India Today Online sat down with Mark Gatiss, the co-creator and executive producer of the popular BBC TV series Sherlock, to discuss everything Sherlock. While he didn't share any spoilers, leaving us in his own words "antici-pointed", he did talk about the creative process of putting together one of the best series on television.



Mark Gatiss spoke about the creative process of putting together one of the best series on television. Mark Gatiss spoke about the creative process of putting together one of the best series on television.

Is this the first time you've been to India? How are you liking Mumbai?

Unfortunately, we haven't gotten to see enough. We had just one day to look around and then we have been here (Comic Con). But it's fabulous. Sort of what I'd expected and then not at all. It's extraordinary. It's so crazy, and everyone's so kind, and there's the colour and the chaos and the contrast. We saw the financial district and it's amazing - there are these breathtaking buildings and then right next to it the poverty. It is extraordinary.

We are at Comic Con, a place that celebrates fandoms. Have you ever been part of a fandom, or just been a fanboy of anything?

Actually, I have not ever been a fan of comics, never joined any fandoms. I enjoy horror films, and music. But never been a fan the way people are here (at Comic Con). I have always loved Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Who and now it's my career which is wonderful.

There were a lot of questions from people wanting to know what will happen next on Sherlock and Dr. Who in the upcoming seasons...

It's a perennial problem that people ask about upcoming story lines. We're never going to reveal anything, so please don't waste your questions! Fans always think they want to know what is going to happen, but it would always end up being a bit of a disappointment later. I've invented a word for it - antici-pointment - looking forward to something so much and then being depressed that they now know it. Years ago, I was given a massive Dr. Who spoiler, and I was elated for a second but then was disappointed because it would never have the same impact when watching it. So it's always more exciting if audiences let themselves get surprised.

So you won't tell us if we will get to see the Watson baby in season 4?

You're doing it again! We know that Mary is expecting a baby at the end of season three, and we will see the child - maybe at some point in the future, depending on where we pick up from.

Being a writer as well as an actor, what do you find more satisfying?

I have always done both, and love doing both. It's a very privileged position to be in. A couple of years ago I had three scripts on the go with heavy deadlines. It seemed like I'd never move from the desk and then it was finished and I was doing a play, which was literally like playing - every show, every day was different. And this year was mostly filming. The contrast between both makes it very exciting.

How does an episode of Sherlock shape up?

Steven (Moffat) and I had a day during season three when the ideas were just flowing, and we came up with a lot of storylines, and ideas for series four and five. It's about sort of deciding if any of the original stories would suit that framework that we have made, if any of the original stories might be a launch pad for a different story. There are some stories that are favourites and some that may not suit the framework, so we decide which we'd rather do. Steven and I have written the Christmas special together. It's been a lot of fun. And it's almost entirely original - not really based on any of the stories.

BBC Sherlock does follow the original stories, so how do you balance between the original stories and your own creation?

BBC Sherlock right from the start was not an adaptation. Some of the episodes like A Study in Pink have a lot of the famous recognizable elements from the original (A Study in Scarlet). Some like The Hound of Baskerville have the skeleton of an original story, some like The Sign of Three and The Empty Hearse just have a germ of the original story and some like The Blind Banker are Sherlock Holmes-like stories - entirely original but with all the elements that are the hallmarks of the original stories.

You decided to include some original characters like Molly Hooper in the show. Will we see more original characters?

Some characters like Molly and Jeanine were supposed to be one scene/one episode characters but they ended up being wonderful. And others like Billy Wiggins (the leader of the homeless network) and Tom (Molly's Sherlock lookalike boyfriend) we just loved. Basically, if we like them they will always return to Baker Street!

There are a lot of actors related to each other/married to each other on Sherlock. Was it intentional or did it just happen?

We wouldn't have cast them if they weren't actors! But it would be a wasted opportunity to not cast Benedict Cumberbatch's parents as his parents as they look so much like him. And we never thought of anyone else besides Amanda Abbington (Martin Freeman's real life partner) to play Mary Watson, and they (her and Martin Freeman) obviously have chemistry! It seems like nepotism and it kind of is! As long as they don't object, why the hell not!

Fans are always having a hard time with the amount of time between seasons of Sherlock...

It is increasingly hard to get everyone back together because of everyone's schedules. We're all very keen to do it. In a way, it's a good idea though - you come back for three weeks and you're on just long enough for people to not get pissed off! We always say that you get one James Bond film every two or three years - compared to that this is a treat! We start filming the Christmas special on Jan 6. When it will be aired is up to the BBC. And then three more. So this time there are four films.