I think that Sherrinford really would appear and that it would be Sherlock´s bad twin. That would explain why they are the same yet all different at the same time.

They were split while still being the babies. Sherrinford grew up in a cellar as Mycroft´s favourite toy.
And that´s why Mrs. Hudson called Mycroft a reptile.

Yes, I posted something about this elsewhere, but Sherringford was either one of the original names for the character of Sherlock (ACD), or Sherlock's brother (Baring-Gould).  So it could be Sherlock himself, maybe something about his past, or it could be the "other one".  I think Sherrinford was older, but I keep coming back to twins because of "it's never twins" in TAB.  To me, that almost sounds as if they're going to make it be twins one day!  And I was thinking Moriarty, or possibly even Mary, but it could be Sherlock.  Another thought I had (although I don't like this one so much), is that Sherrinford is Sherlock's older brother ... Mycroft. 

It sounds as if these three names are the names of the three villains of the three episodes?  Was that confirmed, or am I just speculating?   If it's true, that would make Sherlock, or his evil twin, or Mycroft the villain.  I actually quite like the idea of Sherlock himself being the villain - an internal battle. 

I'm also bearing in mind that Moftiss talked about wish fulfillment and not postponing things - that there was something they really wanted to do that they've decided to put in as the climax to S4, instead of waiting till S5.  I don't know if that give any clues about Sherrinford.   They may have had plans for Sherrinford all along. 

Thatcher is the one I'm stuck with.   I don't feel I have a handle on what's happening in Ep1, what story they are doing.   This is the one with the dog and baby.   Of course Margaret Thatcher sprang to mind, and I think that in the UK, if you say the name "Thatcher", that's the person everyone will think of.   And because there may be flashbacks in every episode, it could be just an era, rather than a villain.   But if the other two are villains, then I'd expect something else. 

Or maybe they're not all villains?   Maybe "Sherrinford" really does just mean a return to the beginning for Sherlock, going back to his creation and alternate routes?  And somebody else (Moriarty, Mary, Mycroft or whoever) is the villain?

About Thatcher - that is really strange because the "retro" scenes are from ep. 2, not. ep. 1. 

Someone had the interesting idea that Sherrinford could be Mycroft's twin, not Sherlock's. 

http://stillgosherlocked.tumblr.com/post/147936217008/ewebie-hubblegleeflower-hubblegleeflower
 

Funnily enough, I was just thinking that too!  As both Sherrinford and Mycroft are older brothers of Sherlock, it would fit with Baring-Gould.  And of course, Sherrinford could still be the elder twin.  And it would explain some oddities, possibly.  Although it wouldn't have the neatness of Sherrinford being Sherlock or Sherlock's twin (ACD's original name for Sherlock).   Mind you, who would call twins Sherlock and Sherrinford?

Thanks, Phantom.  It must have just been my imagination that made them villains, possibly because we know that Culverton Smith is one.   That means "Sherrinford" doesn't have to be evil. 

You could be right about the password, but I'm not so sure - it doesn't feel right to me at the moment.   But definitely, Sherlock looks scared, as he was in THOB.   There is some extreme emotion going on there, and I do think he looks childlike (the trembling lip) and kind of horrified (and on rewatching, I'm going to say "heartbroken" as well, maybe even more than afraid.  It's very intense).   But, I'm associating that scene with Ep2, the one Culverton Smith is in, so maybe Thatcher doesn't apply. 

And good point, Susi, about the Miskin scenes also being from Ep2.  So Thatcher probably doesn't apply to those either.   It seems like Ep1 is the most mysterious at the moment!

Last edited by Liberty (July 25, 2016 10:28 am)

Yes, a lot of speculation about whether Sherlock's faking illness, or if it's drugs and mistaken for illness or illness mistaken for drugs or whatever.   However ... slight spoiler about Culverton Smith ...

a supposedly leaked/photographed snippet of the script had him as a TV presenter, rather than a doctor.  However ... as anything can be mind palace, it may be that he is a doctor in real life and TV presenter in mind palace, or vice versa.  But I'm thinking, just TV presenter, if that script wasn't a fake.   There's also a poster of Toby Jones at a bus-stop in one of the setlock scenes, which suggested he's a TV presenter or perhaps writer rather than a doctor

Last edited by Liberty (July 25, 2016 1:02 pm)

Thatcher was, not literally of course, stabbed in the back. So I think this means we'll see Mycroft fighting for his minor position, for his sake, as much as for Sherlock's. 

Sherrinford, no. But Mycroft might, thanks to Sherlock being a bit too much of an uncertain quantity, suddenly find himself in the range of fire of once loyal allies.

Uhm? Sorry, I don't follow. I was merely speculating upon dangers Mycroft might have to contend with.

What twins?