TJLC Explained: [Episode 7] The Drink Code

Welcome back to another episode of TJLC Explained! In this video I talk about another popular fan theory: The Drink Code. The basic gist of the drink code is that whenever a character drinks something, or talks about drinking something, that specific drink was chosen for a symbollic reason. I'll walk through the major categories and give some of the important examples.
TJLC stands for The Johnlock Conspiracy or the belief that the writers of BBC Sherlock have intended for John and Sherlock to end up in a romantic relationship since the start.
Thank you as always to / martinfreemen for helping me with the script!
SOURCES
1. Reblog of LSIT's original theory
inevitably-johnlocked.tumblr.c...
2. List of drink code moments by teaandforeshadowing
teaandforeshadowing.tumblr.com...
3. Drink Code connection by Weeesi
weeesi.tumblr.com/post/136584...
4. Alcohol breakdown by thepinapplering
thepineapplering.tumblr.com/po...
5. welovethebeekeeper's original post on the Tea Metaphor
welovethebeekeeper.tumblr.com/...
DISCLAIMER
All content belongs to its original owners and I do not claim ownership for the clips shown. Outside clips are used to support my analysis and commentary under fair use.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted.
"Fair Use" guidelines: www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

[@sourri1234]

"Do you prefer tea or coffee?" Coffee. Mark handles the tea. SM

[@antonia7463]

sourri1234 this line was so perfect I snorted in my tea when I read it.

[@philmoonchild2628]

you drinking tea in the end is so intentional

[@Thomas_Winters]

lol

[@dappleddreams]

+Phi Line sarcasm 😉

[@philmoonchild2628]

dappled_dreams jepp

[@margplsr3120]

true :D

[@rowanmiller6035]

"This seems like a bit of a stretch", I say to myself, a lesbian, while sipping a cup of tea.

[@hollyhock9638]

Same

[@JacyAllen]

Are the lines "400 years old and you're using it to make yourself a cuppa" and "centuries old, better not break that" from TBB alluding to people disapproving of moftiss changing the original, centuries old canon and deepening the relationship between John and Sherlock?

[@strongsarah]

+Rebekah TJLC Explained I think also in ASIP when John and Mike are having coffee (which John isn't drinking) and he says he's "not the John Watson you knew"...

[@Junoisverysleepy]

I’m going on binge of this series it’s amazing how much more thought we put into this series than the actual writers lamo

[@tiffanypersaud3518]

Hahaha!

[@loopy445]

"Kind of like how something else will fall at the end of the episode..." TOO SOON X'D

[@amandapedroso4728]

DEAD

[@byusire]

@@amandapedroso4728 like Sherlock 😭😭

[@antonia7463]

ALSO. I just realised. In 'his last vow' when John and Sherlock try to get into Magnussen's office, John carries coffee.. But in the elevator, when he realises the proposal was fake, he immediately throws the coffee away. SO INTENTIONAL.

[@RenTheBarbarian]

Oh my God, spooky moment. I used to just drink coffee, now I drink both tea and coffee. (Actually, probably tea more often than coffee.) I used to think I was heterosexual, but now I'm out as bi HOLY

[@booklybrilliant7955]

This is the same exact thing that happened to me, but now I almost only drink tea

[@sw3602]

I drink both tea and coffee (but neither particularly often), and I'm a bi aroace. Coincidence? I think not. Mystery? Maybe. Hotel? Trivago.

[@zofie98]

Am I the only one that at one point when Sherlock is serving moriarty tea he lets him have his chair rather then let moriarty sit in johns chair. I sort of read this as for shadowing for Sherlock protecting John

[@tenderheart17]

Yes... the chair is 'sacred'...precious to Sherlock as it is something he so closely connects with, or equates with John. He refuses to let anyone else sit in it for fear of them 'desecrating' it. He guards it as jealously as he would, John.... keeping it only unto himself.

[@georgerogers6348]

I love tea. All of Britain loves tea. That says alot about us...

[@maxroyston5342]

At 6:34 when John says "I won't be in for tea" I think he's talking about the meal

[@sashawallace1916]

Megan Royston That's what we say in England instead of dinner sometimes but it can agrued on another one of her videos that he is avoiding intimacy.

