Even though there were almost two years between Sherlock seasons 1 and 2, fans need not worry that it will be another long wait before season 3 makes it on the air. Co-creator Steven Moffat promises that it won’t be “too long” before you’ll be seeing Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) back at 221B Baker Street – just don’t expect it to be all that soon.
Speaking with the Radio Times, Moffat emphasizes the time and effort that goes into producing each episode of Sherlock.
“Get used to a bit of starvation. We’re making movies – those six films we’ve made could go in the cinema. You can’t factory produce that – it’s a different kind of show. So, when we’re good and ready – it won’t be that long – but when we’re ready, you’ll get the follow-up.”
This comment, while directed more towards British viewers, who are more accustomed with short season runs of popular television series than their over-seas counterparts, highlights not only their intention of wanting to create the absolutely best programming possible, but also the difficulty in doing so.
For all intents and purposes, everyone associated with Sherlock has become a hot commodity in the entertainment industry. With Moffat busy full-time with Doctor Who (and perhaps a Tin-Tin sequel), Cumberbatch cast as the villain in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek 2 and Freeman staring in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit (which Cumberbatch will also be in), it quickly becomes apparent how difficult it would be to fit Sherlock season 3 – essentially 3 feature films – in their schedule.
Thankfully, everyone associated with Sherlock is up for the challenge. Neither Cumberbatch nor Freeman have any intention of leaving the series, and with Moffat being as big of a fan of Sherlock Holmes as Doctor Who, he’s confirmed that he’s in for the long haul – perhaps a longer haul than anyone expected.
While discussing his intentions with the series, Moffat revealed his brilliant plan of wanting to bring Sherlock back 20 years from now, with Cumberbatch and Freeman reprising their roles.
“I fondly imagine it’d be nice to stop it for a while and come back and see what they’re like in their 40s or 50s. Because normally these two characters are portrayed in their 50s.
So we’re actually at the beginning. It might be interesting in a couple of decades when they come back and [we] see what they’re like.”
Certainly an intriguing notion for Sherlock Holmes fans, Moffatt’s grand vision does have some precedence in the television world. From 1991-2006, Helen Mirren continuously reprised her role as detective Jane Tennison in the original UK series Prime Suspect. Filming 16 episodes over the course of 15 years, Prime Suspect followed Mirren’s character through the entirety of her career on the force. Add 5 years more years to that and Sherlock might just be one of the greatest television series, featuring one of the literature’s greatest characters, ever to air.
But what about Sherlock season 3? What will happen when Sherlock and Watson return to television?
While Moffat is staying quiet about what’s to come, he admits that there’s been a plan in place from the beginning – a plan that is playing out perfectly.
“We knew we had this cliffhanger coming, we knew that we were doing ‘The Final Problem’, and we did not want people to know that [Holmes] survived.
We wanted to wind the audience up so that the final shot [of series two] would have the impact that it evidently did.
We were commissioned for series two and series three at the same time, but we decided to keep it under wraps that day that series three was in the bag.”
Continuing, Moffat highlights some elements that may be included in the future:
“He and Holmes don’t always live together and I think that’s become a lazy way of doing Sherlock Holmes – they always live together.
They didn’t actually and why would they? Nobody flat-shares forever, so there’s loads of details we can get in there.”
And what about the mischievous Moriarty? While nothing has been set in stone, Andrew Scott, the actor that plays Moriarty, has almost completely ruled out any type of return to the series.
“I have had an absolute blast. He is an extraordinary character to play. I was delighted to be given the opportunity to do it.”
Without the wonderfully evil Moriarty, it’s difficult to figure out what direction Sherlock will head in, as it goes into season 3. Thankfully, series creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are not only brilliant writers, but they also know every Sherlock Holmes story inside and out.
So if there’s one duo you should put your faith in more than Sherlock and Watson, it’s Moffat and Gatiss.
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Sherlock season 2 will premiere on PBS in May. Expect Sherlock season 3 to premiere Summer 2013
Follow Anthony on Twitter @anthonyocasio
Sources: Radio Times, Digital Spy, RTÉ
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ha soo much love for benedict… i think he has played better roles. sometimes sherlock just makes you cringe too much… i guess thats the point though…
18 years is such a long time…isn’t it a little bit risky?? most people will have forgotten about it, no?
then again, maybe it will be a good way to remind us of our youth… (so to speak… ;D)
why does every one think that sherlock had to be the dead body, we already know people can have fake bodies made, and molly works in the morgue. if she made him a fake body, he wouldn’t even need a little rubber ball to stop his pulse… isn’t that a cleaner explanation? – serious sherlock lover… ;D
i dont mind.i rather wait a little longer and get somthing special.
we all hope,to see sherlock and watson again soon.
greetings from the netherlands
There is a certain arrogance in the statement made “get use to a bit of starvation.” Reminds me of the maker of the movie Avatar. It is now 2012–so you wish that we wait until 2030. It will be a different audience, whose tastes will definitely change. Let’s hope that the philosophy holds fast until 2030, as it did for Helen Mirren. Personally, I did not get involved with Helen Mirrren, until the program had run its course. At that point I purchased the box series. I guess there is a need to be powerful in manipulating those who support and watch these programs. That kind of power can be intoxicating.
Many of the comments posted seem to indicate posters have never read Doyle’s work and most don’t understand the longevity of the Holmes character. Such a shame.
I think the quiz is cute play on the probable typo, since I believe Sherlock with full crew will return in 2013. Yes, I would watch Sherlock in 2030, But by then, I would hope we are view Series 10 or 11!
Lucky that there is the company commitment as the demand is spectacular ! Love this Duo and their treatment; it opens us up to explore 21st century demonology! Looking forward
I just downloaded both seasons n had a little marathon going…I seriously can’t wait 4 the next season…maybe a few extra episodes? Please? Anyways- Sherlock is awesome. Thanks
How could they make us wait untill 2030???!!!! I am addicted to this series. I can NOT wait that long!
Imagining the characters twenty years into the future? Now that’s proper thinking! That is an effective use of the medium and the particular story of Sherlock Holmes. I think I’d watch it.
When my co-worker first mentioned this show to me, he described it as “Sherlock Holmes in the 21st century, and they’re running around texting each other and using the Internet to solve crimes.” I said, “Ha ha, no.” Then we got it at the library, so I said, why not? I loved it, and I’ve never read a Holmes story. I love it when I love stuff I didn’t expect to like.
I’m pumped for season 3 already, but I can wait. I mean, we just got three new episodes! I’m not even imagining how it’s going to turn out. I’m sure it’ll be great.
Would love to watch it in 2013 and/or twenty years from now… however we adore the show and it’s brilliant, our only worry would be that at 50 years of age already, perhaps we won’t be quite on top of things like a Sherlock Holmes television series as we are right now and we don’t want to miss a thing… you understand we’d be just a tad older… May have forgotten it by then… so pleeease put it back on in 2013 at least, love the actors, they’re doing a marvelous job, all of them. Made my teenagers watch it, they moaned and groaned about watching it as they’d already seen the questionable in my opinion, other Sherlock Holmes movie out recently (lot of bluster, lots of violence that goes nowhere). But your series won they over and now they absolutely love this Sherlock (Cumberbatch) so much they had tears in their eyes when Watson was standing at Sherlock’s grave… if you can get my teenagers and young adults to feel like that about a show, well that’s something… Now they’re beating me up to get the series online so they can watch the other shows… Told them it was good…!
I wont be alive in 2030…but look forward to 2013