Molly Hooper meta

 (Sherlock meta by alltheroadsleadtotjlc)

Disclaimer: I’m not trying to disregard Molly Hooper’s character in this series. If you are a fan of Molly/Sher!0!!y, however, this meta isn’t for you as the conclusions I reach by the end of this meta may be interpreted as diminishing. I’m a TJLCer, but I tried to be as objective as possible. All operations within the meta are accurate but I chose not to include MHR and other short scenes where Molly doesn’t interact or is just in the background and her presence is not crucial (the “Sher!o!!y Kiss” and other short scenes where she’s the main focus were included). I haven’t seen any meta like this around but, if there is, I’m sorry. 

I’ll be analyzing Molly’s importance in BBC Sherlock based on every interaction she has throughout the series. For that reason, I’ve watched every single scene where Molly appears and what purpose her interactions have. I have measured each one and given a description so by the end of each season I’ll make a final remark on her relevance. Enjoy!

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SEASON 1 

This is the season where we’re first introduced to Molly Hooper and, alternatively, the season which features her the less. Her relevance, though, is unaffected. I’ll explain why.

ASIP: {8:31-9:19} Introduction to Molly Hooper. She asks Sherlock out but he “rejects” her. This will reflect the enormously different way Sherlock behaves towards Molly and towards John. 0:48 minutes.

TBB: {52:47- 54:23}. Sherlock flirts with Molly in order to examine Lukis and Van Coon’s bodies. 1:33 minutes (thanks @beejohnlocked )

TGG: {18:02-19:45} Molly introduces her boyfriend Jim to Sherlock and John, who will be revealed as Moriarty later. In the lab, Sherlock outs Jim as gay and Molly leaves angry. This is one of the few scenes where she talks during the total time she’s on screen. 1:43 minutes

Overall scenes: 3 

Scenes where Molly talks for most of the scene: 2 

Scenes longer than 5 minutes: 0 

Real scenes (not MP or things someone else thinks happened): 3 

Scenes where Molly talks to Sherlock for most of the time she’s there: 2 

● Of those, real ones: 2 

Total amount of time she’s on the season: 5:04 minutes 

Percentage of appearance in this season: 1.86% 

This was obviously the easiest season to analyze and I want to make clear why I believe she’s important in both scenes. First, her introduction scene reinforces the idea of Sherlock being gay and socially awkward right at the beginning of the show. Her second one introduces Moriarty, a major arc for s2 and s3. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough footage to properly describe Molly Hooper’s character in this season. Reading her blog we can deduce she’s a shy, sensible, hopeless romantic person with a big crush on Sherlock.

SEASON 2 

In this season, Molly Hooper’s character will reach a turning point in her growth and will be properly established as a John mirror.

ASIB: {41:39- 44:22} Christmas party on Baker St. This is one of the longest scenes where Molly’s in. It’s made clear the nature of Molly’s feelings for Sherlock and he apologizes for being rude making deductions about her. 2:43 minutes.

{45:30- 46:10} Very short interaction with Sherlock and Mycroft on the morgue to see Irene Adler’s body. She’s puzzled when Sherlock is able to identify her by looking at her naked body, as everyone else except John. 1:20 minutes.

{1:02:23- 1:03:09} Molly briefly inquires about the owner of the mobile phone Sherlock is scanning. She assumes it’s Sherlock’s girlfriend’s phone, which Sherlock is quick to remark in its absurdity. 1:26 minutes.

THOB: NO INTERACTION WHATSOEVER.

TRF: {35:58- 39:04} This is the famous “you look sad when you think he can’t see you” conversation Molly and Sherlock have. One of the major scenes Molly has throughout the entirety of these series. Oddly enough, she talks about John and Sherlock’s relationship and her words have a deeper meaning than we’re to believe. I think this is a turning point for Sherlock and Molly’s relationship because he trusts her more now (we have more proof of this fact later on). 3:46 minutes

{1:02:11- 1:03:09} Here Sherlock asks for Molly’s help to fake his death. Her blind trust in Sherlock can be compared to John’s when they are about to arrest Sherlock at 221b. This task solidifies their relationship. Honestly, if the previous scene never happened, this conversation wouldn’t have either. 0:58 minutes.

In this season, she experiments an evolution around TRF mainly, which brings her more strength as a character and makes her more likable. By this point I believe the writers realised they could (and did) use Molly Hooper specifically as a plot device. Her character was literally meant to be rejected by Sherlock at the beginning of ASIP and that’s it (no offense) [1], and right now her biggest scenes suggest Moftiss is trying to tell us something. It’s worth considering. Aside from that, she’s still more of a background character.

Overall scenes: 5 

Scenes where Molly talks for most of the scene: 3 

Scenes longer than 5 minutes: 0 

Real scenes: 5 

Scenes where Molly talks to Sherlock for most of the time she’s there: 3 

● Of those, real ones: 3 

Total amount of time she’s on this season: 9:33 minutes 

Percentage: 3.45% 

SEASON 3 

This season, by far, is the one where Molly Hooper’s character is more featured; in fact, 73% of the scenes she has on the show are within this season alone (mainly in TEH).

TEH: {1:29- 2:04} The infamous Sher!0!!y kiss. It’s product of Anderson’s imagination but I can’t be biased so here it is. 0:35 minutes.

