BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / What is the Special about? (Spoilers)

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** February 10, 2015 7:47 pm

We've all seen the spoilers and the wonderful setlock pics. So now it's time to put your deductive skills to the test. I want your best game...what is the full storyline of the Sherlock Special? (Or, your theory on a potential storyline).

**Posted by Yitzock** May 6, 2015 9:30 pm

Well, even though it's been three months since this topic was posted, I think I'll give it a go:
We already know that it's set in Victorian England, I'm going to assume London. I've seen photos of Mary, so I'm guessing that Watson (not calling him John because they might not if it's Victorian, like in the original texts) has at least already met her if not already gotten married to her as well. Mary may or may not like Watson's moustache. I've seen some photos with it and some photos without it, so I don't know whether we'll have a Victorian version of him eventually shaving it off when he gets made fun of or whether certain photos were just before he put the moustache on for the day. But either way I think we'll get comments from Sherlock about it.

As far as the plot, all I can tell is that maybe the murderer is a woman who was recently married, or at least is posing as a bride, but it appears that she kills herself. I'm guessing that she kills herself because she can't face the punishment, even though she's not sorry for what she did, so maybe revenge was a motive. Either she's the murderer or she's part of a string of murderers. That's all I can guess for now.

**Posted by SusiGo** May 6, 2015 9:42 pm

Mark has confirmed that it will be set in 1895 and that the year is important. On the one hand it was mentioned as the best period in Holmes' career, on the other hand we have the trial against Oscar Wilde.

**Posted by Yitzock** June 20, 2015 6:41 pm

I never realized that both of those were in the same year! That could be interesting.
I doubt this is related at all to Benedict's non-Sherlock career, but I find it puzzling that Wilde and Alan Turing were both convicted under the same law (Gross Indecency) and yet while both are recognized as great minds only Turing was pardoned. Sure, Turing deserved it, but why would Wilde not be granted that as well? Sure, it's posthumous and too little too late in both cases, but still puzzling to me. Don't think they'll implicate that in Sherlock though.
I do wonder, however, whether that case will be in the background and how prevelent it will be to the story that we get in the special, whether it will be affecting to the person who commits the crime in whatever mystery they will be trying to solve.

**Posted by SusiGo** June 20, 2015 6:49 pm

Interesting question, Yitzock. I have no idea if it has ever been tried to pardon Wilde. He would have deserved it as do all men ever convicted under this terrible law.

**Posted by Yitzock** June 20, 2015 6:50 pm

Yes, I would agree. I haven't checked on whether the rest of those convicted have been pardonned, as was demanded by Benedict and many others, but as far as I know Turing is still the only one. And it's surprising that he's the only one.

**Posted by Whisky** June 21, 2015 2:42 pm

I thought the Special could be a mirror story to what we already have seen. Like a victorian short version of his best cases. With added stuff and some changes of course, but plot-wise recognizable.

Last edited by Whisky (June 21, 2015 2:43 pm)

**Posted by tonnaree** June 21, 2015 2:47 pm

Whisky wrote:
I thought the Special could be a mirror story to what we already have seen. Like a victorian short version of his best cases. With added stuff and some changes of course, but plot-wise recognizable.

That's the idea I get also Whisky, considering what we have seen of setlock..

**Posted by Whisky** June 23, 2015 10:14 am

I'm not sure about the whole storyline, but I guess it will start with a blue box and time travel. Then there will be lots of victorian era Sherlock stuff (with no Dr. Who in there) and in the end: Sherlock and John hurry into the Tardis, tadaaa... and we're back in the 21st century.

It's what I would do if I didn't want to do a crossover, but still wanted to satisfy fans. A nice little hint. Like the Sherlock-Moriarty kiss. If they serve the fans desires, I wish it would be done that way in the Special!!! (No fan of a complete Wholock episode at all)

Ok, now I'll stop dreaming. (They could still do this after the main filming is done. They could add it anytime. They could add it right now. Someone pls tell them how lovely that would be?^^)

**Posted by SolarSystem** June 23, 2015 10:29 am

Charming idea, Whisky. I'd love to see Sherlock and John step into the TARDIS one day, but I'm afraid that will never happen. Unless of course one day they should decide to make a cross-over Christmas Special...

