BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / How long do you think the series will go on for?

**Posted by BrettHolmes** May 26, 2014 10:35 pm

There has been some speculation that this next season will be the last. Personally I hope not. I don’t think that any TV show should end after just four seasons and only twelve episodes. I can understand if they decide to end it after six seasons but anything lower would seem too early to me. Still, how long the show continues for will depend on how much Ben and Martin are committed to it. Considering that they have become stars very quickly, I’m worried they both might ditch “Sherlock” to do something else.

Anyway that’s just my take.

Last edited by BrettHolmes (May 27, 2014 1:29 pm)

**Posted by tonnaree** May 26, 2014 11:05 pm

Anything is possible but I don't think 4 will be the last simply because Steven and Mark have told us they already have 4 AND 5 plotted yet,

**Posted by Tinks** May 27, 2014 7:54 am

I wouldn't be shocked if it ended after season 4, but I think season 5 might be the last.
I don't just think it's about the Actors' commitment to it, but the writers' enthusiasm for it.
And I don't think the approach to the filming and writing of it - three episodes every two years - is sustainable indefinitely.

**Posted by nakahara** May 27, 2014 10:17 am

It´s a pity BBC didn´t decide to make Sherlock a series with more episodes a season (for examples 5 and not just 3) despite it being a very successful TV show.

**Posted by saturnR** May 27, 2014 12:23 pm

I wish they'd ended on Series 3 to be honest. Everyone acknowledges series 2 to be the best quality & after what we've seen from Series 3, you can tell that the series has already peaked.

I like good shows to have less not more. One of the reasons why British shows are so much more enjoyable than American shows is because they are so scarce & rare. If you keep making them, you will not be able to reproduce the initial excitement sustained over the first 2 series.

However having said that, anything Steven & Mark come up with will be infinitely better than the Downey films (even though I love him & Jude, the plot in those films is just too ridiculous - doesn't stop me from watching them though ).

Last edited by saturnR (May 27, 2014 12:23 pm)

**Posted by nakahara** May 27, 2014 7:33 pm

saturnR wrote:
I wish they'd ended on Series 3 to be honest.

No, no, no! Too many things remained unresolved in S3! I would hate it if such a morbidly dark episode as HLV was the last one. I hope Sherlock would end on a lighter note than this. And it would be devastating if the last scene of John and Sherlock together was really that scene on the tarmac. It would feel like a half-cooked dinner or the half brewed tea - no satisfactory ending, just a sudden hard cut.

Personally, I hope that there would be at least 3 more episodes, in which John would acknowledges Sherlock frienship and self-sacrifice finally and in which the fate of other characters (like Lestrade, Molly, Mycroft and Mrs. Hudson) would be explained in some way.

**Posted by Marta** May 27, 2014 11:17 pm

nakahara wrote:
saturnR wrote:
I wish they'd ended on Series 3 to be honest.
No, no, no! Too many things remained unresolved in S3! I would hate it if such a morbidly dark episode as HLV was the last one. I hope Sherlock would end on a lighter note than this. And it would be devastating if the last scene of John and Sherlock together was really that scene on the tarmac. It would feel like a half-cooked dinner or the half brewed tea - no satisfactory ending, just a sudden hard cut.

Personally, I hope that there would be at least 3 more episodes, in which John would acknowledges Sherlock frienship and self-sacrifice finally and in which the fate of other characters (like Lestrade, Molly, Mycroft and Mrs. Hudson) would be explained in some way.

I can't agree more. Season 4 just has to happen.
And for Sherlock, there is no such thing as enough but five seasons sound good to me.

**Posted by maryagrawatson** May 27, 2014 11:27 pm

Call me pessimistic, but I seriously doubt we're going to get any more Sherlock. I just have a bad feeling about season 4, not with Ben and Martin's schedules. I've read a couple of Martin interviews and he doesn't sound too keen to get on with it. If we get a fourth, I highly doubt there will be a fifth, unless they're smart and do them back to back while everyone is together.

If series three had ended with the plane taking off, I would have sighed happily and considered a fourth season a bonus. It would have been the perfect ending for the series and in keeping with the growth of the characters; Sherlock heading into exile and certain death because of his sacrifice for John and his family, John healed of his demons and facing a happy future, Mary as safe as she can be, Mycroft and Sherlock finally on equal terms.

