Last night, having been premiered at the San Diego Comic Con, we got our first look at the upcoming Sherlock special. While it had previously been confirmed to take place in Holmes’ original habitat, Victorian times, and a couple of images of Benedict and Martin in period garb had been released this was a fully-fledged (mini) chunk of the episode. You can watch it below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1Asbi4APb0

Sherlock has a pipe! John has an even better moustache than before! Blimey, there was a fair bit shoved in that 90 second trailer, wasn’t there? Well, luckily we are here to help. Join us as we break down the trailer to see what it all means…

It’s snowing… And it’s Victorian

Although it has not been officially confirmed, it is commonly thought that the special will air this Christmas time. The above shot would seem to further support this hypothesis as what says ‘festive season’ more than snow? Hopefully, we’ll get to see the special no later than December!

Oh, yes, and going by the horses, carriages and the hats it looks like it is set in Victorian times. Who knew?

Classic Sherlock Holmes

Yes, gone are the frockcoat and scarf, in this special Sherlock will be attired in the classic Sherlock Holmes look – deerstalker hat, Inverness cape and curved pipe. It seems Victorian Sherlock thinks the hat suits him more than his modern-day counterpart…

And John looks pretty spiffing too

Not to be outdone, Victorian Watson is equally well-attired, with a debonair tweed suit and a fetching bowler hat. Most noticeably, this John sports an extra special moustache – echoing that of the regular John in ‘The Empty Hearse.’

Later in the trailer, John says that he only grew the moustache to match the illustrations of his stories published in the Strand. This is the method with which Dr Watson published his adventures with Sherlock Holmes in the original stories, which Sherlock has previously updated to a blog.

Archie the Page Boy

While it isn’t hard to recognise the familiar faces of Sherlock, John and Mrs Hudson under the facial hair and hats, this figure might have you scratching your heads. It is actually Archie, the page boy at John and Mary’s wedding in ‘The Sign of Three.’ In that episode he got on with Sherlock quite well, so it seems he’s now joined the detective on his journey back in time…

Archie is an original creation for Sherlock but here he is presumably filling the function of Billy the page boy, a minor character from Conan Doyle’s books who aids Mrs Hudson in her duties at Baker Street.

‘Caught the murderer. Still looking for the legs. Think we’ll call it a draw.’

For any fans worrying that the move to Victorian times would completely change the tone of the show, the exchange running through the clip of Sherlock and John having investigated a case in the country (‘That’s the trouble with dismembered country squires. They’re notoriously difficult to schedule.’) should hopefully assuage them that the special will be just as witty and funny as any regular episode of Sherlock.

Beneath the Deerstalker

Beneath his iconic Holmesian look, Victorian Sherlock wears a snazzy chequered suit – not to mention lacking his usual curly locks, favouring the slicked-back hairdo of the Sidney Paget illustrations of the original Holmes stories. The style of tie he is wearing is presumably a reference to that worn by perhaps the most beloved screen version of Holmes amongst fans: Jeremy Brett.

‘I’m your landlady, not a plot device.’

Mrs Hudson’s criticism of John’s stories is a reference to how minor a part of the original novels the character is – she never actually utters a line in the whole canon. Sherlock is surely the adaptation which has given Hudders the biggest role, so we’re glad Mrs Hudson’s forthright character will survive the change to the period setting. As will a version of her catchphrase – ‘I’m your landlady, not your housekeeper.’

‘I’m hardly in the dog one.’

‘The dog one’ that Sherlock mentions obviously refers to the most famous Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles (previously updated for Sherlock as ‘The Hounds of Baskerville’). In the original story, Holmes is absent for a huge chunk of the action – as he is secretly investigating the case to not arouse the suspicions of the culprit. Whatever age he is living in, it seems Sherlock always likes some attention.

And there we have it. What does it all mean? Is this special just a jolly jaunt through time for Christmas or is there a bigger reason for the change in setting? Leave your thoughts on the trailer in the comments!

This year’s San Diego Comic Con finished yesterday and fans of the likes of Marvel, DC and Doctor Who are still reeling from the trailers and info that were released across the convention. Likewise, us Sherlock fans were not left out as a bunch of new facts came to light during the Sherlock panel with Steven Moffat, Rupert Graves and producer Beryl Vertue. Here are some of the most interesting.

10. The special trailer

As you may already know (and still be jumping up and down about), the first footage we’ve seen of the latest Sherlock episode was released at Comic Con before finding its way online. You can read our breakdown of the clip here.

9. Expect even more facial hair

As you have noticed from Watson’s mighty moustache in the above trailer, Sherlock in Victorian times means lots of facial hair. According to Rupert Graves, Lestrade will have some awe-inspiring side-burns in the special – or “two hedges” on his face, as Rupert described them.

8. What is Sherlock and Irene’s relationship?

Within the show it is left ambiguous as to whether Sherlock and Irene met each other after the night he saved her. Moffat says he likes the idea that they never did but that they smile once a day when they think of each other. Aw, sweet.

7. Series Four will air in 2017

Yes, we finally have a date for Series Four – but it’s not the one we hoped for. Moffat revealed the sad news that he and Mark Gatiss haven’t even started writing the series yet, although they have planned it out. Apparently, there is “dark stuff coming”…

6. Watson will have “a sad loss”

Fans of the Conan Doyle stories have often predicted that John’s wife Mary will meet an untimely end in Sherlock due to her disappearing from the later books. Moffat addressed this, in typical cryptic fashion, at Comic Con. He put the record straight and pointed out that nowhere in the stories does it say Mary died – in fact, it only says Watson has had a “sad loss.” Hmm, thanks for clearing that up, Moff.

5. Moffat’s devised a Lestrade spin-off

Don’t get your hopes up for it ever happening but Moffat and Rupert have jokingly come up with a spin-off for Lestrade. It’s called “Lestrade Baffled”, apparently. “He could be the star of another police show where presumably he doesn’t solve many crimes,” joked Moffat. Well, we’d watch it.

4. Sherlock will be aired in the US sooner than previously

With previous series, the US air date for Sherlock has been considerably later than its first airing in Britain but Moffat has promised that this will be improved for any upcoming episodes. “The aim is to get closer and closer,” he said.

3. Sherlock won’t be ending any time soon

While Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have pledged their long-term commitment to the show before, it’s nice to know that the showmakers are also keen to work on the show in the long run. With an abundance of tales left to tell, Moffat feels that “old age or death” would stop them making Sherlock before they decide to.

2. A clue for the special is… “ghosts”

It’s tradition for upcoming Sherlock episodes to be teased with a single cryptic word e.g. A Scandal in Belgravia was hinted at with ‘Woman.’ And the special is no different with Moffat giving us this single clue: “ghosts.” Any takers?

1. The Sherlock special will be shown in cinemas worldwide

Yes, it’s official – this year you may be able to see Sherlock “on the big screen”, as Moffat revealed at Comic Con, as the special will be shown in select cinemas worldwide. Huzzah! We always knew Sherlock had the scope of a movie – now, it’s official!

You can watch Andrew Scott’s apology for not turning up for Comic Con below – featuring some special guests…

For a show about an apparently machine-minded sociopath, Sherlock fans really love pairing the characters up romantically. From the obvious (John and Sherlock) to the obscure (Mycroft and Lestrade) just about every character has been paired together by some fan on the internet somewhere. To celebrate this popular trend, the Sherlock‘s Home team has come together to have a look at the five most prominent “ships.”

John and Sherlock (AKA “Johnlock”)

Of course, no discussion of Sherlockian shipping would be complete without mentioning the original pairing of Sherlock and John. This particular ship has been fan-fiction fodder since Victorian times with the idea of these two being more than friends is replete throughout Sherlock. From from the very first episode (“Of course we’ll be needing two rooms” / “I’m not his date”), through poor Watson attempting to set the record straight in Series Two (“If anyone still cares, I’m not actually gay!” / “Is yours a snorer?” “We’re not…ugh forget it. Got any crisps?”) all the way to the balance of their relationship with Mary being part of the picture.

Much of the recent Johnlock fanfic is inspired by this series, much more than older shows or the Downey Jr. franchise. It seems as though Cumberbatch’s cheekbones have captured the romantic hearts of current fans more than any other iteration. (For high quality Johnlock fanart/fic, visit reapersun on tumblr. Beware searching Johnlock on tumblr though…)

Sherlock and Molly (AKA “Sherlolly”)

Sherlock and Molly’s relationship is probably the most developed of the series. In Series One, Sherlock coldly uses Molly’s affection for his own gains, as in “The Blind Banker” where he compliments her hair to get her to wheel the bodies back out for him to examine. In Series Two, however, that changes. In “A Scandal in Belgravia” Sherlock actually apologizes to Molly and kisses her on the cheek after being mean. Then, in “The Reichenbach Fall”, Sherlock tells Molly what she – and us – wanted to hear; she does count.

