BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / sherlock series 4 (spoilers inside)

**Posted by Vhanja** September 13, 2016 6:08 pm

SusiGo wrote:
So I would opt for Sherlock and his personal development. The talk about the show being about a detective and not about the cases makes me believe that Sherlock himself is the Case. His past, his emotional/sexual issues, his demons. I think they will be in the centre of S4.

I agree. From what they've been saying, and from the teaser, that is my impression as well.

So... "Redbeard".

Are we prepared for this?

**Posted by besleybean** September 13, 2016 6:09 pm

Angst, indeed!

**Posted by besleybean** September 13, 2016 6:21 pm

Sorry to reply to my own post, but the thought occurred...does anybody remember on the commentaries(and I can't recall which one it was) where Benedict starts talking about something and then suddenly asks Mark if he's allowed to say and Mark says 'No'.
I mean it could have been about something we've already seen now...
Plus, what was that about Mark accidentally saying something to Benedict?

**Posted by Vhanja** September 13, 2016 6:29 pm

Oh, yes, I remember that dialogue! But can't remember what it was about...

**Posted by SusiGo** September 13, 2016 6:31 pm

besleybean wrote:
Sorry to reply to my own post, but the thought occurred...does anybody remember on the commentaries(and I can't recall which one it was) where Benedict starts talking about something and then suddenly asks Mark if he's allowed to say and Mark says 'No'.
I mean it could have been about something we've already seen now...
Plus, what was that about Mark accidentally saying something to Benedict?

I know for sure that the last one was about series 4. Not sure about the first but I definitely remember Mark saying that he casually told Benedict something about S4 and then went, oh, shit, that was a big spoiler.

**Posted by besleybean** September 13, 2016 6:32 pm

Ah yes, that's right...
@Liberty: do you remember the commentary incident?

**Posted by Rache** September 13, 2016 7:03 pm

Vhanja wrote:
SusiGo wrote:
So I would opt for Sherlock and his personal development. The talk about the show being about a detective and not about the cases makes me believe that Sherlock himself is the Case. His past, his emotional/sexual issues, his demons. I think they will be in the centre of S4.

I agree. From what they've been saying, and from the teaser, that is my impression as well.

So... "Redbeard".

Are we prepared for this?

Yes, that sounds very plausible.
And I believe that we haven't seen Sherlock's heart being burnt out yet...

**Posted by Liberty** September 13, 2016 7:19 pm

@ Besleybean, no, I don't remember - he wasn't in many commentaries, was he? Mark saying something to Benedict was in that little group discussion they did after TAB. Some massive spoiler that he missed (so maybe not that blindingly obvious - ha!).

Susi, I agree, Sherlock's personal development has been a major theme all the way through, and I'm certain that's going to continue and come to the forefront in in S4.

"Redbeard", I think, only first came up in TSOT, so while it's likely to continue (as it was mentioned in TAB), I don't see it as starting from the beginning.

The relationship with Mycroft starts in ASIP (if you don't count the pilot) and has been developed throughout the series, and I think there are strong hints that something's going to happen there too.

Sherlock "choosing to be alone" has been a theme throughout too, and it will be interesting to see where they go with that - whether in a specific sense, or in the more general sense of connecting with humanity.

I feel that "blindingly obvious" is leading us to something more specific from previous episodes, rather then the vague things I've mentioned above, but although I see these themes and others, I don't see anything blindingly obvious to a casual viewer. Maybe I'm taking it too literally. If they've been planning it for years, since the beginning, it's maybe worth looking at ASIP and seeing what's there. There are quite a few things that might or might not be relevant. For instance, Mycroft, of course, the nature of John and Sherlock's relationship, the drugs, Sally's concern about Sherlock's motives, Sherlock's near-suicidal recklessness in pursuit of the solution, etc. But none of those tell us definitely what will happen next.

**Posted by besleybean** September 13, 2016 7:23 pm

Did he lose a twin?!

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** September 13, 2016 7:24 pm

I keep going back to the line about "you know what happened to the other one"

Also is Billy supposed to be a mirror to what could have happened to Sherlock if he didn't get his drug problem somewhat under control? Billy has deductive skills as we know...

**Posted by Vhanja** September 13, 2016 7:34 pm

"The other one" could be a red herring. Because Mycroft could techincally be referring to some other pair of siblings who got emotionally compromised due to sentiment, and something awful happened to them.

But seeing as "Sherringford" is one of the three words, I think it might not be a red herring after all.

I would love to have more backstory about Sherlock - and his relationship with Mycroft. It's one of the most intriguing things about the whole series. However, I hope that doesn't just shove John in the background, keeping him busy as a husband and father, seeing him every now and then in the periphery.

**Posted by besleybean** September 13, 2016 7:36 pm

I am fairly confident we will be getting John back in Baker St...soonish- I hope!

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** September 13, 2016 7:38 pm

I have that feeling too...

**Posted by Vhanja** September 13, 2016 8:05 pm

That would make me so happy. :D

**Posted by besleybean** September 13, 2016 8:06 pm

That would make us all happy...except possibly for how it comes about.

**Posted by Vhanja** September 13, 2016 8:08 pm

Well, I'm CSC (Cynical, Selfish and Cold) - I don't really care much how it comes about, as long as it happens and the two of them are happy/happier than they were in HLV.

**Posted by Liberty** September 13, 2016 8:50 pm

I have a feeling they're going to be unhappy too! Also wondering if the finale will be dark - some awful cliffhanger. As Sherlock was so noble and heroic in S3 (apart from the murder!), perhaps he'll be more morally dubious in S4, for a while, at least.

Last edited by Liberty (September 13, 2016 8:51 pm)

**Posted by besleybean** September 13, 2016 8:52 pm

(Gulp). Hope not!

**Posted by SusiGo** September 13, 2016 9:12 pm

@Vhanja: Well, my bet is that Sherrinford stands for Sherlock's past or another part of his character or identity. Because Sherrinford was the name ACD originally intended for Sherlock, not a brother. As I wrote in the Other One thread - I do not believe in a third Holmes sibling, be it brother or sister.

**Posted by kgreen20** September 14, 2016 1:08 am

besleybean wrote:
I am fairly confident we will be getting John back in Baker St...soonish- I hope!

I do, too, and in addition to Sherlock's backstory, I would so love to see some more backstory on John as well.