[@lapillity]

I love how happy and excited you sound when you make these videos. It puts me in a good mood. :)

[@zchangam]

Rebekah, I adore you. Your analyses are dead on! Congrats on your new relationship; I hope you two grow more fond of one another as time does its thing. I wanted to add an observation - deduction - about the floating eyeball in Sherlock's tea. It appears to symbolize a definite 'queer' viewing as the greg/anderson coffee cup transition to john's eyeballs represent the heteronormative viewing. I have never felt completely comfortable with the 'eyeball,' really felt it HAD to have more purpose than the ick factor - which is great and I get that - and so this actually is an A HA! for me. What thinks you? Anyone?

[@meeshmosh888]

yesss wonderful deduction!

[@icannotchoose]

I like how you drank tea at the end. ;)

[@lollie9324]

I love every one of these vlogs and SO look forward to them! I was impressed with your heartfelt words at the end re: LSiT. I was blissfully ignorant of all the drama that happened with her, only becoming aware *just* as she decided to bow out of the fandom. I was--and still am--devastated by this. It is abhorrent to me how people can be so relentlessly and remorselessly cruel on the Internet, and destroy good and happy things for so many people in the process. Thank you for what you said; it was truly beautiful. You're a lovely person!

[@Thomas_Winters]

the profile picture looks like a Whoville version of Ben.

[@mickr7986]

"Kinda like something else that will fall at the end of the episode" *wounded noise* 9:11 that face, it appears you know what you've done to me! 😂😭

[@mimioveges9208]

"super gay teapots" 😂 i immagine them saving the city... flying in rainbows...

[@GLAASJEMELC]

Dear Rebekah and TJLCers, I want to thank you all for introducing me to the beautiful love story that is BBC Sherlock. I won't be addressing the fourth season, because this should be a place for kindness. But you have tought me so much about good writing and the importance of LGBT representation, through your passion and caring for the show and its characters. I will never stop believing and am very grateful for being part of the TJLC community, even if it was only for the past two months.

[@1966guessman]

when the champagne is slipping from sherlock ' s hand, everyone in the background is watching it, but John. does that mean everyone else sees sherlock's love for John but john? John is looking STRAIGHT forward. Coincidence? I think not.

[@wandanemer2630]

I mean it *does* make a lot of sense!

[@Joshuaboshua98]

"I really like tea" should be the new code language for "I'm really gay." Bisexuals would like both coffee and tea, pansexuals would like everything, and asexuals would just be water drinkers.

[@Joshuaboshua98]

Sarandib22 oh gosh, you're right! As a panromantic ace, mixing coffee, tea, and something else doesn't sound very nice 😁

[@lydiaw5832]

or the drink metaphor could relate to specifically sexual orientations and romantic orientations could be represented by something else entirely (then everyone's happy!)

[@lydiaw5832]

Sarandib22 haha yes

[@sw3602]

I'm a bi aroace. I usually drink water but sometimes tea and coffee. Coincidence? I think not. Mystery? Maybe. Hotel? Trivago.

[@peweebaggins8470]

it was so sad to see tlsit go, she was such an incredible person. Thankyou for these videos rebekah they always make my week.

[@raeraeofsunshine]

thank you so much for the video!!! it's amazing (like usual!) is there any meta or theories regarding Sherlock's violin that anyone knows of? Seemed weirdly conspicuous in the Moriarty/tea scene

[@TwentyPaphonies]

11:15 "Shutting down" is sometimes a form of anxiety attacks.

[@SeaSparklesLP]

i wasn't very convinced until you mentioned the coffee eye transition

[@illusiveaxeman9164]

"Kind of like something else will fall at the end of the episode." No. Go. Go to your room and think about what you did.

[@readeroveranalyzes7560]

"How are you going to burn me (Burn the heart out of me?)" "Oh that's the problem, the final problem." Interesting that season 4's last episode is "The Final Problem" John watch out!!!!

[@KoneeKawa]

why does this make sense do the writers really get into this much depth? i love johnlock so much. WHY AM I SKEPTICAL? i just don't want to be disappointed. If moftiss are really doing this, the show is the best thing that has ever happened.

[@Thomas_Winters]

when I watched the series the first time I thought it was mega simple and pretty boring. i thought Johnlock might happen but quickly reasoned it out. but when I found this channel i was smacked in the face with all of the intricate details the creators put into the show. i was truly dumbfounded.