Even though Molly knew Sherlock was alive pre-Series Three, she still “moved on” and got engaged to Tom (who, unsurprisingly, looks like Sherlock). Sherlock doesn’t immediately realize this and asks Molly to accompany him on his cases. You might say he even flirts with her but stops when he sees her engagement ring. Throughout the next episode, Sherlock continues to show respect for Molly’s decision to marry Tom. Then suddenly we discover that Molly and Tom have split. Now it seems possible for Sherlock and Molly to finally get together. Or will something else get in the way?

Sherlock and Irene (AKA “Adlock”)

Sherlock’s and Irene Adler’s sizzling chemistry is felt throughout the show though they only appear together in one (and a bit) episode(s). “A Scandal in Belgravia” is a fan-favourite episode for its flirty dialogue and for teasing the possibility that Sherlock could actually fall in love with someone other than himself… or John.

Irene and Sherlock communicate primarily via text, with Irene repeatedly inviting Sherlock to “have dinner” which he invariably declines. Even so, there is an undeniable bond between them. Is it love, a grudging respect for a worthy adversary, or platonic friendship? Irene’s brief appearance in “The Sign of Three” implies that it may be more than platonic, much to the delight of Adlock shippers, even though that would be out of character for Sherlock. After seeing her in his Mind Palace, Sherlock exclaims: “Out of my head; I’m busy!” Why would he tell her to go away unless he really wanted her to stay?

Lestrade and Molly (AKA “Lestrolly”)

Lestrade and Molly are one of Sherlock‘s underdog couples as the evidence of any feelings existing between the pair in the show is a little on the shallow side. Nevertheless, if you look closely, it is there. Just look at the moment in “A Scandal in Belgravia” when Molly has dolled herself up at Christmas time to impress Sherlock. Unfortunately, it seems Sherlock didn’t notice – but if you pay attention to Lestrade in the background you’ll see someone did. His eyes nearly pop out of his head when he sees her.

This coupling is also a favourite of Lestrade himself Rupert Graves who often talks of how he thinks Greg harbours feelings for Molly. Maybe Molly should turn her attention from Sherlock to a slightly different detective…

Mycroft and Lestrade (AKA “Mystrade”)

I’m not exactly sure how this ship came about, but I know that Mystrade shippers are completely convinced it will someday become canon. The idea of a relationship between Mycroft and Lestrade is peculiar because, in the first two series, they are never shown together. Ever. It’s only in “The Hound of Baskerville” when Greg says to Sherlock “I don’t just do what your brother tells me”, that we find out that they even know each other.

However, in “His Last Vow”, there is a scene where Lestrade is with Mycroft in his office when they are searching for Sherlock after he’s “bolted” from the hospital. This is the first time they are ever shown together, and for the Mystrade shippers, that’s all the proof they need.

Vote for your favourite Sherlock ship in the poll below!

Written by Prof. Jenn

Since the show’s opening episode first aired on 25 July 2010, we deduce that this must be Sherlock‘s fifth birthday! Wow, doesn’t time fly when you’re… waiting hungrily for further episodes.

Anyhoo, to celebrate this special day here are five more Easter Eggs – though given the occasion we should really call them Birthday Presents – that are not only obscure themselves, but appear in some of the more obscure bits of the Sherlock series.

And if these take your fancy you can check out our other Easter Egg articles here and here

1. The Yellow Face

In the pre-Series Three short entitled Many Happy Returns, Lestrade visits the mourning Watson and delivers a box full of some of the (supposedly) deceased Sherlock’s effects. In the brief glimpse of the box we see, there is a full-face mask that is bright yellow in color.

As I wrote recently on my own blog, this is clearly a reference to canon short story “The Yellow Face,” and I also averred that since the story is so very Victorian melodrama and, it must be said, a tiddly bit racist, Mofftiss most likely won’t mine that particular story in more detail than this reference. But hey, you never know: there is The Blind Banker…

2. Granada Violins

How many Jeremy Brett fans out there heard the Granada series intro in the beginning of the trailer for the upcoming Christmas special? I’m not just talking the pan from the Baker Street sign to the Victorian bustling street scene, but the violins in the music itself were so very close to that familiar strain from the earlier series. It can’t possibly be a coincidence. You can listen to that classic tune above and then check out the Sherlock trailer here.

3. The Chocolate Flake Sunk in the Ice Cream Cone

This is another obscure Doyle reference from Many Happy Returns. As we move through each of the international cases solved in an uncannily Sherlockian manner (according to Anderson), one stands out as very near a case briefly mentioned in “The Six Napoleons.” Listen to the similarity of the line uttered by the Indian detective in the video above and this, uttered by Holmes in the original story: “You will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by the depth to which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day.”

4. Cerise Drains Her

Have you noticed that Mrs. Hudson always wears purple in this series? Every time we see her, she’s in some variety of shade of purple, or a few in one outfit. Even in the upcoming Victorian special, she’s in a purple dress. But in The Great Game, when the Connie Prince investigation is in full swing, Mrs. Hudson chats to Lestrade about how to “do your colors,” and that according to Prince’s color guides, she should never wear cerise, since it drains her. Granted, we don’t see her in as red a spectrum as cerise is necessarily, but ain’t that just another purple? I’ve always found this hilarious…

Oh, and is it just me, or does her recurring joke line, “I’m your landlady, not a [fill in the blank]” echo the recurring joke line in Star Trek: “I’m a doctor, not a [fill in the blank]”?

5. CAM Global News

To wrap up our list we’ll finish with one last one from Many Happy Returns. Rather than a reference to a Doyle story, this one is a bit of foreshadowing for the series that followed the short.

As Anderson tells Lestrade about a case he thinks Sherlock has investigated in Germany, we see someone picking up a newspaper with a headline about said case – and the name of that newspaper? “CAM Global News”, part of the media empire run by soon-to-be nemesis Charles Augustus Magnussen. Nice work there, Moftiss.

Honorable Mention:

Since the Victorian Watson’s moustache is quite prominent in Paget’s illustrations of Doyle’s work, our beloved BBC John is sporting a fantastic waxed one in the Victorian Christmas Special trailer. Of course he quips that he only wears it because of his illustrator, so that people will recognize him. This echoes the mockery that the fanbase made of his ‘stache in The Empty Hearse, as well as the disdain both Sherlock and Mary have for it in the same episode. It’s also quite similar to the problem the modern-day Sherlock faces as he is famous for wearing “the silly hat.”

Got another juicy Easter Egg – sorry, Birthday Present – for us? Leave it in the comments!

Hundreds of you voted in our poll to end all polls (to mark Sherlock‘s fifth anniversary last week); which is the best Sherlock episode? Naturally, there were many cries of ‘all of them’ or ‘whichever one I’ve just watched’ but below we have all nine episodes of the show ranked as per the votes of those of you who could bring yourself to choose between them. Read on to find out what was crowned the best Sherlock episode – and read the Sherlock’s Home team’s thoughts on the episodes.

9. The Blind Banker

As this poll shows, this is normally the episode that gets the least attention out of the whole series but it happens to be one of my favourites. There are multiple reasons why, but I find the whole case really interesting: well-respected British men being part of a Chinese smuggling operation and accidentally stealing one of the most precious artifacts of its time. Another reason I like it so much is because Mofftiss have developed and defined Sherlock and John’s relationship very quickly and their dynamic in this episode lasts for the rest of the series. L.S.

8. The Empty Hearse

Personally, I came to Sherlock when Series Two was just being broadcast in the U.S. and so my first big taste of the extra-long cliffhanger wait was for The Empty Hearse. Being well-versed in the original canon, I had an idea what to expect, but I was in for few surprises too. Anderson’s transformation from biggest hater to fawningest fan. All the depictions of How Sherlock Did It (though without a definitive answer) and a new dynamic – as Mary steps into the fray – that sets the stage for the rest of the series. P.J.