It would have been a sad, sad ending to know that as John and Mary celebrate the birth of their daughter, Sherlock is back in Eastern Europe and likely being tortured again, but there would have been a sense of real closure and I could have forgiven everyone involved for ending it there.

But they just had to bring the spectre of Moriarty back, didn't they?

Mary

**Posted by tonnaree** May 28, 2014 12:02 am

I honestly do not see where all the doubt about Series 4 is coming from. Nothing I have read or heard from the principal players leads me to believe they don't want to do it.

**Posted by BrettHolmes** May 28, 2014 12:29 am

Well I do remember reading this
http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/sherlock_season_4_benedict_cumberbatch_says_it_might_not_happen-2014-04

and there was an article that came out on why it should end with Season 4
http://whatculture.com/tv/4-reasons-sherlock-end-season-4.php

**Posted by maryagrawatson** May 28, 2014 12:56 am

Those articles plus Martin's not particularly enthusiastic "piss or get off the pot" are what's making me nervous.

Mary

**Posted by tonnaree** May 28, 2014 1:03 am

BrettHolmes wrote:
Well I do remember reading this
http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/sherlock_season_4_benedict_cumberbatch_says_it_might_not_happen-2014-04

and there was an article that came out on why it should end with Season 4
http://whatculture.com/tv/4-reasons-sherlock-end-season-4.php

Ok. Here's how I see it. The first article is something we've all seen before. None of the main players can say "Yes, absolutely there is going to be a Series 4" until the BBC tells them they can. And the BBC is slow. However, I do not see the BBC not doing at least one more series of a show that has brought them so much prestige and money.

The second article is simply opinion and we all know what's said about opinions................

**Posted by maryagrawatson** May 28, 2014 1:19 am

But the first article came after a lot of 'oh, yeah, season 4 is in the works' talk. It just feels like an about face.

Mary

**Posted by saturnR** May 28, 2014 2:11 am

tonnaree wrote:
I honestly do not see where all the doubt about Series 4 is coming from. Nothing I have read or heard from the principal players leads me to believe they don't want to do it.

I don't think there's been any doubt. I just think personally from a creative point of view: less is more = I would prefer for them to end on a high & not keep on making more shows (which dilutes the quality of the program overall in my opinion); but if they do make more shows, I'm definitely going to keep watching it

**Posted by Tinks** May 28, 2014 5:10 am

Gosh, I'd have been furious if they'd ended it for good with Sherlock actually going off to get killed and that Tarmac scene being his and John's goodbye!!
I won't be much happier if that supposed reappearance of Moriarty is the final scene, either!
Personally, I think Benedict's growing hair might be testament to the fact that there will be a season 4.
I don't know the context of Martin's comment, and Benedict may just have become tired of being asked, he may have said it for effect, or he may be tired of waiting for a date himself! Who knows?!
I must be honest, I do find the laid back approach relating to making new episodes that they all present to the public sometimes, slightly annoying.
I'm not asking them to commit to dates they don't have but sometimes they all act almost as if it's a pain that viewers want more!!
This is the reason why I don't think it will go beyond 5 - I don't feel that anyone involved is that committed to going on any longer.

**Posted by nakahara** May 28, 2014 6:42 am

BBC already destroyed one of their series, Merlin, with an awfully downer ending.
Don´t make them repeat this with Sherlock too!

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** May 28, 2014 6:45 am

I would love if this would go on for decades... but I have a nagging feeling series 4 might be the last and then a special one day...

I do hope I'm wrong though

**Posted by nakahara** May 28, 2014 7:31 am

This article sees the future of "Sherlock" in a more favourable light:

http://www.latintimes.com/sherlock-season-4-air-date-plus-7-leaked-details-about-new-season-171551

They even speak about Season 6.

**Posted by nakahara** May 28, 2014 7:48 am

This article is quite recent:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/sherlock-season-4-mark-gatiss-confirms-drama-will-return-as-series-not-oneoff-special-9401516.html

**Posted by Tinks** May 28, 2014 7:51 am

I have to say, though, some of the "spoilers" in the first one you linked to, made my heart sink a bit!