Steven Moffat, co-creator and co-writer of the BBC's Sherlock, has revealed he remains hopeful that the beloved adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic stories will return for a new series. The show, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes, Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson, and Amanda Abbington as Mary Morstan, first aired in 2010 and ran for four seasons plus a special episode before going on hiatus in 2017.
Moffat's Desire to Return
Appearing on the Half the Picture podcast, Moffat stated: "If I can persuade everybody else, of course I'd revisit it. Can you ever say that you've run out of Sherlock Holmes stories? There are 60 originals. We've done, what is it, 13 or 14?" He added that there are "loads more" stories to explore and expressed interest in revisiting the characters as middle-aged, settled versions of Holmes and Watson.
Actors' Perspectives
Benedict Cumberbatch previously told Variety that a return would require something exceptional: "It would take it to be better than it ever was. You leave them or yourselves wanting more. There's always that itch to scratch, but I think it would have to be the superlative version of what we've already achieved." Martin Freeman, speaking on the Jonathan Ross show, said: "I don't know. Personally, I'm a fan of things being finite. I like things ending. I think it's natural for things to end," though he noted "it's never a completely shut door."
Show's Legacy
Reflecting on the series, Moffat said: "I loved that show. I look at it now and I watch it, and I think all of it is excellent. I just think it's really well made, beautifully acted, and dare I say it, [a] beautifully written show. I think it's cracking. And I'm massively proud of it. And I miss it." The last episode, "The Final Problem," aired in 2017 and featured Sherlock, John, and Mycroft discovering their psychopathic sister Eurus, who traps them in a high-security facility with deadly psychological games orchestrated via posthumous tapes from Jim Moriarty.