[@veralidaine97]

And suddenly that scene in Hounds takes on new meaning.

[@ShadowDreamersHorse]

I just realized i sat with a cup of tea in my hands for the entire video... How accurate xD

[@teddy9770]

Of course tea appears much more often on the show than coffe. It takes place in Britain after all! Seriously, I love your videos because you put so much effort into them and always support everything you say with sources, but I just can't believe that the writers, producers and actors of the series would intentionally use millions of details in drinks, phones, food, looks and choices of words over the course of many years just to hint or not hint on a future romantic relationship that they're denying in every interview. I WANT to believe in it, I really do. But I can't imagine that anyone in this world would put so much effort in ANYTHING. I feel as if we always only see what we want to see.

[@m.deoliveira5106]

"kind of like something else would fall at the end of the episode" omfg

[@CandyRainMusicString]

When John said he won't be in for tea, it's a briticism for dinner. Not literally he won't be in to drink tea.

[@wandanemer2630]

However, the writers could have literally made him say any other line with the same meaning...

[@maffell6427]

Your words for LSiT are so beautiful and I miss her so much, too. Thank you so much!

[@jo_morbid]

I'm always so excited when I get an alert for a new video from you. Thank you for your time and efforts compiling all of this info into these videos! 😄

[@emilygardner6779]

This is why I love this fandom - I mean we actually have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out what's going on and everyone thinks we're mad but everyone thought Sherlock was mad and maybe we're right about this all along ... please ...

[@wandanemer2630]

It all makes sense, when you know when to look.

[@RenTheBarbarian]

Yes! I wrote a whole thing about the clay pots in TBB = Sherlock's heart on my Tumblr! :D

[@amandapedroso4728]

after sherlock "dies", john's seen drinking, again, in his armchair

[@maithriswamy6054]

John: I don't mind. Sherlock: Anytime. WHAT??? ha ha ha :D amazing!!

[@sdfksdjbfuvygvyisdvcgvucgyvgy]

Funny thing is I made myself a cup of tea before watching this video and drank it throughout. When she mentioned tea I was like "That's us BOIIIIIIIIIS" because I'm lame like that 😂

[@icecreamguru7584]

Thank you so much for putting your videos back up. They mean so much to me

[@doxiemaydaisy]

Thank you so much for this series! I look forward to every episode, and if there was a love button, I would press it a thousand times. It's just so amazing, thank you! *hugs*

[@evalina777]

I LOVE THESE SO MUCH AND HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY!!!!

[@evalina777]

+Rebekah TJLC Explained Thank you haha.

[@josephinehendrick1533]

As always your videos are great, and thanks for you touching message to LSIT. You articulated that so well

[@gipsiusy]

love u so much 💙💙 happy early birthday!!

[@milleliza1490]

I'm so sorry for what happened to loudestsubtext :( i hope she's safe and okay.

[@meeshmosh888]

Hi Rebekah! I've been absolutely LOVING the series so far!! I'm JUST getting into the Sherlock fandom now and oh my goodness am I ever grateful for the work you and everyone else have done. I'm learning so much about meta and subtext, it's blowing my mind and inspiring me. YOU inspire me. I was not around in the time of LSIT, but I am terribly sorry to hear about what happened to her. That's horrible... I sincerely hope you are doing fabulously and that the loving support you receive outweighs any negativity. You are a shining light! Anywho, I'm about to binge the rest of the series. Cheers!

[@oupsie9021]

the part where john says "i wont be in for tea" because he's going to see sarah doesnt quite work with this theory because he's actually referring to dinner, as in "i won't be in for dinner" (the words tea and dinner are interchangeable when referring to your evening meal). in fact it might actually fit better with the food=intimacy theory! :)

[@carogirl1999]

I've only just realised that I was drinking tea while watching this video, haha. :D I love your vids, Rebekah, you actually made me believe that Johnlock will become canon! :) I mean I've always shipped them and had hope but I became a true believer thanks to TJLC. ❤️

[@Thomas_Winters]

i drink tea and coffee....but i dont drink racist coffee.

[@TwentyPaphonies]

**puts on bathrobe**

[@ericjonsson1060]

In the end he does get a new glass of champagne though, forshadowing he'll get a second shot with John. Ended on a fairly happy note imo!

