows.