History Main / SherlockCanRead

Compare to HowDidYouKnowIDidnt and YouJustToldMe, but in both cases, Holmes is guessing; here, he knows for a fact. Not to be confused with ClueEvidenceAndASmokingGun.

->'''Balthazar:''' I have something I'd like to show you, Dave.
->'''Dave:''' How'd you know my name was Dave?
->'''Balthazar:''' 'Cause I can ''[[SuddenlyShouting read minds]]!'' (''beat'') It's on your backpack.

->'''Balthazar:''' 'Cause I can ''[[SuddenlyShouting read minds]]''! (''beat'') It's on your backpack.

Sometimes, Watson gasps in shock that Holmes [[SherlockScan instantly deduced some secret]]. But Holmes didn't correlate a thousand minutiae to get his answer -- he just read it on something.

Compare to HowDidYouKnowIDidnt and YouJustToldMe, but in both cases, Holmes is guessing; here, he knows for a fact. See ClueEvidenceAndASmokingGun and PhonyPsychic.

* In ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'', a young Dave ends up split off from his school field trip group and wanders into an antique store where he meets Balthazar. This exchange happens.
-->'''Balthazar:''' I have something I'd like to show you, Dave.
-->'''Dave:''' How'd you know my name was Dave?
-->'''Balthazar:''' 'Cause I can [[SuddenlyShouting read minds]]! (''beat'') It's on your backpack.

[[quoteright:300:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lisasnametag.png]]]]

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[[quoteright:350:[[ComicBook/BakerStreet https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sherlock_can_read.png]]]]

-->[[[Dietrich]]]: The paper type's consistant.\\
[[[Barney]]]: It's not much to go on.\\
[[[Dietrich]]]: Handwriting could be the same.\\
[[[Barney]]]: Could be.\\
[[[Dietrich]]]: Same return address.\\
[[[Barney]]]: Why didn't you say so in the first place?\\
[[[Dietrich]]]: Dramatic effect.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters:'' A very literal example in one episode, where the team meets Sherlock Holmes (or at least his ghost) who immediately starts referring to them by name without being introduced.. because they all have said names printed on their jumpsuits.

-->'''Fortune Teller:''' I've been waiting for you...Lisa.\\

* ''WesternAnimation/WITCH'': Caleb is hiding from a relentless pursuer known as the Tracker while the Guardians try to stop him, and Hay Lin's grandmother Yan Lin arrives at his hiding place and reveals that she knows about his situation. When asked how she knew about the Tracker, she quips: "I have powers that sense the presence of evil. Plus a granddaughter with a cell phone."

* Done rather hilariously in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAssaultOnArkham'' when Amanda Waller manages to swiftly and easily answer The Riddler's quip about names:

* Inverted, ''then'' played straight in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', after Ranma pulls an AccidentalProposal on Shampoo (in accordance with the laws of her village), and she pulls out an old book to confirm the [[JustForPun rules of engagement]]. Soun reads the text and becomes shocked at what he sees, only to reveal a moment later that [[BaitAndSwitch he can't read any of it]], because it's written in Chinese. Nabiki, then, gives it a once over, and confirms what Shampoo is saying is true. Ranma accuses her of not knowing Chinese either, to which Nabiki responds she doesn't ''have'' to know the language: there was a Japanese translation ''right next'' to the Chinese.

* ''Film/Firestorm1998'': After being rescued by Jesse, Jennifer pauses to check the bird eggs she was protecting. Jesse looks over her shoulder at the eggs, and then reels off the scientific name of the species. Jennifer is impressed by his ornithological knowledge. Until Jesse holds up the lid of the tin, which she had put to one side when she opened the tin, which has the species name written on it.

* ''Film/NightAtTheMuseum'': Sacajawea is asked to track down the thief of Akmenrah's tablet from the tracks in the snow. She immediately deduces that he tried driving away, but his car slipped on the ice and crashed. Larry is amazed at her tracking skill, until she points at the crashed car just a few yards away.

* In ''Film/SirArthurConanDoylesSherlockHolmes'', Holmes walks into the mortuary just as Watson is starting an autopsy. He does a SherlockScan and then proceeds to tell Watson the deceased's occupation, general state of health and cause of death. He tells Watson that Mr. Dunlevy's autopsy will have to wait till tomorrow as they only have ten minutes to catch their train. when Watson asks how he knew the dead man's name, Holmes replies "It's written on his chart".

--> '''Balthazar:''' I have something I'd like to show you, Dave.
--> '''Dave:''' How'd you know my name was Dave?
--> '''Balthazar:''' 'Cause I can [[SuddenlyShouting read minds]]! (''beat'') It's on your backpack.

** In ''Literature/AHatFullOfSky'', Miss Level is astonished that Tiffany knows she once performed in a circus mind-reading act, until Tiffany reminds her she keeps the circus poster hanging in her hallway.

---> '''Holmes:''' My dear Mr. Grant Munro--\\

-->'''Adam:''' You did *not* read Sid's autopsy report.\\

* ''Series/MimpiMetropolitan'': In their first meeting, Melani is surprised that Bambang know where she works when they just tell each other's names. Bambang says that he just read "Hits TV" written on her uniform.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': The LP ''Havin' Fun with Ernie & Bert'' has a track called "The Listening Game." Ernie blindfolds Bert and has him guess what certain sounds are. First Bert guesses a ticking alarm clock, and the sound it makes when Ernie winds it. Then Bert guesses a vacuum cleaner, and then a ping pong ball. When Bert guesses that Ernie is opening the cookie jar and eating a cookie, Cookie Monster comes into the apartment (from somewhere outside). Bert guesses that Cookie Monster had eaten the cookies, the ping pong ball, the vacuuum cleaner, the alarm clock, run out the door, ridden away on his motorcycle, and crashed into a truckload of chickens.

* ''VideoGame/{{Timesplitters}} Future Perfect'': At the end of the Scotland level, Cortez finds a photograph which ends up leading to the next level. [[MissionControl Anya]] rattles off a list of variables she can use to deduce the area...and he simply reads what's written on the back.

* Done twice in the Toby Danger episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}''. First, after Dr. Sin activates the world's largest semiconductor, The Danger family finds the wreckage and Dr. Danger predicts that Dr. Sin will use the semiconductor to attack Las Vegas. When Dash asks how he knows Dr. Danger calls it a [[BlatantLies "scientific, scholarly guess",]] as the camera pans back to show Las Vegas under attack at that very moment but only the doctor can see it. The second time, Dr Danger is setting up a weapon to destroy the semiconductor in front of a hotel when he predicts that this hotel is the next target. When Dash ask how he can possibly know that, Dr. Danger casually says that every other place in town has been burned to the ground.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles|1987}}'': Splinter reveals to the Turtles that the [[BaseOnWheels Technodrome]] has returned and is smashing everything in its path. They're shocked how he knows this. Was it a [[{{Seers}} mystic revelation?]] He tells them, no, he saw it on the 5 o'clock news.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': How Baron Wulfenbach [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20150619 divined the creator of a slaver engine.]] One of his underlings is impressed that he can apparently recognize the creator of the device from its design style, but he admits that in this case, it was easier than that -- "The fool ''signed'' it!"

Sometimes, Watson gasps in shock that Holmes instantly deduced some secret. But Holmes didn't correlate a thousand minutiae to get his answer -- he just read it on something.