‘Sherlock’ Season 3: A bonus mini-episode for Christmas?

“Many Happy Returns” will be a sort of prequel to the upcoming Season 3 of “Sherlock,” giving a peek at the time after Holmes’ presumed death at the end of Season 2. As reported by Hypable, the synopsis hints at a midseason timeline: “Sherlock has been gone for 2 years. But someone isn’t quite convinced that he’s dead.”

Could that someone be Watson? Maybe Mycroft, with all his government connections, has picked up a hint of his brother? Or could it be someone on the edges of Sherlock’s life, like Irene Adler, who has suspicions.

With the meager information we have on the episode, it’s hard to even tell if either Cumberbatch or Freeman will even be in the installment. Hopefully the two stars will at least make cameo appearances.

BBC One is making the mini-episode available online and via its Red Button service. PBS, which airs the series in the United States, has not released any information about an American release.

“Sherlock” Season 3 premieres on Jan. 1 in the UK with episodes beginning Jan. 19 in the US.