[@wandanemer2630]

Oh my God Fuck teah you're right! 💜

[@lynn7767]

I never have time to read the metas so i love these videos. Also your voice is very nice

[@jackapplesauce6808]

And Sherlock catches the tea as Hudders pulls a gun on him. Tea and a gun, hmmm...

[@wandanemer2630]

Hmmmm...

[@samanthareyes3323]

The first time I hear/read something about loudest subtext going down, I was so sad, and It's amazing you are recognizing her. By the way your vids are awsome :)

[@CatLady-9327]

One thing that was always bugging me is John's line to Mycroft. "Do you go out for a coffee, you and Jim?" They could have made it "go out for drinks" (ambiguous) or "go out for beer" (doubt either of these men would drink beer, but John's line is supposed to be ridiculous, to imply they are friends) Obviously they couldn't have made it "go out for tea" (Jimcroft, anyone?), but John could have said it a lot of differently, so I always wondered why he says coffee.

[@StardustedDes]

I laughed so hard at the transitions xD also I feel soooooooo enlightened with this episode!!!

[@nerdieone1]

I love your videos sooo much!

[@PinkPintoNikki]

*Raining comfort upon you and her in this tough time* Thanks so much for all you do and for supporting such a wonderful pairing. Your videos always brighten my day~. Regardless of what people say, whether or not Johnlock becomes canon (which, I believe, it absolutely will), it is still an awesome pairing that deserves recognition and praise. Heteronormativity is a destructive societal construct that Moffat and Gatiss have constantly challenged throughout the series. Were Watson a woman, everyone would automatically be shipping Sherlock and John. Any toxicity you and your friend receive is just regressive homophobia based on a heteronormative double-standard. Keep up the amazing work, you beautiful person with the beautiful pairing~.

[@suzannerischard8217]

I'm sure someone already mentioned it but if milk is relevant to the amount of time before sexual interest expires in think it's interesting that the scene at the beginning with molly he takes his coffee black with two sugars ie no milk when he seems to always take his tea with milk or cream.

[@memecannot]

I was drinking tea while watching this XD

[@Joanna-rn6uo]

Thank you for the video! You are amazing.

[@sofivear]

Unsubtle tea slurping at the end I see what you did there

[@AudiaLucus]

Just wanna say that your work is incredibly informative and fun! I now understand why I pretended to like coffee but never actually like it. I'm pondering the reason I switch from drinking Chinese tea to heavily sugared builder's tea.

[@KatzePiano]

6:30 - "I won't be in for tea" refers to food tea. That's what a lot of people in the UK (myself included) call our evening meal. It doesn't really make sense in context of the drink. Other than that, a really great video!

[@jomoody798]

omg this is so true that is absurd also Coffee means lie and tea means truth

[@UnsightlyThinker]

“super gay teapots.” Iconic.

[@OctagonalGolbat]

"look, i'm afraid" he says, waving his whiskey around

[@wandanemer2630]

"Afraid." "He didn't want a drink, he *needed* one. He's not embarrased, he's afraid."

[@christinan3873]

Figures... I don't drink coffee, just tea.

[@luthienmpl]

I personally love the scene in HLV when Sherlock and John break into CAM's office. They come into the building each holding a take-away coffee, signifying their relationships with Janine and "Mary". Sherlock then hands John his coffee, forcing eternally jealous John to deal with this whole Janine situation, while he gets out the ring he just bought. After John realises that Sherlock only faked the whole thing so Janine would let them into CAM's office he carelessly drops both their coffees on the ground. X3

[@masksenpai5889]

you had to make me cry

[@hannazarse7337]

"Remember that gay tea stuff from earlier that was fun." *sips tea* Are you implying something?

[@emohedgehog2635]

the mug replacing the figures at the back omg

[@thecalzonesbetrayedme5665]

person: tea or coffee me: both them: no u hav to choose o- me: did i stutter

[@wandanemer2630]

#Bi ❤💜💙

[@arbesa8971]

Hi there! I love your videos! I only just started watching them and subscribed to you but 20 minutes ago but I am already in love with you and your work. I adore meta theories / analizations. Have you read anything posted by Ivy Blossom on tumblr? Very interesting. Am feeling a bit torn about the next season of Sherlock. Many people say 'hey, we will see our OTP this time around for sure!' others say 'everything Gatiss and Moffat foreshadow is just trying to bait us into watching the show and waiting for something to happen and never will'. I don't want to expect anything from the coming episodes. Because so far I was, sadly, disappointed. It is good if a relationship takes time to develope, but this one has just taken sooooo much time. We'll see how it goes eventually.