7. The Hounds of Baskerville

You would expect this episode to be more popular, what with it being the most well-known original Sherlock Holmes story. Despite its familiarity, though, Mofftiss take an interesting (and scientifically accurate) twist to the tale, getting rid of the Baskerville family curse and fitting the story into the modern world. The reason I particularly like this episode is because it has a scary and suspenseful demeanor that fits in perfectly with the story, and makes it unlike any other Sherlock episode. L.S.

6. A Study in Pink

“A Study in Pink” is a sentimental favourite because it contains lots of Sherlock firsts. It introduced the world to one of the most innovative interpretations of Conan Doyle’s work. Sherlock and John first meet, quickly becoming flat mates and partners in crime (solving). And right off the bat, it gives us one of the show’s most diabolical villains, a serial killer who convinces his victims to commit suicide. John’s and Sherlock’s friendship—and our fandom—is cemented as they chase the murderous cabbie around London and John saves Sherlock the first of many times. S.B.

5. His Last Vow

After the good-heartedness of the first two instalments of Series Three, the twisty-turny shocker “His Last Vow” shook us like… being licked by a creepy newspaper magnate. With the reveal of Mary’s true past, a glimpse into the Holmes family life, Sherlock’s fake engagement, John turning into an action-hero when taking on Billy, an ending, that somehow rvials Series Two’s cliffhanger and, well, just about all of it, this episode has everything that makes Sherlock such must-see TV. Surely only the pure repulsiveness of Magnuseen stopped this episode getting a higher place. C.B.

4. The Great Game

This is my personal favourite episode and I’ll tell you why: we have three, count ‘em, three mysteries in one! Lots of callbacks to the Doyle canon, such as a melding of “The Naval Treaty” and “The Bruce-Partington Plans”, which again proves that Sherlock is at its most satisfying when taking inspiration from Doyle. And, of course, the encounter at the pool, which was only intended to be an audition scene until Andrew Scott blew it away with his unique version of Moriarty. It’s part verbatim from Doyle and part Scott’s wonderful brand of madness. P.J.

3. The Sign of Three

Sherlock fans familiar with the Conan Doyle canon knew that John’s wedding and the changes it brought to the Baker Street boys were inevitable. What we didn’t expect was a touching and hilarious best man’s speech, in which Sherlock movingly talks about John and their adventures together. And then there’s that brilliant scene when Sherlock leaves the wedding reception and a range of emotions flash across his face: happiness for the Watsons, sadness at a chapter closing in his life, and the realization that among all the couples on the dance floor, he is alone. S.B.

2. The Reichenbach Fall

Containing some of Sherlock’s most shocking, dramatic and heart-wrenching moments ever, this one is hard to beat. There’s Moriarty at his apple-carving, Beegees-playing best and tense thrills and genius dialogue from the writers. Not to mention all the always-brilliant regular cast giving it their all. Arguably the definitive episode of the show and certainly the one that generated the most interest (people are still speculating how Sherlock survived and they already revealed it last year), nevertheless “The Reichenbach Fall” only reached number two in our poll… C.B.

1. A Scandal in Belgravia

Yes, beating The Fall and The Wedding is… The Woman. And for good reason. Uniquely, this episode shows how a high-functioning sociopath could be flirted at, if not flirted with, and teased the possibility of Sherlock falling for someone whose intellect and wit matched his own. Lara Pulver’s and Benedict Cumberbatch’s chemistry sizzles on the screen, making “Scandal” imminently watchable as their game of cat and mouse unfolds. Sherlock’s meeting at Buckingham Palace while wearing only a sheet doesn’t hurt either. S.B.

Agree with the results? What’s your personal favourite Sherlock? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Written by Stephanie Bell

While Sherlock fans eagerly await the Christmas Special and Series Four, they can entertain themselves by checking out the cast’s other projects (some of which you can read about here). Well, today (August 5th) marks the start of one of the more famous of these – it’s the beginning of Benedict Cumberbatch’s 12-week run in Shakespeare’s Hamlet at London’s Barbican Centre. This marks the second time in two years that one of Sherlock‘s leads has taken on the Bard, after Martin Freeman gave a critically-acclaimed turn as Richard III last year.

Though Hamlet’s theatrical run sold out within minutes, thankfully it will be shown at the Barbican’s cinemas in October. We can only hope the filmed version will be made available in other locations as well!

For those unfamiliar with the play or who need a quick a refresher on Hamlet’s twists and turns, the plot is summarized on the Barbican’s website:

As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father’s death but paralysed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio… I mean, John.

So the big question we’re asking today is; can we draw any parallels between the Prince of Denmark and the sleuth of Baker Street? At first glance, there may be some similarities in the characters’ mental states. Sherlock is a self-described “high-functioning sociopath,” and John mentions Sherlock’s Asperger’s Syndrome in “The Hounds of Baskerville.” Either condition could influence Sherlock to act in a socially-awkward manner. In fact, he often behaves rudely to others—whether it is intentional or not—simply because he doesn’t have the social filters that others possess, or feels that blunt honesty is the kinder approach.

Similarly, Hamlet speaks bluntly, and at times, cruelly, to others, and his behavior is often erratic. His motives, however, are different than Sherlock’s. Hamlet describes his madness as feigned to mislead the other characters, particularly his uncle, King Claudius, saying, “I am but mad north-northwest. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.” However, some readers of the play believe Hamlet truly was mentally ill—citing instances where he behaves violently toward his mother, Gertrude; his contemplation of suicide (“To be or not to be, that is the question”); and seeing his father’s ghost when others present cannot.

There is ample evidence to argue either interpretation of Hamlet’s mental stability. That is Shakespeare’s brilliance at work—it is open to multiple readings, allowing millions to enjoy and debate his work for centuries. Likewise, in Sherlock there is an ambiguous nature to Holmes’ emotional stability. Does he really not care for others or is this just a lie that he tells himself and those around him, perhaps to stop himself getting too attached? Just like he did as a boy with his dog named Redbeard…

If you are like most of us who sadly do not have tickets to arguably one of the most brilliant interpretations of Hamlet ever to be brought to the stage, there are other excellent, filmed versions of the play that you might enjoy. These include Laurence Olivier’s, Nicol Williamson’s (who has also played Sherlock Holmes), David Tennant’s, Kenneth Branagh’s, Ethan Hawke’s and Mel Gibson’s interpretations of the “sweet prince.” Most are available on the popular streaming services. Get thee to the internet and check them out!

Do you think the Dane and the Detective are similar characters? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Continuing on from last month’s look at some fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about Series One, this time we turn to – yes, you don’t need to be Sherlock to deduce it – Series Two. First up, did you know it isn’t really Benedict playing that violin…?

1. Violin virtuoso

Yes, we’ve been deceived. While Benedict took violin lessons to convincingly play the instrument on-screen, his playing is dubbed over in the final show by professional violinist Eon Chater. Chin up, though, Ben, as Chater has said ‘I have no doubt [Cumberbatch] would be a good violinist if he had the inclination.’

2. It’s a riot!

Back in August 2011, Sherlock filming was greatly disturbed by the infamous London riots. In particular, the Speedy’s Cafe scene in A Scandal in Belgravia was filmed right in the heart of it. ‘The riots were genuinely frightening,’ Mark Gatiss has said. ‘You can feel a bit silly doing ‘showbiz’ when stuff like that is going on.’

3. How to be a villain

Andrew Scott deliberately did no research for the part of Moriarty, hoping to create a completely original performance. He didn’t read the Conan Doyle stories and refused to watch other adaptations of the character. He even eschewed watching the performances of other classic villains such as Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

4. Celeb-lock

After the success of the first series, Moffat and Gatiss often got bombarded with requests from big-time celebs to appear in Sherlock, only to turn them all down. They have said the reason for this is because they much prefer to cast lesser-known actors and make them into stars, just as they did with their main cast.

5. Driving Dr Watson

The scene in The Hounds of Baskerville when Sherlock can be seen driving seems out of character for the detective. Well, originally it was intended for Watson to be in the driver’s seat – until Martin Freeman revealed he couldn’t drive. He later had to learn for his role in Fargo and so can be seen driving in Series Three episode His Last Vow.

6. The name’s Holmes. Sherlock Holmes

While Moftiss are famous for being Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes fanboys, it is less known that their third biggest obsession is James Bond – an obsession that is possible to discover in Sherlock, if you really know your 007. The ‘Flight of the Dead’ scene in Scandal is actually inspired by a deleted scene from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (the pair’s favourite Bond) in which the spy and Q discuss a train full of corpses. In honour of its origin, the flight number is 007.

