My theory on this: They know they won't be able to do three episodes next year and have S4 ready for January 2016. So they do a special as some kind of bridgeover to give us something (which is nice) at the end of next year - and then we'll have to wait a year longer for S4 and will get in January 2017 instead of January 2016.

That's a long time, a veeeeery long time. But we can't change it, so ...

Last edited by gently69 (July 2, 2014 1:59 pm)

besleybean wrote:

Sorry, I am not ploughing through 3 pages...how am I reading this differently to everybody else?!
Special filming Jan, I expect will be shown later in 2015.
Series filming later in 2015 to be shown in 2016?
Is this not the case?!

Very little is 100% confirmed, but according to Sherlockology;

'We honestly cannot say about air dates yet, but 2017 strikes as extremely late if they film S4 in 2015' (which they have already said is the case)

https://twitter.com/Sherlockology/status/484336935817986048


So, yeah, the likelihood of it airing in 2017 seems a bit far-fetched at this point. 
 

Last edited by SilverMoonDragonB (July 2, 2014 2:09 pm)

But didn't BBC write that they will be shooting Special in 2015 and later next year series 4? Doesn't this "next year" mean next from 2015 which means 2016?

Last edited by MartaSt (July 2, 2014 2:13 pm)

MartaSt wrote:

But didn't BBC write that they will be shooting Special in 2015 and later next year series 4? Doesn't this "next year" mean next from 2015 which means 2016?

The wording was somewhat ambiguous, this is exactly what they said; 'Shooting on the Sherlock special will begin in January 2015, with the series shooting later next year.'

You could look at it meaning later next year as in not filming until 2016, but it could also mean later next year as in the year adjacent to this one, meaning filming in 2015 not 2016 (which is what Sherlockology has confirmed). Air dates on the other hand haven't been confirmed yet, but filming will be 2015. 


 

SolarSystem wrote:

SilverMoonDragon, "later in the year" most certainly means in autumn, because Benedict will be doing "Hamlet" from August to October, with rehearsels probably starting in June. And if they start shooting the first episode of S4 in autumn, they probably won't be finished with all three episodes before March or April 2016 (or maybe even later). Then it's post-production... and I wouldn't be surprised if they just decided to go for airing it in January 2017 then.

True, that could happen I guess. At the moment though, I'll remain optimistic and until otherwise proven will believe that due to the filming time Sherlock S4 will likely air at some point in 2016 (maybe late spring or summer, even fall, but at this point I still doubt it'll be 2017).
 

No chance to film an episode before Hamlet? Maybe Feb./ March to June?

Here's my prediction.
It will air Summer 2016.
The 1st series aired in the Summer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/sherlock-miss-me

Just got done with all my flailing around... I was actually running to get home to read what the announcement was. 

I think Summer 2016 sounds likely! But OMFG just knowing they will start shooting at all makes me a happy cookie!