4 pressing ‘Sherlock’ questions leading into the Season 4 premiere

It’s been quite a long wait — three years, to be exact — since a full new season of “Sherlock” graced us with its presence. Sure, there was that odd Christmas special from a year ago that did its job at quenching our thirst for more adventures of Holmes and Watson, but traveling back to the 1800s only went so far in pleasing the masses.

Finally, on Sunday (Jan. 1), Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) will be returning to the small screen with the long-awaited Season 4 of the BBC series. Fans have waited roughly three years for these new tales and, after watching the trailer for the new episodes, we have some pressing questions.

RELATED: Baby makes 4 for ‘Sherlock’ … and he looks none too pleased in the new photos

Is Jim Moriarty really dead?

It’s a question we’ve been asking for quite some time and one that Sherlock posed in last year’s Christmas special, ‘The Abominable Bride.” Yes, the majority of that episode was a drug-induced fever dream, but still, the woman who resurrected herself after committing suicide played as a metaphor for Moriarty (Andrew Scott) — who shot himself in the frickin’ head for all to see.

At the episode’s end, Sherlock confesses to John and Mary (Amanda Abbington): “I never said he was alive. I said he was back.” Continuing with, “Moriarty is dead. No question. More importantly, I know exactly what he’s going to do next.”

It’s a fair assumption that, even in death, Moriarty will continue to haunt Sherlock with a posthumous plan of attack. But, we can’t help but wonder how he’ll resurface in the coming episodes. This brief glimpse of the back of a man’s head has us wondering…

How does Culverton Smith fit into all this?

Episode 2 of the new season, titled “The Lying Detective,” will surely act as an updated take on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle classic tale, “The Dying Detective.” With Moriarty out of the picture — we think — Culverton Smith (Toby Jones) will rise up as a new sinister villain for Sherlock to tend to.

We’re not quite sure how the old story will be tackled here, but we have a sneaking suspicion Culverton will once again be portrayed as a dangerous man out to kill Holmes through some sort of poisoning apparatus.

What if, however, Jim Moriarty and Culverton Smith are connected in some way? Could Smith be continuing Moriarty’s legacy? Anything is possible in Steven Moffat’s “Sherlock” universe. But with his confirmation that Smith is “the most evil villain” they’ve ever had, something tells us Sherlock will be yearning for those lovely Moriarty days of old.

Is Mary in danger?

As we’ve seen from the above preview image for the new season, John and Mary are now parents. Sherlock may not be too pleased about this new addition to their situation, but after reading the synopsis for the Season 4 premiere, titled “The Six Thatchers,” it’s hard not to wonder if Mary’s safety will be brought into question.

Sherlock waits to see where Moriarty will make his posthumous move. One mysterious case in particular baffles Scotland Yard – but Sherlock is more interested in a seemingly-trivial detail. Why is someone destroying images of the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher? Is there a madman on the loose? Or is there a much darker purpose at work? Something with its roots deep in Mary Watson’s past.

It looks like, at the very least, we’ll finally be getting some input regarding Mary’s still mysterious past as an assassin. How it will affect her relationship with John is uncertain.

Could this be the final season of ‘Sherlock’?

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have seen their careers flourish exponentially since “Sherlock” first hit the small screen six years ago. Heck, it took three whole years to get one season of the hit BBC series made! And when you take into consideration Cumberbatch’s promising future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s hard not to question whether or not this may be the final outing for Holmes and Watson — at least for a while.

Cumberbatch has even acknowledged the feeling that his time as Sherlock Holmes may be coming to an end. In a recent interview with GQ, the actor said, “It feels like the end of an era, to be honest. [Season 4] goes to a place where it will be pretty hard to follow on immediately.”

Admitting that he’d love to continue revisiting the role, Cumberbatch points out that the newest season ends in a very complete manner, alluding to loose ends being tied up. While that leaves us wary — as “Sherlock” cliffhangers are the best — he does go on to say: “The idea of never playing him again is really galling.”

For you and us both, Benedict. For you and us both.

“Sherlock” Season 4 premieres Sunday, Jan. 1, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on PBS.

Source link