- Holmes and Watson, Holmes and Lestrade, Holmes and Lord Blackwood...
- Let's just go with Holmes/Everyone.
- Holmes and Watson naturally get the lion's share of the attention here, since their literary counterparts might just be the most slashed characters in all of fiction. Even before the movie aired, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law were being continually asked about/criticized for alleged homoerotic undertones, which they vehemently insisted were not their intention (Jude Law once stated something along the lines of, "They can have a horribly codependent relationship without there being something sexual involved").
- Notably, they can have a romantic relationship without anything sexual going on too...
- The film was even lampshading this in the trailers. Scenes of domestic bickering between Holmes and Watson, followed by Irene Adler saying 'They've been flirting for hours'? We see what you did there.
- And when the movie actually came out, well... it didn't exactly silence any critics, let's put it that way. From Holmes spending most of the movie trying to break up Watson's engagement, to the old married couple bickering about setting rooms on fire and testing anesthesia on the dog, to Holmes almost losing it when Watson gets injured in an explosion and then disguising himself in order to sneak into the hospital where Watson's being treated and treat him himself... and then being confronted by Watson's fiancé who says "I know you care for him just as much as I do," all the way down to Watson's glib comment, upon seeing Holmes again after Holmes had gone on the run from the police, that "You look gorgeous"... well, you don't have to look very far for the subtext.
- Not to mention all the touching that goes on. Holmes resting his arm on Watson's thigh while sitting at his feet, trailing his hand across Watson's shoulders, standing chest to chest... just to name a few. And all the awkward silences when the topic of separation comes up.
- There's also Holmes falling asleep against Watson's back, them arguing about who owns what ("our dog" vs. "THE Dog") and Holmes inviting Watson out to his brother Mycroft's estate for essentially a "fix our marriage with a weekend getaway" trip.
- The "want to go to the opera?" scene.
- "My tongue will be completely useless to you, Watson." "Worse things could happen."
- Speaking of Holmes lines begging to be taken out of context: "Be gentle with me, Watson."
- Holmes: (takes off Watson's belt) Don't get excited.
- Not to disregard this particular quote:Holmes: (illustrating a point) Take Watson.
Mary: I intend to.
Holmes: (unhappy laugh) - "This movie's a decent yaoi fanfiction."
- Often going unnoticed, but the decor in Watson's office at Baker Street very prominently features a lot of Classical Greek-esque statues of near-naked men in interesting poses.note Which is maybe justifiable because he's a doctor, but it's worth noting that they're all male and seem to favour a highly idealised (as opposed to clinical, like you might expect) portrait of the male anatomy. It's almost like the film's crew were actively trying to fuel some kind of speculation...?
- It's notable that the Orphaned Punchline to the joke Holmes tells in prison is "To which the barman says, 'May I push in your stool?'
- The diamond ring Mary, Watson's fiancee, is wearing at the end of the film, given to her by Holmes to replace the one he dropped earlier. The implication is that its made from the jewel Holmes took from Irene Adler — so does this mean that symbolically all four characters are married now?
- The part where Blackwood and Holmes are talking right before the former's execution. Blackwood is right behind Holmes, whispering in his ear when he says, "I need you.' Or something along those lines.
- Don't forget how Lord Coward seems to worship Blackwood. Anytime Blackwood speaks, Coward is certain to be looking adoringly at him.