7. Bedknobs and Camera-tricks

The scene in Scandal where Sherlock falls back onto his bed after imagining himself talking to Irene in a field was actually done for real. While you might think it was computer generated, the crew actually brought a bed out into the countryside and then rigged up a device to lift it to make it look like Sherlock was falling onto it.

8. Benedict the Prankster

During the filming of Hound, Benedict Cumberbatch played a prank on Steven Moffat and his wife, producer Sue Vertue, and locked the front door of the hotel the cast and crew were all staying in before the couple got back. Unfortunately, it then slipped his mind and the Moffats had to sleep all night in their car.

9. Shooting Sherlock

Not explicitly related to Series Two, but rather an interesting insight into how the show is run, generally. As Moffat’s full-time job is being the exec producer of Doctor Who , he is never around on set. Gatiss on the other hand, as he is there anyway playing Mycroft, is the more hands-on of the two and is always on hand to oversee the shooting.

10. A real-life mystery

Mark Gatiss’ inspiration in updating The Hound of the Baskervilles from ghost story to conspiracy thriller came from a story he had been told. He said, ‘[a friend’s father] worked for the Ministry of Defence and one day he didn’t come home. His family was frantic, but his dad turned up as white as a sheet and said he’d seen some things that he never wanted to see again. He’d been taken somewhere like Porton Down and seen rabbits the size of dogs and dogs the size of horses.’

Is there a fascinating behind-the-scenes fact from Series Two that we have missed? Leave it in the comments!

Unlike co-star Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman was something of a known name before he became surely the most beloved version of Dr Watson ever (though fans of Jude Law, Nigel Bruce and the like may beg to differ). Since, of course, his fame has shot into the stratosphere with his role as Bilbo Baggins inThe Hobbit films, and looks set to continue when he joins Benedict in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Civil War next year. Here we look at a small selection of Martin’s performances pre and post–Watson that if you are a Sherlock fan – ‘if’ he says! – and haven’t seen yet, you, well, should.

The Office (2001-2003)

Before Sherlock, Martin’s role as likeable, lovesick Tim Canterbury in the British version of the mockumentary comedy series was his most famous performance. While the offices of Wernham Hogg are full of unsavoury people like David Brent and Gareth Keenan, Tim and his best friend and love interest Dawn are the heart of the show and their will-they-won’t-they story brings some touching drama to the comedy.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

With John Watson and even Bilbo Baggins, Martin is the go-to actor for the role of the everyman who stumbles into adventure. In this big-screen version of Douglas Adams’ much-loved comic sci-fi books, Martin plays Arthur Dent, a man who escapes the destruction of the Earth and ends up on a journey to discover the (question to the answer of) the meaning of life – all in his pyjamas!

Boy Meets Girl (2009)

This one definitely tested Martin’s acting chops. A little-remembered – and short-lived – TV series, Boy Meets Girl sees conspiracy theorist Danny (Martin) and fashion journalist Veronica (Rachael Stirling) accidentally swap bodies and have to live in the other’s shoes. Both stars are brilliant at giving detailed, physical performances as a man/woman in a woman’s/man’s body.

The World’s End (2013)

Having had cameo roles in the previous two films of the so-called ‘Cornetto trilogy’, Martin was promoted to lead character here as Oliver ‘O-Man’ Chamberlain who reluctantly goes on a pub crawl with Simon Pegg’s Gary King – which results in them uncovering an extraterrestrial threat. It’s a popular film so you may have seen it already but if you haven’t you should definitely seek it out if you fancy seeing Martin take on invaders from outer space!

Fargo (2014)

And, finally, for those wanting to see Martin in a really different role from the good doctor, there is Fargo, the acclaimed TV series based on the Coen Brothers equally-acclaimed film. Martin stars as Lester Nygaard, a put-upon insurance salesman whose life is turned upside down when he meets the malicious and mysterious Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton). As it’s a series that is best watched knowing very little going in, all we can say is that Martin sports an American accent in it!

Did we leave off your favourite Martin Freeman role? Let us know in the comments!

Written by Prof. Jenn

Final warning: These are RETROSPECTIVE reviews, so I will be discussing reveals, revolutions of cliffhangers, ends of plots, etc. If you are reading these reviews without having seen the eps, a) what is wrong with you?? Go watch them now! and b) these reviews are not for you till you’ve seen them.

The first installment of Sherlock starts out with a bang. Literally. We begin by looking through a window into a nightmare of Dr John Watson’s, seeing him wake to a dreary life of PTSD until he runs into an old friend and thereby a new roommate, named Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlockian nerds, ahem, scholars, immediately noticed in this very first episode that it begins nearly exactly the same way as in the original novel, A Study in Scarlet (also the very first Sherlock Holmes story way back in 1887). From Watson’s questionable bullet wound to him being invalided home from Afghanistan, to the fabled meeting with Sherlock at St Barts , things begin nearly verbatim in Mofftiss’ creation, showing what fanboys the creators are.

More echoes from the original ring throughout, including (but not limited to): Sherlock hitting dissecting subjects to measure post-mortem bruising, Watson having read an article/website of Sherlock’s called “The Science of Deduction” with much skepticism, Sherlock deducing a sibling’s life from the marks on a mobile phone (which is from the second, not the first, Doyle story, and it’s also a watch, not a phone, but hey), the word Rache scrawled in blood at the crime scene, to the major plot point of a cabbie with an aneurysm offering a choice of deadly and benign pills. All these make Sherlock authentic Sherlockian fare, as different a time period as it may be set in. But what sets this show apart from other adaptations, which we see immediately in this first episode, is its now-iconic style.

Before we meet Sherlock as a character, we meet the signature style in which his deductions are illustrated to us throughout the series: the appearance of text on screen. In the press release scene during which poor DI Lestrade and his sidekick sergeant Donovan attempt to placate the public in light of apparent serial suicides, we see the conglomeration of press people’s text messages floating right there on the screen. Shortly after, when we get to see Sherlock at a crime scene for the first time, we watch as he examines the body and surroundings, but instead of guessing what he’s finding, we see the words of his conclusions printed right in front of us. This is an artistic choice more in the vein of a visual art than a cinematic art. It’s not a surprise to learn that director Paul McGuigan began as a photographer. The use of line and framing, composition, and the stylized inclusion of text onscreen, as well as liberal use of actual stills throughout give this show much more of an artistic feel than what we’d find in a mere police procedural, even a very good one. This is what sets Sherlock apart more than anything else from its contemporary counterparts (I’m thinking Elementary in particular, as good as that show is)–the diligent nods to Doyle, and the intensely artistic eye.

“A Study in Pink” sets the stage for what the show will be with its character introduction, development, and a beginning of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes very close to how the originals began, without intruding anachronisms in a Victorian setting, or alternately shoving stoic tradition into a modern setting. In this first episode, Mofftiss get it right.

FINAL THOUGHT: One thing I absolutely love about this first episode (which has been a source of debate within Sherlockian ranks) is the character of Mycroft and especially his reveal. The sinister, omniscient, secret-service-type version of Mycroft is much more in the vein of Billy Wilder’s film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes than the brief glimpses we get of him in the originals, but to make him a terrifying mystery, bandy about the name Moriarty, then reveal him as Mycroft with Sherlock’s reference to their Mummy is pure comedic gold.

EASTER EGG: Did you also notice the foreshadowing of Mycroft’s line, “Can you imagine the Christmas dinners?” Watson’s response is “God, no,” but in “His Last Vow” we actually end up seeing one.

RATING: 5 black cherrywood pipes out of 5

Oh, and one more thing (to quote the second best detective in the universe): feel free to argue with me in the comments!

Written by Stephanie Bell

Sherlock fans had to wait a long time to find out how the detective faked his death—two years! But their patience was rewarded with a crackling episode filled with emotion and suspense. How would Sherlock reveal himself to John? Would they still be friends? Would they still solve cases? How would Mary fit into the picture? So many questions! Thankfully, there were answers—some of which you’ll find out here in our run-down of the best quotes from “The Empty Hearse”!

5. “What life? I’ve been away.” – Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock is surprised to learn from Mycroft that John has “got on with his life” in the two years since Sherlock jumped off the roof of St. Bart’s. Sherlock’s reaction to learning that John moved away from Baker Street hilariously illustrates Sherlock’s misguided view, that, like the earth, he believes he is the centre of the universe.

