Sherlock BBC

Credit to artists: 

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson by Alice X. Zhang; Mary Watson and Mycroft Holmes by namecchan

Sherlock Holmes -- INTJ

"What is it like in your funny little brains? It must be so boring!"

This is a controversial one, with many arguing that the BBC portrayal of Sherlock is an ISTP. With them, I agree that Sherlock demonstrates a clear Se/Ni axis: his method is both intensive and based on very direct, objective observations of reality. I believe, however, that Sherlock's Se is, while still remarkably well developed in certain ways, ultimately still repressed, as demonstrated in the way that he tunes everything out in order to think, taking measures to ensure no one distracts him as he mulls over what he's seen. If he were more Se dominant, not only would this method of intensive concentration not be so integral to him, and at least not be under such threat of distraction from the outside world, but he would also be much more prone to on the spot improvisation and reaction to the environment, which while he is certainly capable of it, it is not nearly as defining as his ability to mull things over and plan very far ahead. As for his judgment axis, it seems clear to me that he demonstrates the Te/Fi axis, and in a way often peculiar to the INTJ personality. Ti as a function is focused on the functional process, while Te is focused on the functional results, and never has Sherlock shown much respect for processes when effectiveness is at stake; for instance, firing a handgun in a domestic street to summon the police faster. He also harbors sentiments of a human hierarchy based primarily on intelligence, similar to that expressed by Friedrich Nietzsche, Bobby Fischer, and Isaac Asimov, and tends to be tenaciously caustic when defending his arguments, just as Martin Luther was accused of being. Unlike the rudeness of a dominant Ti type such as Steve Jobs, where the 'rudeness' is never truly wielded as a weapon, but results as an adherence to the pure logical process despite sentimental conditions, Sherlock's 'rudeness' is almost always meant to be sharp and for a specific effect: to shut someone else up quickly, to defend his views totally and finally, and establish an outside, logical hierarchy.

Dr. John Watson -- ISFJ

"The problems of your future are my privilege."

I believe Watson demonstrates dominating Si in two major ways: 1) he meticulously records all of his adventures with Sherlock on his blog, without any complaint of drudgery, and 2) all of his most traumatic psychological moments have been related to an overwhelming influx of or involuntary revisiting of past impressions as related to the present moment: he has a great deal of difficulty readjusting to civilian life and forming new, non-war related impressions to things, always much more comfortable in situations more similar to a dangerous war environment; another example, he is absolutely enraged and offended personally when Sherlock suddenly reappears after pretending to be dead for two years, just after Watson had finished adjusting to the 'fact' of his death. As for the unrepressed Fe/Ti axis, my reasoning is mainly that Watson often points out, is made rather uncomfortable/annoyed by, or seeks to correct, Sherlock's various breaches of social protocol, primarily those involving the emotional well being or respect of other people. This is particularly typical of the ISFJ, as I understand it.

Mary Morstan Watson -- ESTP

"Gosh, you don't know anything about human nature, do you?"

I believe that Mary shares Watson's Fe/Ti concern for the sentimental results of people's actions or speech, usually Sherlock's. However, she is never personally offended in the way Watson occasionally is, but rather shows an ability to navigate the social atmosphere around her in real time (evidence of Se+Fe), and manipulate things to optimize that environment; for example, when she is able to handle both Watson and Sherlock simultaneously during the preparation for her wedding, without either knowing about it. She has a charm curious to ESTPs, resulting from the present awareness of Se and the emotional, value awareness of Fe. Its also worth noting, although Jungian personalities cannot reliably tell us about ability, that she is a very good assassin and infiltrator, making use of a very sensitive and quick thinking awareness of her environment, and the seemingly natural ability to navigate it: the 'being-in-the-world' I've described in association with Se before; for instance, when she is interrupted in her assassination of Magnussen by Sherlock, and is able to wound him non-fatally, knock out Magnussen, call an ambulance and get out of there, all as an improvisation to her plan.

Jim Moriarty -- ENFP

"Just tryin' to have some fun."

