It’s hard to believe, but tomorrow we’ll finally be getting a brand new episode of BBC’s Sherlock. It’s been a whole three years since we last saw the show – not counting the Christmas special – and anticipation is understandably high. Not only because the wait for proper new episodes has been so damn long, but also because this may be the last time we see Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman reprise their roles.
Yes, it seems that the increasingly busy schedules of both actors – especially Cumberbatch, due to his Marvel commitments – have finally caught up with them, and despite the fact that everyone would like to make more Sherlock, it might not be possible. BBC hasn’t given a definitive answer on the matter just yet, but for now, many people are under the assumption that season 4 will be the last. And so, as we eagerly await its premiere tomorrow, when it will kick off with an episode entitled “The Six Thatchers,” we’ve now received a bit more information on what to expect from the detective and his trusty sidekick this season.
Speaking to Variety about how Sherlock has evolved, Cumberbatch said the following:
“He is becoming slightly more… well, in a very clear way… responsible for his actions… But I think he understands that it’s a slow, slow process that began in the very first instance when he met John (Watson), who supplies the missing piece of that jigsaw that is him. That friendship, that partnership in crime, has been the humanizing element all the way through, and I think he is now becoming more of a human-being… As he’s evolving he loses sight of what he is letting go of, which is this very cold, results at all cost, all about the end-game, rather than how he gets there, and who he tramples over. And because he is so loyal to somebody he cares about, he’s blind-sided himself with his own humanity”
Freeman, who plays John Watson, chimed in as well, saying that his character still has weaknesses, despite everyone seeing him as very “steadfast”:
“It is always interesting to play shades of people… There’s a lot of talk, and understandable talk, that John is this reliable, very steadfast character, which he is, generally speaking, but he is someone who has weaknesses and is at fault at times.”
Though both actors remain vague with their comments, we’re still optimistic that the new season will be another thrilling outing. With a menacing, new villain set to be played by Toby Jones, and the addition of Baby Watson, which will certainly add an interesting dynamic to things, there’s a lot to look forward to this year – and that’s not even mentioning the return of Moriarty. If one thing’s for certain, it’s that if this really is the final batch of episodes, then you can bet that the show will be going on out with a bang.
Sherlock premieres tomorrow on PBS Masterpiece, and if co-creator Steven Moffat is to be believed, the season finale might just be the best episode of the series yet.