Blog Post #2: A Study in Pink

            There were several examples or semiotic concepts in Sherlock’s “A Study in Pink.” The ones that will be discussed in this essay are signifiers and signifieds, paradigmatic analysis, and syntagmatic analysis.

            The use of the signifiers and signifieds concept in Sherlock becomes evident when Sherlock starts making observations about John Watson when they first meet in the science lab. Sherlock says that he noticed his tanned face and that must mean he was abroad sunbathing. The signifier, or image, here, is John’s tanned face and the signified, or concept, is that he was away sunbathing. Another example of this concept’s use in the episode occurs when Sherlock inspects the pink woman’s body. The woman’s pink nail polish on her left hand is the signifier causing the signified to be that she was left-handed. The signified here provides meaning to the signifier. The chart shows several more examples of this concept in the episode.

            Another concept that seemed relevant within the episode was paradigmatic analysis. There were lots of opposites within the episode with not only good vs. evil, but also the good pill and bad pill: that one that does nothing and the one that kills. Another opposite also stems from the pill idea, which is the cab driver’s constant struggle between the hate he has for people that will outlive him and the love he has for his children.

            The final concept that seemed the most important was syntagmatic analysis, which includes Propp’s functions of a fairytale. While Sherlock is quite obviously not a fairytale, they share the same functions and ideas. Trickery occurs when the villain, in this case, the cab driver, attempts to trick Sherlock into thinking that the person they are after is the passenger instead of him. Another function that stood out was the one of Struggle where the hero and villain engage in combat. While there is actually no physical combat, their mental and emotional “fight” during the classroom pill scene seems to have the same effect. Finally, the cabbie is defeated (Victory) and shot (Punishment), by John Watson, who could interestingly enough, be the magical object (or person) that the Sherlock acquires to solve the case.

Signifiers and Signifieds in “A Study in Pink”

Signifiers	Signifieds
Tanned face	Sunbathing abroad
Watson not using chair	Some type of injury
Extensive email enabled /mp3 player on phone	A gift
Scratches on phone	Phone had a previous owner
Chipped nail polish near scratched word	Left-handed
Wet coat/ dry umbrella	In Cardiff – heavy rain and strong winds
All jewelry clean except ring	Unhappy marriage

Works Cited

“A Study in Pink.” Sherlock. Writ. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. Dir. Paul McGuigan. PBS, BBC One, 2010. Netflix.

Berger, Arthur Asa. Media Analysis Techniques. 5th ed. N.p.: Sage Publications, 2014. Print.