I haven't seen anyone else suggest Moriarty is actually an ENFP, but I believe he is a very good example. For starters, unlike Sherlock, who focuses on one case at a time, and whose advantage is his intensity of thought, Moriarty never demonstrates the same method of intensity, but, as Sherlock himself described as Moriarty's trial, he is at the center of a web of crime, juggling multiple criminal relationships and enterprises at once: his advantage is breadth. While Sherlock relates the object of his focus to his inner psychic contents, and therefore focuses intensely on one thing at a time, Moriarty takes objects as they are, meaning he can, and desires to, experience more and more objects at once. As for the judgement axis, Moriarty demonstrates several typical ENFP expressions of this axis: firstly, he has an imaginative and quirky style of self-presentation, not designed to have an effect on others so much as to purely demonstrate a sentimental process; secondly, he clearly has been disillusioned with the world, giving into the ENFP's Fi 'dark side' behind the mask of frivolity ("that's what people DO!", "staying alive -- its so boring isn't it?").

Mycroft Holmes -- ISTJ

"Just once, can you two behave like grown-ups?"

For Mycroft, while dominant Si is not clear in the way I believe it is for Watson, there are certainly signs of the ISTJ personality in general, particularly their tendency to a very realistic, no-nonsense, well researched, potentially cynical but certainly practical outlook, a 'solidifying' outlook that wants to determine what is real and what is just fluff and nonsense. This attitude is primarily a result of dominant Si and repressed Ne, the one seeking to prepare for the future, the other becoming very suspicious of unproven innovation, both of which are not clear traits of Sherlock, demonstrating an Se/Ni axis. Examples of Mycroft's ISTJ realism are abundant: "Bravery is by far the kindest word for stupidity, don't you think?" [S1E1], Watson "You don't trust your own secret service?" Mycroft "Naturally not. They all spy on people for money." [S2E1], "All lives end. All hearts are broken. Caring is not an advantage, Sherlock." [S2E1]. Another lesser manifestation of dominant Si, especially in STJ types, is a sense of responsibility or sometimes of maturity. While SFJ types' Fe/Ti creates more of a sense of propriety, where an outside set of regulations should be adhered to, the STJ types' Te/Fi creates a subtly different attitude of individually arising responsibility; for instance, Mycroft's multiple admonitions for Sherlock to "grow up", particularly when they are in Buckingham Palace [S2E1]. It is also worth point out that Mycroft shares Sherlock's hierarchical sentiments, which if present, is very often the result of the Te/Fi axis.

Molly Hooper -- INFP

"...he is my friend, but I'm not sure if I'm his friend."

Considering dominant Fi and inferior Te to often manifest as an adherence to sentimental principle/process despite objective facts, then it seems clear to me, at least, that Molly's persistent attachment to Sherlock is demonstration of this. Her dominant Fi has determined, according to subjective criteria and not objective fact (such as Sherlock's consistent rebuffs and even insults), that Sherlock is an ideal romantic match for her, and even when she tries to give it up, once by dating a coworker (who turned out to be Jim Moriarty), and then by dating the equivalent of a Sherlock cosplayer, she still has a hard time letting go of what her heart is telling her to be true, not to mention her difficulty getting over the sensory impressions Sherlock has left on her (Si). To her credit, this has also granted her a degree of empathy for Sherlock that I don't think any other character, Watson included, has achieved: this peculiar Fi empathy, which I have not previously described in detail, is generally more focused (rather like Ni is intensive while Ne extensive) on a few people whom the Fi type has gotten to know and can reproduce and understand their sentimental processes; for instance, Molly can tell that Sherlock is morbidly afraid before his confrontation with Moriarty [S2E3], particularly because his attitude reminds her of her dying father and she can relate to both that sentimental process (Fi) and sensory impression (Si). Furthermore, she responds well to Sherlock's assertion that what he really needs is Molly herself, and not just some skill of hers: she wants to be validated for what she is (Fi). As for the Ne/Si axis, this is trickier, but for one, Molly, while by no means loquacious, does not seem to have any artistic conundrum of self-expression which is a hallmark of ISFP thought.

Gregory Lestrade -- ESTJ

"Not our division."