4. “I am certainly endeavoring to, sir.” – Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock plans to surprise John with being “not dead” while John is at a posh restaurant about to propose to Mary. As ever, Sherlock’s timing leaves something to be desired—he pretends to be a waiter with an outrageous French accent from whom John is trying to order champagne. It feels like an eternity before John looks up to see Sherlock, but when he finally does, just as he’s about to pop the question, his reaction is gut-wrenching. Leave it to Sherlock to intrude upon such a personal moment and make it about himself!

2. “Are you really going to keep that?” – Sherlock Holmes

John’s “ageing” moustache is an ongoing joke in “The Empty Hearse.” Mrs. Hudson, Sherlock, and Mary all tease him about it. John finally shaves it off after “six months of bristly kisses” for poor Mary. Sherlock teases John repeatedly about his moustache and gets a bloody nose and cut lip for his trouble. It may not be the best time to tease your friend about his facial hair after you’ve just revealed yourself to be alive after two years of letting him grieve.

2. “The best and wisest man I’ve ever known…” – John Watson

Jumping to the end of the episode now, when John thinks he and Sherlock are trapped in a tube carriage rigged to explode (under parliament!) John gives an honest appraisal of what he thinks of Sherlock, saying how he forgives him for faking his death because he is so glad that he’s alive. Of course, Sherlock is faking yet again and they are not in any danger! The best and wisest man – really, John?

1. “I calculated that there were 13 possibilities once I invited Moriarty up onto the roof. I wanted to avoid dying if at all possible.” – Sherlock Holmes

Finally, we find out how Sherlock faked his death! The elaborate hoax required precise timing, the cooperation of a small army of conspirators, and the availability of a corpse meeting specific requirements. We won’t say any more so that you can enjoy the reveal if you haven’t yet seen this episode. If you haven’t, go watch it now! If you have, well, why not watch it again?

Tell us your favourite “The Empty Hearse” quote in the comments!

Written by Lauren Shultz

With fans as dedicated as us Sherlockians, there is rarely a scene in the series that gets entirely overlooked. Every scene is examined and noted for its importance, some more than others. Sherlock would be proud. However, even though these scenes are referenced occasionally by the fans, they aren’t getting the proper credit they deserve. Here is my list of the top five underrated scenes in Sherlock.

5. “The Elephant in the Room”

Sherlock’s best man speech is definitely my favourite scene in the whole series; however, the speech is broken up into a bunch of smaller scenes. The particular portion of his speech, where he lists some of John’s titles for their cases and a clip of each case is shown, is the most overlooked part. “The Elephant in the Room” is one of the cases mentioned, and the small segment shown after is hilarious and definitely deserves more credit than it currently receives.

4. D.I. Dimmock and the book search

“The Blind Banker” was voted least favorite on our recent episodes poll; however, it happens to be one of my personal favorites. In this episode, the rude detective inspector Dimmock fills in for Lestrade in a puzzling series of murders. This is the scene where he finally starts to realize Sherlock’s value in investigations and brings him the hoard of books he has requested. He then, ironically, asks if he can “assist” Sherlock in any way (basically he wants to be part of the team). Sherlock totally shuts him down, and Dimmock leaves with his head down.

3. Raz’s painting advice

This is another scene from “The Blind Banker” (this entire episode should be an underrated scene). In this scene, Sherlock and John are trying to trace the graffiti linked to two murders, and they try to get some insight into the type of paint used. Sherlock admits that he needs some help, and John is basically flabbergasted.

“You need advice?”

“On painting, yes, I need to talk to an expert.”

The best part about this scene is that his “expert” is a kid called Raz vandalizing a building with graffiti. While Sherlock is talking to Raz, the police come around the corner and the two of them split, leaving John looking awfully guilty.

2. “Some sort of death Frisbee?”

Almost everyone’s heard of the “death Frisbee” that Sherlock complains about constantly, but it’s the rest of the scene that is underrated. The scene shows the pair after Sherlock receives a deerstalker as a gift from Scotland Yard in “The Reichenbach Fall”. The whole scene shows John reading the newspapers and magazine articles about them and their recent cases and shows his genuine concern about the public’s opinion of them; Sherlock, however, can’t get his attention off of the hat. The whole time John’s trying to do something useful, Sherlock complains about the “death Frisbee”. Sums up their relationship pretty well, doesn’t it?

1. Sherlock and Sebastian’s “reunion”

This is, yet again, a scene from “The Blind Banker”, and this scene is the main reason why I love this episode. Early on in the series, Mofftiss defines Sherlock’s hidden heart beneath the outer emotion-void shell. Sherlock and John walk into Sebastian’s office and Sebastian greets Sherlock as if he were an old friend. Then Sebastian goes on to talk about their days at Uni and “jokingly” slips in the conversation that everyone hated Sherlock. I like to think that Sebastian really did mean that as a joke, but the camera goes to Sherlock’s face and you can see all of the bad memories written out on his face clear as day. In this, Mofftiss (and episode writer Stephen Thompson) subtly expose Sherlock as a human and not a machine.

BONUS:

“Oh my god!”

“Not quite.”

This is obviously a popular scene because this is when Sherlock reveals to John that he’s not dead, but this quote from the scene is severely underrated. When watching this scene, it is easy to skip over Mary’s reaction to Sherlock because we’re so focused on John. But Sherlock’s casual responses to Mary’s complete shock are very funny and perfectly capture the Sherlock we all know and love.

Have any other scenes in mind that you feel are underrated? Comment below!

Written by Stephanie Bell

As the popularity of Sherlock has increased, so have the “Setlock” crowds when the show is filming in and around London. Many of us loyal fans aren’t lucky enough to live in the U.K., but if you do or your future travel plans include a trip to Britain, here are some places where Sherlock has consulted on cases that you may want to check out.

5. Leinster Gardens

Leinster Gardens, located in the Bayswater section of London, played an important role in “His Last Vow” when Sherlock tricked Mary into revealing her dark past. Numbers 23-24 Leinster Gardens look like real flats when viewed from the street, but sharp-eyed visitors can see that some of the windows and doors are not functional. The building was constructed in the 1860s near a railway that required “venting off” in open-air sections for the locomotives, according to Wikipedia. The façade was created to conceal the locomotives and steam from residents and passersby.

Sherlock dramatically used the Leinster Gardens façade when he projected Mary’s picture (in her wedding gown, no less!) on the front of the building to symbolize her dishonesty to John.

4. Buckingham Palace and Wellington Barracks

One of the most infamous Sherlock scenes, in “A Scandal in Belgravia,” takes place in the “heart of the British Government,” at Buckingham Palace, where Sherlock and John agree to recover the incriminating photos in Irene Adler’s possession. Wellington Barracks, home to the Queen’s Foot Guard regiments and located a few hundred yards from Buckingham Palace, was shown in “The Sign of Three” when Sherlock and John attempt to solve the case of the Bloody Guardsman. Tourists can visit Buckingham Palace any day of the year except during scheduled closures, December 25 or 26, or January 1.

3. St. Bart’s Hospital

So many pivotal Sherlock scenes happen at St. Bart’s! Sherlock and John are introduced by Stamford here, Molly assists the Baker Street sleuths with many of their cases, and Sherlock stages his “Lazarus” plot. Interestingly, St. Bart’s has a museum and archives that are open to visitors, containing paintings of the Saint himself, and copies of documents dating back to the reign of Henry VIII and to the year 1137.

2. Speedy’s Café

Located at 187 North Gower Street, Speedy’s Café is next door to the flat serving as 221B Baker Street on the show. Speedy’s has often been used as a rendezvous for Sherlock characters: Sherlock and Magnussen meet there in “His Last Vow,” John and Mycroft meet to discuss Irene Adler’s fate in “A Scandal in Belgravia,” and if you’re in London near the Euston Square Underground station, you can eat there too!

1. 221B Baker Street

Of course, no list of Sherlock locations would be complete without the real 221B Baker Street. While it is not the location shown on Sherlock, it is just a short Tube ride away from Speedy’s Café, at the Baker Street station, naturally. The Sherlock Holmes Museum is located here–visitors can try to absorb some of Sherlock’s brilliance by visiting his fictional home.

Of course, there are many more London locations that Sherlock fans may recognize from the show—tell us about them in the comments!

We’ve already taken a look at some juicy tidbits about Series One and Two and so, in the spirit of completion, this month we’re serving up 10 more fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about Series Three.

1. How to Fake a Death

To make sure that Sherlock’s faked death was as believable as possible, the production team hired an ‘expert’ on the matter to consult them on what was the best way to go about it. Certain things this expert helped them with include the exact size of the mattress Sherlock would need to fall on after his jump off the hospital roof.

