Mark Gatiss talks SHERLOCK series 4 and the return of an old foe

It would take a remarkably cruel person without any moral compass whatsoever to talk about Sherlock when episodes are far, far away. Fortunately, I happen to be such a ****. The soonest that you’ll see Sherlock and Watson next year will most likely be in the 2015 Christmas special, before the intrepid duo arrive for three more episodes at a later date. And it could be a season filled with tragedy.

Speaking to Radio Times, co-creator and part-time Mycroft Holmes actor Mark Gatiss explained that the loose adaptation of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle books could result in one story thread coming true. Namely (MASSIVE SPOILERS AFOOT FROM THIS POINT ON, TURN BACK NOW), the death of Mary Watson. Or she could live, depending on how the show played out:

Just because it’s in the stories doesn’t mean it’ll happen in the series because there’s an awful lot of changes and an awful lot of places to go and things to do.” He added, “It should be clear by now that while, of course, Doyle is our absolute god, we have gone quite a long way away as well… so there are lots of surprises to come.

Which might explain how Sherlock nemesis Moriarty managed to get over a bullet to the skull. Or possibly come back as a malevolent computer program. Who knows exactly, except for Gatiis who promised that the mystery would be “completely” solved in the special.

Last Updated: November 24, 2014