[@Anchanthea]

8:54 crying omg 😂😂

[@arinaarinza]

I really want some tea now

[@buckeroo_9408]

Sherlock with the coffee at the beginning is the face I make when people say Johnlock will never be real

[@buckeroo_9408]

Like I wonder how its like in those small brains of yours. It must be terribly dull with your heterosexual goggles on all the time

[@closed1372]

Another amazing episode as always :) I'm sorry for what happened to your friend, in my position I don't really know what happened but I hope I can still give my concern as in how much I care, sorry again and hope it's alright now.

[@Altreprimavere]

BRILLIANT!!!

[@DominicaL1134]

7:42 killed me! Thanks för the laugh Rebekah :D

[@naledimoyo8042]

I MISS YOU SO MUCH 😭😭😭

[@drraiaraishere]

6:26 When John finds the human head, he asks, "Is that a head?" To which Sherlock replies, "Just tea for me thanks". Which leans me more toward Sherlock being a homoromantic asexual man.

[@gabrielegarcia358]

it's so nice that I don't know shit about class subjects, but for Johnlock and other ships I have mental maps! 😂😂😂

[@dlazebnikostka4573]

This is really true motivation how to do that I will drink more tea. 100% works. :-)

[@aresvepe]

Great video! I love how succinctly you put everything, it really makes even the nuances of the symbols clear. One note, when John says he "won't be in for tea" because he'll be out with Sarah, isn't he referring to the meal at that point? Tea (the drink) obviously has a connection to homosexuality, but would the meal tea (what I call dinner, being a new zealander) also have that connection?

[@miralang8149]

I like my men how I like my coffee. *Sips tea.*

[@ohsocorny1012]

"I won't be around for tea" tea is also another name for dinner in England

[@wandanemer2630]

Still works for the "Food=intimacy" methafor tho.

[@nicoleavmars]

18:12 That never happened. He was in his mind palace, he was concentrated on the case, not in his lost opportunity with John... That's the problem with Johnlockers, we see what we want to see.

[@mollychankawaii]

18.51 XD so clever

[@florgi121]

I just laughed outloud because so many people have told me I'm weird for liking both coffee and tea and like... I'm bisexual and this is so funny right now. Great video, love your analysis!!

[@gangstaspongbob8954]

( around 13:00 ) good GOD i was not expecting that MOO

[@rivkavermeij]

That part where John says he won't be around for tea means supper. In England they call supper tea for some weird reason.

[@milleliza1490]

the alcohol sound made me feel some tingles!

[@kickingroses8925]

"His relationship with Sholto." OOOH, please tell me that a Jolto-centric episode about it's impact on Johnlock's future is possible! Or will it just be mentioned in TSOT analysis? Either way I'm excited. ^_^

[@bez_b]

God, you are so nice. I just keep watching your videos and cannot stop. You are so beautiful I just can`t

[@LovinneLily]

I find it really funny that jt fits so well with me although is a thing for a TV show. I love milk (milk, only milk, if possible cold), after soda is probably my favorite drink? And I so don't like tea nor coffee. I'd like to like beer because everyone I know does but... Yeah, Nope. Hard alcohol is amusing and interesting but not really my thing? The sensation is brilliant. The taste, not that much, can't say I like it. Champagne and wine I like but I almost never am able to have it. That puts a lot on the fact that I am cupioromantic, can't feel romantic attraction but wanted to, and grace, feels sexual attraction almost never or only in specific situations, siding with my lack of abilities to make friends (take off the ones I met online and you leave with only two people)

[@HannahBun555]

I drink both coffee and tea in excess, my bisexuality exposed

[@wandanemer2630]

I know right?? 💙💜❤

[@jomoody798]

in my house, I like coffee but I can't avoid making more tea than coffee.

[@krish6063]

Always did wonder why I preferred tea.

[@annascholle9572]

Oh my God

[@xylaardhiafiorina6844]

I mostly drink tea, never coffee unless I desperately need the caffeine... OH MY GOD