2. Martin’s Moustache

Martin Freeman really hated the fake moustache he had to wear in The Empty Hearse. “But I’m a sex symbol,” Mark Gatiss remembers Freeman jokingly lamenting. Hopefully, Martin and the moustache he is wearing in the upcoming Victorian-set special got on better…

3. Mrs Hudson, Private Eye

The original plan was to have Mrs Hudson accompany Sherlock on his cases, as his replacement John, in The Empty Hearse before it was decided that Molly should fill the role instead. If anyone wants to start a petition calling for a Mrs Hudson spin-off, then be our guest. The tagline? “She’s not your housekeeper – she’s a detective.”

4. A Mark of All Trades

Mark Gatiss, as well as being a writer, actor and producer, also added directing to his long list of capabilities in this series, as he filmed some scenes in The Empty Hearse, including the shots of Lord Moran in his hotel room. Mark has also ventured into directing in his 2013 TV ghost story The Tractate Middoth.

5. Sher-long

The running times of the first cuts of these three episodes were wildly different. At first, both The Empty Hearse and The Sign of Three severely underran so extra scenes were quickly added in (including John shaving off his moustache in Hearse) while His Last Vow was initially a whopping five and a half hours long! – director Nick Hurran recorded many lengthy dialogue-free scenes.

6. A detective and a doctor walked into a bar…

Having said that, we do know that one scene in particular was actually cut from The Sign of Three. In the John’s stag night sequence, the drunken duo would have ended up at a gay bar. Presumably by mistake, as Sherlock was to have asked John why no one was wearing any shirts.

7. Magnussen’s Accent

When speaking English, Danish-born Lars Mikkelsen’s natural accent has a strong cockney twang, which he had apparently picked up when he taught himself English by watching British telly. For Magnussen, however, he was instructed to refind his inner Scandinavian.

8. Is there a future for Sherlock and Janine?

There was an exchange in the original His Last Vow script in which Sherlock and Janine agreed that, if they are not with anyone at aged sixty, they will get together. However, it was cut as it was thought it let Sherlock off the hook for treating Janine so terribly.

9. Mr Holmes’ bowtie

The garish bowtie that Sherlock and Mycroft’s dad wears in the Christmas scene in Vow was an addition by actor Timothy (Benedict’s real-life father) Carlton himself. He always wears such a tie at Christmas to embarrass his son.

10. A killer climax

For the climax of the series, Benedict wanted Sherlock to kill Magnussen in a more vicious way – by breaking his neck – but this was overruled by the producers. “He’d gone a bit Khan,” Steven Moffat later joked, referencing Benedict’s role as the psychotic villain from Star Trek Into Darkness.

Is there a fascinating behind-the-scenes fact from Series Three that we have missed? Leave it in the comments!

If you’re a Doctor Who fan you’ll know that today marks the premiere of the latest series of the BBC’s other global smash hit alongside Sherlock. Apart from both centreing on British eccentric heroes who have been played by countless actors, the two series are often paired together as they are both run by Sherlock co-creator Steven Moffat, with Mycroft himself Mark Gatiss and other writer Stephen Thompson also scripting several episodes of the sci-fi drama.

So, apart from the brains behind-the-scenes, in what other ways have the two collided? Here are five ways in which the Doctor and the detective have crossed-over.

5. Time travel?

Let’s start with a bit of conjecture. Soon the Sherlock special will land on our screens and will take Sherlock and John out of the present and back to the Victorian era. Time travel is a new feature of Sherlock but, of course, is the lifeblood of Doctor Who. We’re not suggesting a serious cross-over between the two will occur in the special but it certainly sounds like Sherlock is borrowing from Who‘s bag of tricks for this unique adventure.

4. The Doctor in a deerstalker

Another similarity between Sherlock and the Doctor is that they both love an iconic costume – with arguably the most famous Doctor, Tom Baker’s incarnation, enjoying the comfort of a good scarf just like Sherlock. But, now and again, the Doctor likes to swap his own clothes for the traditional Holmes look. In classic 1977 adventure ‘The Talons of Weng-Chiang’ Tom Baker’s Doctor dons a deerstalker hat as he investigates some mysterious disappearances in Victorian London. Likewise, in 2012 Christmas special ‘The Snowmen’, Matt Smith’s incarnation went for the full cosplay – deerstalker, Inverness cape and pipe – when visiting Victorian London once again. A musical cue from Sherlock’s theme can even be heard on the soundtrack!

3. Doctor Who‘s own Great Detective

That same episode featured the lizard lady Madame Vastra and her wife, the human Jenny, who are allies of the Doctor and act as investigators of the strangest mysteries in old London town. It’s established that, in the Who world, Arthur Conan Doyle based the characters of Holmes and Watson off them – but changed the nature of the characters as he did not think Victorian society was ready to read about an alien lesbian lizard.

2. They share the same cast

There are a lot of near-misses in terms of the stars of both shows featuring on the other (Matt Smith auditioned for Dr Watson, Benedict was recommended for the Doctor by good friend David Tennant) but a huge selection of the supporting cast of Sherlock – 20 of them, in fact – have also appeared in Doctor Who, including Rupert ‘Lestrade’ Graves.

1. The TARDIS has landed

Yes, it’s a little known fact that there has already been a Doctor Who/Sherlock crossover. But, don’t worry, it’s easy to miss. In the pre-credits sequence of ‘The Hounds of Baskerville’, we see Henry Knight standing in Dewer’s Hollow – and behind him, hidden in the trees, is what looks very much like Doctor Who‘s TARDIS! Really, we haven’t made this up. Have a look for yourself:

Honorable mention #1: Wholock

Yet, for all these little teases, for anyone who actually wants to see the Doctor and Sherlock come face-to-face the place to go is this tremendous youtube video from superfan John Smith. Painstakingly made from clips from the shows, it’s a brilliant mini-adventure which brings millions of fans’ dreams to life.

Honorable mention #2: Puppet Wholock

On the other side of things, there is this less-than-reverential team-up of the two. From British puppet comedy show Newzoids, this skit sees Peter Capaldi’s Doctor and Sherlock not getting along very well…

Have we missed a Doctor Who/Sherlock crossover that you noticed? Leave it in the comments!

Written by Prof. Jenn

Reminder:  I am writing these as RETROSPECTIVE reviews, so I will be discussing reveals, revolutions of cliffhangers, ends of plots, etc. If you are reading these reviews without having seen the eps, a) what is wrong with you?? Go watch them now! and b) these reviews are not for you till you’ve seen them.

‘The Blind Banker’ is the one ep of Sherlock that has been the subject of the most negative criticism and contention of any other in the series. There’s one main reason for this, in my opinion, but other than the one sweeping problem in this episode, as a basic Sherlock murder mystery it has a lot going for it. Too bad it’s been spoiled by racist stereotypes.

But I’ll get into that later. ‘The Blind Banker’ finds us with some cute exposition of how Sherlock and John have been getting on domestically (though juxtaposed with this we get our first bout of Orientalism: an opponent in robes and a turban fights Sherlock with a scimitar while stereotypical “Arabian Nights” type music plays. Sigh). We learn that John is broke, and so he finds a job (and thereby a girlfriend) as a general practitioner, something he does in the original Doyle stories as well. Meanwhile, an old cohort of Sherlock’s from university asks him to investigate a mysterious symbol left in the bank.

What entails is a very ‘The Dancing-Men’–like foray into code breaking, with the added touch of finding the key to the code in commonly-owned books, like in The Valley of Fear. We end up getting captured by a Tong called the Black Lotus (another sigh), and Sherlock saves the day by the skin of his teeth, as usual. And there’s sacred Chinese pottery and a case of mistaken identity. And aerial dance. Doesn’t sound so bad, right?

Well… Allow me to simply list for you a handful of the Asian stereotypes replete in this ep:

• Oo, the scary Yellow Peril in the form of the Tong.
• Not one, but two Asian woman stereotypes: the China Doll and the Dragon Lady (for more on these and other stereotypes in this ep, read this article).
• The supernaturally agile assassin (ninja, anyone?) leaves an origami lotus at the scene of each murder. Thing is, origami is Japanese, not Chinese. So are ninja. Same comment re: the shopkeeper in Chinatown with the vaudeville accent, asking John in pidgin English if he wants to buy a Lucky Cat. The maneki neko is a Japanese icon.
• I was actually okay with the Chinese smugglers posing as a circus troupe, but others have found this to be a stereotype as well, in the vein of Fu Manchu.

