The Sherlock: Series 4 Teaser Is Out

The first we’ve seen of the Sherlock we know and love in over two years since the Christmas special was set in Victorian London.

I see why they call it a teaser! It doesn’t give much away.

Moderator Chris Hardwick did ask the Comic-Con panel this weekend to give three key words about Season 4, and they went with three names: Thatcher, Smith and Sherrinford. The last one is a big tease because it could imply the possibility of a third, older Holmes brother.

“Something’s coming. Maybe it’s Moriarty, maybe it’s not. But something’s coming.”

We already knew that Toby Jones will be joining the show as another one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s villains, starring in the second episode of the upcoming three-part series which will be directed by Nick Hurran, who directed the Sherlock episode “His Last Vow,” which was nominated for an Emmy. Culverton Smith appears first in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventure Of The Dying Detective and since the series tends to pay attention to canon this could be a big clue.

Last month it was also announced that Doctor Watson and his wife, Mary, will become parents for the first time in this new season. This is a deviation from canon as even their wedding was never officially confirmed, though it was implied that Watson was married and possibly widowed in the books, and zero mention was made of kids.

“We’re going to have endless fun Mr Holmes, aren’t we?”

As to the future of the show, an interview with show creator Steven Moffat where he said he would be “mildly surprised” if Season 4 is the last was brought up during the show Q&A at Comic Con and got Cumberbatch to agree onstage to come back for Seasons 5, 6 and 7. When wasn’t discussed (since Cumberbatch and Freeman are pretty hot commodities these days) though Season 4 is supposed to come out sometime next year.