From Digital Spy

Note: Contains BIG spoilers for Sherlock.

Where is Sherlock season 5, eh? Come January 2020, it will have been three years since we last saw Benedict Cumberbatch as narcissistic genius Sherlock Holmes on our screens.

The BBC series first kicked off back in 2010 and ran for four seasons (plus a special), but there's been zilch since the beginning of 2017, which has naturally caused confusion among fans of the show given the complete absence of any concrete updates.

Showrunners Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss (who also plays Mycroft Holmes) have always taken their time with the show's rollout – a year and a half between seasons was the minimum viewers were made to wait.

But Sherlock series 5 still hasn't materialised.

So, what gives?

Photo credit: BBC

In a recent interview with Radio Times, Gatiss did acknowledge that there is scope to continue, but it's not top of his list of priorities at the moment.

"You could go back," he said. "But there are no immediate plans."

*sighs*

In a previous interview with Radio Times, Moffat also echoed the same sentiment: "We've never said necessarily goodbye to Sherlock. No, we'll see!"

Gatiss added: "One thing at a time. Dracula occupies a lot of headspace."

The pair have teamed up once again for a brand new TV adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel of the same name, which will air first on BBC1, before heading over to Netflix for viewers outside of the UK and Ireland.

Danish-born actor Claes Bang (The Affair, The Girl in the Spider's Web) has been cast in the titular role.





Photo credit: BBC

Sherlock season five is also heavily dependant on whether its stars would return.

Both the central cast (and the writers) are all currently in demand, tied up in other projects, with more on the horizon.

Benedict Cumberbatch has had his plate full with Marvel, Brexit: The Uncivil War and Patrick Melrose, to name just a few, while Martin Freeman (John Watson) has been busy with A Confession and Black Panther.

But if the pitch was right, Freeman would happily sign up.

Story continues

"If it's something really special, and if it's something really meaty and interesting, then I think we'd all be open to that," he told Collider.

Photo credit: BBC

"We couldn't come back with something that was quite good. It would have to feel really, really special. It was that kind of show."

He added: "They're few and far between, the discussions about Sherlock, just because Mark and Steven, the writers, and Benedict and I, are all lucky enough to be not only working on stuff that we like and are interested in, but we know what Sherlock is.

"You don't look that gift horse in the mouth 'cos that sort of stuff doesn't happen very often in someone's life. It's a huge, huge, worldwide hit, and way beyond anything we could've imagined."

Photo credit: BBC

Andrew Scott (Moriarty), who has since appeared in Black Mirror, Fleabag and Modern Love, would also be game for round five if both the timing and the narrative was right.

Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Andrew said: "I think everybody's sort of doing their own separate thing just at the moment," he said. "I know Stephen and Mark have done a version of Dracula which I'm looking forward to seeing.

"For me, the door is never fully closed. It's closed at the moment, but that doesn't mean it can't be opened at some point in the future. But it's definitely not something that's on the agenda in the foreseeable future."

He added: "I would just listen to what their idea was, and just put forward a couple of my suggestions.

"I feel very protective of him. I'm very proud of what we did on that show. If it's the right time, we'll all talk about it again.

"But at the moment, I do think it's provided such great opportunities for everybody in the show. So everybody's got to do their own thing. But the idea of doing that at some point in the future is not an unhappy one."

Moriarty killed himself in series two, but appeared in flashback form in later episodes.

Photo credit: Jeff Spicer - Getty Images

Louise Brealey (Molly Hooper) has also previously discussed how she would like to revisit her character, but also understands that the show is very much on the "back burner and not necessarily on the cards".

"Una [Stubbs, Mrs. Hudson] and I are always like, 'Wouldn't it be lovely to do another one?' she told Radio Times. "But unfortunately we’re not in charge of the decision-making in the room.



"Me and Una went to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and we were chatting about how lovely it would be to see everyone again. Failing that, we could just meet for a curry. Or a Chinese, let's not narrow our options."

Photo credit: BBC

But if you are in desperate need of some more Sherlock action, there is an unconnected series in the works for Netflix, titled The Irregulars, which follows a group of crime-solving street urchins. The show sees Holmes claims their successes as his own. Charming.

They are based on the Baker Street Irregulars boys, who appear in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books as intelligence agents for the protagonist.

"Sherlock Holmes [in the books] had a group of street kids he'd use to help him gather clues, so our series is what if Sherlock was a drug addict and a delinquent and the kids solve the whole case whilst he takes credit?" said writer Tom Bidwell to BBC Writersroom.

"It's my dream project and my oldest idea. I've been pitching it for 10 years.

"Netflix are incredibly supportive for our vision for the show, and it's allowing us to be very ambitious with the way we're telling our stories."

The cast were recently papped filming in Liverpool's Georgian Quarter, and production is expected to continue until May.

Here's hoping it's a success because it could be the only slice of Sherlock we'll be getting for a long time.

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