FINAL THOUGHT: All this is unfortunate, as there was plenty of promise with the bickering dynamic duo, John starting to date and go into medical practice, and the beginning of us meeting more of Sherlock’s Irregulars in the form of a graffiti artist. But all of this fun stuff ends up rather tarnished under all the Asian stereotypes.

EASTER EGG: the dynamic between the younger detective Dimmock and Sherlock putting him in his place is nicely reminiscent of an exchange between Holmes and Inspector Forbes in “The Naval Treaty.”

From “The Naval Treaty”:

[Forbes] was decidedly frigid in his manner to us, especially when he heard the errand upon which we had come.

“I’ve heard of your methods before now, Mr. Holmes,” said he, tartly. “You are ready enough to use all the information that the police can lay at your disposal, and then you try to finish the case yourself and bring discredit on them.”

“On the contrary,” said Holmes, “out of my last fifty-three cases my name has only appeared in four, and the police have had all the credit in forty nine. I don’t blame you for not knowing this, for you are young and inexperienced, but if you wish to get on in your new duties you will work with me and not against me.”

“I’d be very glad of a hint or two,” said the detective, changing his manner. “I’ve certainly had no credit from the case so far.”

From “The Blind Banker”:

DIMMOCK: (Without joy): I know who you are. And I’d prefer it if you didn’t tamper with any of the evidence.

SHERLOCK: I phoned Lestrade. Is he on his way…?

DIMMOCK: He’s busy. I’m in charge. And it’s not Sergeant. It’s Detective Inspector.

…

SHERLOCK: And? The shot that killed him wasn’t from his own gun.

DIMMOCK: No.

SHERLOCK: No. So. This investigation might move a bit quicker if you took my word as gospel.

…

DIMMOCK: Anything else I can do? (Pause. No response) To assist you, I mean.

RATING: 2 dancing men out of 5

Feel free to leave your own review of ‘The Blind Banker’ in the comments!

However good Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and the rest of the Sherlock cast is we have to save our biggest thanks to Messrs Moffat and Gatiss, without whom we wouldn’t have our beloved reimagining of the Great Detective in the first place. Of course, Sherlock is the culmination of two distinguished careers for writer/producer Steven Moffat and writer/actor (among other things) Mark Gatiss, with both of the duo’s big breaks coming from TV comedy – relationship sitcom Coupling and darkly comic sketch show The League of Gentlemen, respectively. Here are a small selection of projects that Moftiss have either worked on alone or together that Sherlock fans should check out.

Coriolanus (2013)

If you were lucky enough to see Cumberbatch’s smash-hit version of Hamlet and have a taste for seeing your favourite Sherlock stars take on the Bard, or if you missed it and are looking to catch another Shakespeare-Sherlock crossover then this stage version of Coriolanus, starring Tom Hiddleston in the title role and ably supported by Mark Gatiss, should be top of your list. And if it is, you’re in luck as the play is currently being given an encore screening in cinemas worldwide. See here for more details.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

You might remember this CGI movie version of the classic comic book character Tintin from a few years back. However, you might not know that the Steven Spielberg-directed, Peter Jackson-produced blockbuster was written by Steven Moffat. Well, a reinvention of a famous detective – who else would it be? As can be expected from the Moff, the film sports a twisty-turny mystery which the boy investigator and his loyal dog Snowy have to solve. Interestingly, after working on this film, Moffat turned down a multi-picture deal with Spielberg to concentrate on his TV work.

Lucifer Box novels (2004-2008)

All right, we’re sort of cheating here as this trilogy of novels obviously can’t be watched (there’s no flies on our deductive abilities) but it felt remiss of us not to mention them. As well as being a scriptwriter, Mark Gatiss is also a seasoned novellist, with his work including these books centreing on the dashing and debonair spy Lucifer Box. The novels showcase the humour, pace and invention of Gatiss’ work on Sherlock and we can hope that one day, with Gatiss’ success rate, we will see them adapted to the screen.

Jekyll (2007)

Before Sherlock, Moffat updated another Victorian classic to the modern-day – Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde. Here, James Nesbitt (later seen in The Hobbit films) plays Tom Jackman, a descendent of the original Dr Jekyll who learns that he suffers from the same (extremely) split personality disorder. While it did not reach Sherlock‘s success, this TV series – which only ran for six episodes – is every bit as exciting, surprising and dramatic and deserves Sherlock fans’ attentions. As an added bonus, a certain other Sherlock personage discussed on this list may pop up in a cameo role…

Doctor Who (2005-)

Yes, it couldn’t really be anything else at number one. Alongside Sherlock Holmes, Moftiss’ other great fictional love is Doctor Who and as such both of them have worked on the show since it returned to TV in 2005. Moffat has famously been the lead writer of the series since 2010 while Gatiss has written such episodes as ‘The Unquiet Dead’ (the one with Charles Dickens) and ‘Robot of Sherwood’ (the one will Robin Hood). Gatiss has also turned up in person a few times, always under heavy prosthetics. Naturally, there is a lot of crossover between Sherlock and Who fans, but if you are someone who never got into the show or stopped watching a while back, it has just returned for another series so it’s the perfect time to jump back in.

Have we missed out your favourite project by either Moffat or Gatiss? Leave it in the comments!

We may be getting a Victorian-set Christmas special sometime soon(ish) but most fans still really want to know when the much-antipicated fourth series of Sherlock will air. Well, if you’re such a fan you’re in luck as new news has materialised on the subject.

Earlier in the year co-creator Steven Moffat revealed that production on the series would resume in Spring 2016 and now he has shed further light on the matter and confirmed that work is expected to begin on it in April next year.

Speaking to Collider, Moffat said: “Mark [Gatiss, co-creator] will be starting [his script] very soon. He may have started. I’ve got to finish my Doctor Who Christmas special and then I’ll be straight onto Sherlock after that.”

Here’s the original story we ran back in May:

Hold on to your deerstalkers, everyone, we’ve got some exciting news – the long-awaited Sherlock Series Four is to begin filming next Spring!

Speaking at the BAFTA Television Awards ceremony yesterday evening (at which Sherlock won the Radio Times Audience Award), co-creator Steven Moffat and star Amanda Abbington confirmed that work on the three-part series is scheduled to commence early next year, shortly after the airing of the one-off Christmas special – which, as we know, is to be set in Victorian times.

‘It was just lovely doing that period,’ Abbington said, on the subject of the special. ‘I had some glorious things to wear and the boys looked great. Martin [Freeman] looks very fine in Victorian garments!’

Moffat has spoken about the upcoming series before, describing it as detailing an ’emotional upheaval’ in the lives of our heroes and about seeing the ‘consequences’ of Sherlock’s actions.

‘[Season four is] dark in some ways,’ Moffat has said. ‘Obviously it’s great fun and a Sherlock Holmes romp and all that – but there’s a sense of things coming back to bite you.’

Things coming back to bite you, eh, Moffat? Things such as Irish evil masterminds who have come back from the dead?

It looks like we might only have to wait until next year to find out…

Written by Lauren Shultz

The art of costuming and makeup is severely underrated in the entertainment industry. Of course, we love Sherlock for it’s incredibly clever writing and the amazing actors that star in it; however, it has to be said that the series as a whole would be lacking without the proper outfitting. Imagine Mycroft without his sharp suit, or John without his jumpers or, heaven forbid, Sherlock without his coat! It’s fair to say that the cast’s individual and iconic looks are hugely important to the show’s success. With that in mind, here is a list of the top five outfits Sherlock has ever worn in the series.

5. The Purple Shirt of Sex

This is an outfit that is a favorite of many, many fangirls. To a casual viewer it’s just something Sherlock wears for part of “The Great Game”, but to Benedict Cumberbatch’s admirers it is so special they have given it its own identity. The name and the gif above say it all. Just look at John’s face, even he can’t take his eyes off it.

4. The “Not Dead” disguise

Here Sherlock shows us just how simple yet discreet the art of disguise can be. While he first showed off his ability to go in cognito in “The Great Game”, dressed as a security guard to sneak into the Hickman gallery, his talents are shown to their full extent when he disguises himself as a waiter to confront John about his fake death. Glasses, a bowtie, a penciled-in mustache, and a fake accent are apparently all it takes to hide from your best friend.

3. Shezza

I think most fans knew this was coming after “The Sign of Three”. As John and Mary are married now and with a new baby on the way, Sherlock knows he’ll be left behind. So he turns to what he thinks is the only option he has. John finds him, of course, in a dilapidated crack house high as a kite. I think this outfit helps describe Sherlock well because it shows just how derailed he can be when he feels alone.

