We already have the recurring imagery of projectors to hint at the theme of ‘doctored’ footage.  (See Remind you of anything? A facade? (Please let the projector light be our smoking gun)) 

And now, right after the opening credits of The Final Problem, we see Mycroft watching a film noir. Well, alright, he has to have some hobbies. Except, it’s not just a film noir, it’s a film noir that’s COMPLETELY MADE UP BY MARK AND STEVEN:

This is a massive Red Flag, meta within meta. To me, this scene is Mark as a writer watching a ‘film’ of his own creation play out…

^To begin with, he’s in his element, really enjoying the film. And what’s it about? Well, there’s two people, and they’re talking by using criminal language like “arresting” and “pressing charges”, but it’s clear it’s still a romance. #TRMOJAS <3 

There’s an even a nice dig with Mycroft/Mark mouthing along to the line of Adam and Eve, the representation of the “”sacred union”” of “”man and wife”” being “the beginning of all human misery.”

So, our film continues, and it’s obvious that the couple are looking forward to “searching each other thoroughly.” They’re just about to get the hell on with it, when the tape is replaced by the Holmes’ childhood/creepy I’M BACK video.

Guess who doesn’t look happy about that:

The entire tape burns, we don’t get to see the ending of the film:

It’s a Nightmare!

So opens Mycroft’s ‘Horror Movie’ moment. Except, the real horror movie is already happening: the love story of both the film noir and John and Sherlock has been interrupted. See @thegamesafucky‘s post on The Final Problem as one big interruption.

Viewing Mark as Mycroft here, I wonder if this could also be his horror at The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes losing its most key, revealing romantic scenes? 

The audience is not meant to like it at all. Even those who weren’t aware they were watching a love story are aware that’s something’s up, something’s crashed and burned. Give us back the real tape, the real show! they’ll demand, and then soon they’ll release that the ‘real tape’ was a romance all along. 

The movie will continue on and get its happy ending. We just need our ‘lights up’ moment, where the truth is revealed: