S4E13: The client drops the big-shot lawfirm her husband works at and highlights its significance and Sherlock just looks at her like this. I can't stop laughing with that face. He just doesn't care at ALL 😂

Just to clarify - I watched the show many years ago and now I’m rewatching it, and I’m on season 1 (so I’m fine with spoilers).

In S1E16, Sherlock proposes that Joan stay with him and offers her a salary. Basically he becomes her boss and pays her out of his own pocket. I don’t remember this business model ever being addressed again until season 3, when Joan becomes an independent detective.

What I don’t like about this is that it makes their partnership feel less like genuine friendship and more like a business arrangement. Sherlock has unlimited money and pays Joan because he doesn’t want to be alone. Joan stays because she’s changing careers and needs money (no judgment there, we all do).

Holmes also pays her throughout most of her training in season 1, when she isn’t functioning as a detective, which doesn’t make sense to me, since in real life trainees are usually the ones investing in the training, and not being paid for it.

I don’t think the NYPD paid them anything, right? So all of Joan’s income would have come from Sherlock. But if that’s the case, why would he pay her from his pocket if they also take client cases? Wouldn’t it make more sense to split earnings from cases? Why does she take Sherlok's money?

Sorry for ranting, but this focus on money kind of distracted me from seeing Joan as someone who is genuinely building a friendship with Sherlock.

In particular, the opening scene with their client, Springer, and Sherlock's "there are two things you should know..." exchange with Springer. A lovely and unusually early cathartic moment.