2. The Sheet

This “outfit” is also a favorite of Sherlock’s fangirls, mainly because it doesn’t involve much fabric. In “A Scandal in Belgravia”, Sherlock sends John out to the crime scene just so he can lounge around the flat wearing nothing but a sheet. Even when some intimidating guards come to take him to Buckingham Palace, he still blatantly refuses to put actual clothes on! Is he seriously that stubborn? (Well, I think we all know the answer to that question.)

1. The Classic

And first place goes to, of course, the iconic Sherlock wear. How can you not love the suit, the trench coat, the blue scarf, and the optional deerstalker?  Not only is his outfit a classic, it perfectly embodies the modern twist on Sherlock Holmes’s personality that Mofftiss have created.

Have you any other famous Sherlock outfits you think should have made the list? Comment below!

Yesterday, the Sherlock gods, the great Moftiss, shined down on us and delivered the very first trailer for the upcoming special! Of course, back in July a clip from the one-off episode was released but this is our first look at the whole of the special. Have a watch of it below:

Now pick that jaw up off the floor and let’s get down to business. We’ve got a trailer to dissect. As Sherlock says, “the stage is set. The curtain rises. We are ready to begin…”

There’s a grisly murder

Well, it wouldn’t be Sherlock without a crime, would it?

“You promised to keep him safe…”

If making a promise to a woman in distress sounds like quite a heroic thing for our beloved sociopathic Sherlock to do, this might be a clue that Sherlock (or rather, Holmes) here will be closer to the man created by Conan Doyle. While he was prone to rudeness and mood swings just like Cumberbatch’s incarnation, the original Holmes is a well-mannered Victorian gentleman too.

Something’s afoot in the country

As hinted at by Sherlock’s dramatic speech (“we all have a past, Watson. Ghosts. They are the shadows that define our every sunny day”) the special will play with the idea of ghosts and things coming back to haunt us. And it looks like it is also set in the gloomy English countryside. So, in other words, it looks like Moftiss are taking inspiration from the classic novel The Hound of the Baskervilles for the special.

Dr Watson, Action Man!

Anyone who feared that the trip back in time would reduce Martin Freeman’s wonderfully rounded Watson to the stereotypical bumbling version of the character (not that that is the Watson from the stories, of course) will be pleased to see that Victorian Watson can handle himself just as well as regular Watson. In fact, this scene – with gun in hand and coat billowing in the breeze like a moustachioed James Bond – is probably the coolest any Watson has ever looked.

There’s some sinister-looking figures

Hidden amongst the busy trailer, we can glimpse these foreboding fellas who look like, depending on your point of reference, the Death Eaters from Harry Potter or the Ku Klux Klan. Interestingly, the Klan were actually the villains of a Holmes story before – namely Doyle’s short story ‘The Five Orange Pips.’

What made Sherlock Holmes?

The trailer gives us a lot of clues with which we can piece together how the special will play out (hey, we’re just like detectives!) but one of the juiciest is this scene which suggests that the episode will explore just what made Sherlock the way he is. “What made you like this?” asks John. “Oh, Watson,” Sherlock replies. “Nothing made me. I made me.”

Sherlock’s snazzy new dressing gown

The latest in a long line of Sherlock’s fetching dressing gowns (or robes, if you’d prefer) that have featured in the series. In the trailer, Sherlock is modelling a snazzy purple number but, just to ensure he doesn’t look too flamboyant, he’s also glaring and wielding a gun. Yep, that’ll balance it out.

The gang’s still here

We had already seen Mrs Hudson in the clip but this trailer gave us our first glimpses of the Victorian versions of Mary and Lestrade too. However, there’s still no sign of Louise Brealey’s Molly or Mark Gatiss’ Mycroft who will surely be in the special. And, dare we say it, perhaps Andrew Scott’s Moriarty will turn up too…

And let’s have a look at those sideburns

Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the biggest, bushiest sideburns you’ll ever see.

Rupert Graves previously said at the summer’s San Diego Comic Con that he had “two hedges” stuck on his face in the special and, boy, he wasn’t joking.

It’s still the same as ever

Like we said above, some fans might have worried that taking things back in time would have affected the unique dynamic between Sherlock and John but the final scene from the trailer – in which John’s telling Sherlock off and Sherlock’s refusing to behave – should assuage those people that our heroes are still the same men, they’re just wearing different clothes.

Bring on, er, whenever it is the special will air!

What did you find most exciting about the trailer? Let us know in the comments!

This weekend London has played host to the popular MCM Comic Con – at which, just like the San Diego Comic Con in July – the Sherlock team, here represented by co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, star Amanda Abbington and producer Sue Vertue, used their panel to announce some big, juicy details about the upcoming special. Here’s what we found out about the episode, plus some other fun facts too.

10. The title is…

At long last, we can reveal that the title of the Sherlock special is… ‘The Abominable Bride’! As we all know by now the special will take Sherlock and John back to Victorian times, something that is reflected in this old-fashioned, melodramatic title. It’s also a nod to an undocumented adventure from Conan Doyle story ‘The Musgrave Ritual’ in which Holmes mentions the case of “Ricoletti of the club foot and his abominable wife.”

9. And it will air on…

Ever since the special was announced it has routinely been called a ‘Christmas’ special but we found out this weekend that the episode will actually air on New Year’s Day! The past two series of the show have premiered on this date so we really should have guessed this ourselves. Looks like we’ve got more to learn from Sherlock in the science of deduction…

8. And that’s the same date for the US too!

US fans, rejoice! At the panel, Sue Vertue confirmed that, for the first time, Sherlock will air in the same day in the US as it does in the UK. ‘The Abominable Bride’ will premiere at 9PM ET on PBS.

For all of you who don’t hail from either of those countries, you might be interested to know that the special will also be simulcast in select cinemas worldwide. Cinema-goers will also see an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary. Tickets go on sale November 2nd.

7. The special is in “the same style” as rest of Sherlock

Now onto the content of the special. Many might be worried that the move back to Victorian times will mean we lose the modern sheen and sense of humour that marks Sherlock out. Well, have no fear, as Mark Gatiss explained at the panel that “the special is very much in the same style and humour as our Sherlock.”

6. Mofftiss on Moriarty

We’re not sure that this counts as something we learnt as such, we thought we would mention this heartless tease from Moftiss about Moriarty’s future on the show. Don’t you just love/hate these guys?

Moffat: “Moriarty shot himself in the head in front of the most intelligent person in the world. He’s dead. He can’t come back.”

Gatiss: “Or can he…?”

5. Gatiss think female Sherlock Holmes would be “interesting.”

There’s often talk of a female Doctor Who and, more rarely, a female James Bond but it seems fans are also interested in seeing a female Sherlock Holmes. Mofftiss themselves are open to the idea. Mark Gatiss said that isn’t “it isn’t impossible” and that it “could be interesting”, although he then added “we’re not recasting though…!”

4. Something (more) about Mary

We also got a bit of a hint at Mary Watson’s backstory, courtesy of the woman who plays her, Amanda Abbington. “Mary didn’t choose to be an assassin,” she revealed. “She fell into it.” Amanda also said how the truth about Mary was a shock even to her – she only found out when she read it in the script!

3. Gatiss teases his favourite part of the special

When asked about their favourite moments to write in Sherlock, Mark Gatiss revealed that his comes from the special. He said; “there’s something in the special which was a sheer delight from beginning to end. You’ll know it when you see it…”

2. Mycroft will probably be in the special

From the trailers and clips released so far, we know that Mrs Hudson, Mary and Lestrade will be travelling back in time with Sherlock and John – but what about Mycroft? It seems we should expect him to turn up too as the man himself, Mark Gatiss, said that there is a “fair chance” that we will get to meet 19th century Mycroft.

1. Sherlock will never have more than three episodes

Sorry, folks, but it looks like we’re never going to get a longer series of Sherlock. Gatiss said on the matter; “[it] wouldn’t be possible. Three 90 minute episodes works best for everyone’s filming schedules.” Well, chin up, guys, at least we’ve got a brand spanking new special coming up really not that long away…

Listen to Moffat and Gatiss on the subject of returning Sherlock to its roots below!

https://audioboom.com/boos/3730805-stephen-moffat-and-mark-gatiss-taking-sherlock-back-to-its-roots/embed/v4?abm=outreach