This is a difficult one, mostly because he is not a primary character. Nevertheless, my reasoning for the ESTJ personality type is thus: the ESTJ is set apart by a particular sense of responsibility, work, "you reap what you sow" mentality, which is based on a practical adherence to objective facts (Te) in order to properly face future reality (Si), at the expense of sentimental processes or inner feeling principles (Fi). They take the ISTJ's cynicism and express it in all their actions. Now, these aspects of Lestrade are somewhat hidden because of his difficult relationship to Sherlock: he really can't stop Sherlock without completely halting his aid as a consultant, so he has resigned himself to the detective's methods, sometimes noting however, that "If you can tell me HOW he does it, I'll stop him." [S1E1]. Lestrade represses his appreciation for what people are feeling whenever it conflicts with what Lestrade has determined is right, or the best course of action. This should not be interpreted as sadistic in any way, but rather as a "for their own good" mentality, which like any personality's prevailing attitude, is sometimes right and sometimes not so much. In any case, this "for their own good" mentality comes through in many of Lestrade's actions relating to Sherlock: he organizes a drug's bust of Baker Street, follows Sherlock to Baskerville (making it clear that it is NOT just because Mycroft possibly told him to), shouts in Watson and Sherlock's ears when they are found drunk after Watson's two-man stag party, etc. 

Irene Adler -- ENTJ

"...until you beg for mercy -- twice."

As shown on the "Sixteen Types in a Nutshell" page, I consider the BBC portrayal of Irene Adler to be an excellent example of the ENTJ personality (although, by no means are ENTJs necessarily excellent examples of Irene Adler). My reasoning is thus: the word that I think sums up the ENTJ personality, however infamous it may sound, is 'subjugation', because of the combination of dominant Te's interest in maintaining functional control of the environment, and the Se/Ni axis' intensity of focus and, interestingly, grandness of inner vision (which often translates into the ENTJ as ambition). Now, both Irene Adler's career itself as a "dominatrix" and the way she goes about it are expressions of a will to power, or a Te desire to maintain control of things. She is not a hooker selling herself, she is a high end prostitute auctioning off her sexual prowess and techniques of domination and 'recreational' subjugation, often in exchange for more than her clients intended to give her (compromising photos to use as leverage, for instance). Nearly everything she does, even flirting with Sherlock over texts, is done in an effort to exercise power and determine a winner, which is probably part of the reason she enjoys Sherlock so much, because he plays the game as well. The difference between the two of them however, and thus the reason Adler is ENTJ as opposed to INTJ or ESTJ, is that while Sherlock never truly loses sight of what he wants, but rather of what's really going on around him*, Adler is the other way around, repressing Fi rather than Se. The primary example is her relationship with Sherlock: although Irene claims that she was playing Sherlock the entire time, it becomes clear that her desires have become confused without her actual drive losing momentum. It's only when she's already well on her way to "screwing Sherlock over" that she realizes she may not actually want to do that, in her heart of hearts.

Mrs. Martha Hudson -- ESFJ

"A nice murder, that'll cheer you up."

Mrs. Hudson is generally agreed to be the most stereotypical ESFJ, although I do not believe she is the best expression of what the ESFJ personality is really all about. Nevertheless, she does demonstrate true ESFJ traits: her very proper, traditionally motherly manner of presentation when caring for Sherlock and Watson is an expression of more dominant Fe, but I would like to make clear: it is not the fact that she does these things that "makes her" ESFJ, but the motivations behind doing them that are ESFJ, which motivations often leave subtle signs behind in the actions. In Hudson's case, this is the fact that she offers tea, food, compliments and services not because she has a fascination with such things and is always doing them, or because she has an ingrained philosophy that such things are good for the soul, or because she knows that Sherlock and Watson greatly love those things and appreciates their sentiments, but because she understands it to be objectively and generally correct and proper to offer such things in certain circumstances. Nearly everything she does is a matter of presentation that has become so much a part of her that it is by no means insincere, but it is not subjectively oriented either, but was and remains determined by objective standards. As for her Ne/Si axis, I will point to the practicality of her outlook and methods of service, and her attention to important detail in caring for Sherlock and Watson. The ENFJ, by contrast, tends to have a grandness of future vision emerging from an intensity of focus, while the ESFJ has a more pragmatic, present-focused vision emerging from a multifaceted, broad focus.