{27:06- 27:24} Molly doesn’t talk: Sherlock goes to Bart’s in order to let her know he has come back to London. 0:18 minutes.

{37:54- 38:06} Sherlock asks Molly to accompany him on his cases while she misinterprets the situation and thinks he’s going to ask her out, establishing the cases=dates parallel. 0:12 minutes.

{38:14- 38:40} Sherlock solves cases at 221b while Molly takes notes. She doesn’t talk much, and is usually quiet when clients explain their cases, contrary to John. 0:26 minutes.

{38:51- 39:16} Same as before. 0:25 minutes.

{40:34- 41:46} Lestrade, Sherlock and Molly go together to solve a case. Molly helps Sherlock by examining the body and taking notes. 1:12 minutes.

{42:02- 46:10} Sherlock deduces everything about the skeleton while having auditory hallucinations and leaves. Molly is not of much importance here, although this is the longest scene in the whole series where Molly’s in. 4:08 minutes.

{47:17- 49:15} A very relevant scene for Molly; Sherlock explains to her why he has brought her, congratulates her on her engagement and leaves but Molly is not over him, much like John. 2:38 minutes.

{49:28- 49:34} Small appearance of Molly watching Sherlock leave, same as John at the end of TEH. 0:06 minutes.

{1:22:08- 1:22:51} Molly goes to 221b and introduces Tom to Lestrade, Sherlock, John, Mary and Mrs. Hudson. Everyone quickly notices Tom looks exactly like Sherlock. 0:43 minutes.

TSOT: {17:58- 18:37} She talks to Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson about Sherlock’s speech in the wedding, worried about how he will handle it. 0:39 minutes.

{42:00-42:27} She doesn’t talk but stabs Tom’s hand with a fork. 0:27 minutes

{43:33- 44:33} Sherlock asks Molly to help him with the stag night. 1:00 minute.

HVL: {11:58- 14:17} Molly slaps Sherlock thrice when she discovers Sherlock has used drugs again, her anger mirroring John’s but her actions suggesting otherwise. 2:19 minutes.

{34:43- 35:40} MP!Molly helps Sherlock after Mary shoots him. 0:57 minutes.

{36:20- 36:38} “ “ “ “. 0:18 minutes.

{36:58- 37:03} “ “ “ “. 0:05 minutes.

{45:54- 46:05} “ “ “ “. 0:11 minutes.

{45:54- 46:01} Molly talks about some arrangement she has with Sherlock. 0:07 minutes.

Overall scenes: 19 

Scenes longer than 5 minutes: 0 

Real scenes: 14 

Scenes where Molly talks to Sherlock for most of the time she’s there: 8 

● Of those, real ones: 4 

Amount of time she appears on this season: 14:06 minutes 

Percentage: 5.20% 

Amount of real time she appears on this season: 13:20 minutes 

Percentage: 4.88% 

Molly’s presence on this season cannot be overlooked. As John is not with Sherlock all the time, Molly is our window into Sherlock’s world for a while. However, this doesn’t last for long. She has earned Sherlock’s respect and that’s something.

SEASON 4 

As [this was written before] season 4 [...] aired, I can’t make a proper approach of Molly throughout the season, so I will only talk of [TAB] in terms of time on-screen.

TAB: {17:55- 19:14} Hooper, disguised as a man, explains the details of Emilia Ricolletti’s case in a professional fashion. She and Holmes don’t get on, apparently (as the last real interaction with Molly is the one where she slaps him, it’s not a big leap to assume Sherlock imagines her angry with him, as in the fake scene on the plane, this time with John). 1:19 minutes.

{19:48- 21:36} Molly finishes explaining the case to Holmes. When he leaves later, Molly sasses Watson and he subtly outs her as what she really is: a woman. 1:48 minutes.

{1:12:36- 1:13:14} She starts explaining the Emilia Ricolletti’s case to Holmes in the crypt, already been revealed as a part of the conspiracy. 0:38 minutes.

Overall scenes: 3 

Scenes where Molly talks for most of the time: 3 

● Of those, real ones: 0 

Total amount of time she’s on the episode: 3.05 minutes 

Percentage: 3.39% 

She doesn’t have much on-screen time (same as s1) but it’s pretty obvious Sherlock deeply respects her abilities as a pathologist, so much that she even makes it to his drug-induced dream (or MP, whatever you think TAB was). He also thinks he has treated her badly in the past and regrets it.

And, with this episode, the final data.

MOLLY HOOPER

Amount of total time she’s on the show: 28:49 minutes 

Percentage: 3.16% 

Overall scenes: 30 

● Real scenes: 22 

● Where Molly talks at least half the time she’s there: 10 

○ Of those, scenes where she didn’t mirror John in some way| talked about John: 3 

■ Jim introduction (TGG) 

■ Christmas party 221b (ASIB) 

■ Flashback of Molly talking about Sherlock’s speech (TSOT) 

In conclusion, Molly Hooper’s character is clearly a plot device in every sense and, judging by the on-screen time she has had over 6 years, should be considered as a secondary character [...]. Studying her in depth has been very fun to do and I realised how interesting she is from this perspective. I’d say this is the most flattering way to depict her. Not seeing this part of her character is a great mistake.

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