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** June 23, 2015 2:01 pm

Stamford is in it too, and there's a scene set at the Criterion, so it could be a traditional version of Study In Scarlet in some aspects, maybe mixed with a bit of Sign Of Four.

**Posted by the_dancing_woman** July 13, 2015 5:51 am

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
Stamford is in it too, and there's a scene set at the Criterion, so it could be a traditional version of Study In Scarlet in some aspects, maybe mixed with a bit of Sign Of Four.

I would very much welcome that!!

**Posted by SusiGo** September 13, 2015 11:28 am

Some interesting thoughts about the shooting bride:

http://gosherlocked.tumblr.com/post/128985056836/marymoriartymoran-and-the-victorian-bride

**Posted by tonnaree** September 13, 2015 3:18 pm

Keep an eye out for new magazine. Posting here instead of the media thread because the first issue will feature informaiton on the special.

http://www.foxtv.co.uk/contests/win-a-subscription-to-crime-scene/play

**Posted by Yitzock** September 13, 2015 3:37 pm

Hopefully th article will be online so that I can read it.

**Posted by SusiGo** September 13, 2015 4:05 pm

Looks very interesting.

**Posted by ukaunz** October 7, 2015 10:55 pm

So we have a few more clues now that the trailer is out, and there is a partially completed cast list on IMDB. Here a few I picked up.

- We see men in pointy hats, fairly likely to be KKK members, this could point to the ACD story The Five Orange Pips (FOP)
- "The stage is set, the curtain rises". Sherlock says "the curtain rises" in TGG in reference to the pips Moriarty sends him
- "You promised to keep him safe". Someone has been threatened. Again, this could fit with FOP
- "We all have a past... ghosts" Again, this fits with FOP (characters involved with the KKK in their past)
- "Every great cause has martyrs, every war has suicide missions"... still fits
- One member of the cast is simply listed as "Actrolyte". Sounds cultish to me.
- "Why are you doing this? Tell me who you are!" I can easily picture this scene as part of the FOP story
- According to IMDB there is a character called "Ricoletti". There's an untold case referenced in The Musgrave Ritual ("Ricoletti of the club foot and his abominable wife."). There may be more than one case going on, as is usual in most episodes.
- Mary is still Mary Morstan and wears black in mourning for her dead father. I think we'll get a bit of backstory for her, i.e. some Sign of Four references. There is an Indian Reporter listed in the cast, so perhaps he's there to report on the Agra treasure.

**Posted by Solenn** October 8, 2015 3:27 am

Isn't Ricolleti the guy in TRF wanted by the police since 1982 and found by Sherlock? Thats were he was given the hat btw 😅

**Posted by La Jolie** October 8, 2015 8:05 am

Yes, I thought "Ricoletti" had already been used... strange to find the name listed on IMDB. But then, IMDB is not always terribly up to date.

Good catch about Five Orange Pips, ukaunz...

I was wondering what ACD references there might be, but honestly, I can't see any in the newest trailer. On the contrary. It looks like a piece of fanfic based off the Guy Ritchie movies, to me. With, dare I say it, both a Holmes and a Watson that look much WORSE than those over there...

I think I'd be much happier about this if there actually was any real ACD in it. Ideas, anyone?

Last edited by La Jolie (October 8, 2015 8:10 am)

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** October 8, 2015 10:30 am

I'm sure it will be littered with ACD references as per usual, but whether it's actuall based on a real case or not is anyone's guess...although didn't Moffat and Gatiss say quite recently that there was a lot of ACD they were unable to use in the modern setting because ghost stories and the like just didn't work in this century, but they worked a lot better in Victorian times?