Sherlock Update: Comic Con Panel, Cast Messages and An Episode 3 Title
One of the highlights of Comic Con International this year was the first ever panel for super popular mystery series Sherlock – in what, incidentally, was also PBS’s first appearance at the forty-some-year-old convention. The Sherlock panel was – next to perhaps only the 20th anniversary celebration for The X-Files – the convention’s most popular panel that Thursday, with many fans reporting that they camped out for twelve hours or more for a chance to be in the room and see this event.
The panel was moderated by Entertainment Weekly writer James Hibberd, and featured co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, as well as producer Sue Vertue. Moffat, Gatiss and Vertue spent an hour regaling fans with set stories, discussing Series 3 and taking question from the audience. Highlights? They confirmed that star Andrew Scott would be returning briefly in the new season, but stressed that the character of Moriarty is really, most sincerely dead. They (obviously) refused to reveal how Sherlock survived his fall from St. Bart’s, but stated that there are only so many ways that someone could survive plunging off a roof. They went on to add that what fans really want to see is the moment when Sherlock and John are reunited. Moffat called their reunion one of his favorite moments in the show to date, naming it a “showstopper”. They also confirmed that Series 4 of the show is optioned and that everyone involved wants to do it, it’s simply a matter of finding the time when everyone’s schedules work. (Translation: Get ready for another long hiatus, kids.)
Sadly, neither of the series’ stars could be present in San Diego to greet their adoring public, but both Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman sent along video messages for the fans in attendance. If you take nothing else from this post, watch this video, because these clips are both adorable and fantastic.
(It’s possible that Cumberbatch’s bit with the stuffed monkey made my weekend.)
The lucky audience in attendance also got to see a rough clip from Series 3’s second episode, The Sign of Four. The clip was unfinished – and we’ve also sworn not to share much about it – but it looked fantastic. The scene shown dealt with that infamous “wedding” hinted at earlier this year and featured what was probably one of the best scenes between Sherlock and John in the show’s history. You won’t be disappointed. (No, really. Four thousand people were screaming and aww-ing together. It’s that good.)
While the actual panel SDCC panel footage hasn’t made its way online yet, officially, you can watch Team Sherlock’s second Comic Con appearance as part of the The Nerd Machine’s annual “Conversations for a Cause” event. The featured panels are very small – only around 250 people are lucky enough to score tickets t o each – and they offer an opportunity for a solid hour of Q&A based on fan questions and benefit charity. (All proceeds from this year’s Nerd HQ went to Operation Smile.)
Not to be outdone across the pond, however, BBC One also dropped a bombshell of their own - revealing the title of the final episode of Sherlock Series 3 during a rebroadcast of Series 2. The final installment of this season will be called His Last Vow, in an obvious play on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle title His Last Bow. (“Bow” was one of Moffat three early Series 3 teasers as well.) Story details about the finale are vaguer than vague: filming begins on July 29, the episode will be written by Moffat and directed by Nick Hurran. Moffat has repeatedly promised a cliffhanger to rival Series 2’s Reichenbach Fall, so let’s just all start preparing ourselves for that emotional devastation now, shall we?
The return date for Sherlock Series 3 is still unknown, but is assumed to be in the latter half of 2013 for UK viewers and 2014 for the US. We’ll keep you posted.
Are you excited for the new episodes?
