Sherlock Boss Steven Moffat Issues Public Plea to Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman: ‘Please Come Back’ for Season 5
Hey, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman — the ball is officially in your court.
During an appearance Tuesday on BBC’s Today show, Sherlock creator Steven Moffat confirmed that he is game to mount a fifth season of the international smash (broadcast stateside on PBS). In fact, he said he would “start writing tomorrow” if — you knew there’d be an if — Cumberbatch and Freeman agreed to reprise their respective roles as Sherlock and Watson.
“They’re on to bigger and better things,” Moffat acknowledged (per our sister pub Deadline) of the Marvel staples, before adding, tongue-in-cheek: “Martin and Benedict — please come back?”
In November 2021, Cumberbatch told Esquire he is taking a “never say never” approach to a possible Sherlock Season 5.
“I really like that character,” he continued. “It’s just, the circumstances need to be right and I think maybe it’s too soon now to see it have another life. I think, wonderful as it is, it’s had its moment for now. But that’s not to say it wouldn’t have another iteration in the future.”
Freeman, meanwhile, recently said on The Jonathan Ross Show that while he is “a fan of things being finite,” he is also “a sucker for a good idea and a good script… If something comes up that persuades us all — it would have to be us all — then my door would always be open.”
It’s said they just didn’t get along. But, brilliant chemistry for sure. Dudes, give it another go as it was magic! Great writing too!
The actors get along fine with one another. The problem is the BBC can’t afford their rates anymore now that they’re huge. Also, some of the fans got a little too rabid for their taste.
A little too rabid? Lol. That’s the understatement of the year, and we just started 2023.
I hope they have a good story for season 5 otherwise I’m good with it not continuing. Odds seem low that everything will align to allow for a Season 5.
The last season was horrible… I’m not sure they’d come back after that
I stopped watching after the second episode of the final season it was so terrible. Really did not like the whole “Baker Street Boys” with Watson’s wife.
Not trying to cause an argument, just really rubbed me the wrong way. From what my dad said, the finale was awful.
Yeah, once it became the ‘Mary’ show in season 3, I began to lose interest. And like I’ve said before season 4 was a total disaster! That the writers could go from unbelievably fantastic to unbelievably awful in 13 (including the solo Victorian Christmas special) episodes is because Moffat is a bit of a a$$ and he thought he could do anything he wanted and no one would complain. Well, guess what
Yes! Thank you for saying that. The show was brilliant and clever and engaging and all, and the audience responded to it as such. And then Moffat started taking us for granted assuming we’d lap up anything he had to offer. The show became garbage after Sherlock “jumped” off the roof in that season two finale. It was never the same after that. And The Abominable Bride was a campy mess. Sherlock is the perfect example of an excellent show that became a waste of time.
I didn’t care for Abominable Bride either. I’d only watch if they found a way to bring back Moriarty (for real, not the annoying fake outs) and Watson’s wife. Taking them out killed a lot of the fun and dynamic the show had for me.
Moriarty only appeared in one story in the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. He’s mentioned in another. That’s it.
I realize you don’t care, you just want what you want. However, they won’t bring Moriarty back for that reason alone. The same as Irene Adler never returning.
Horrible is probably the best thing that could be said about season 4
I do agree.
I liked it
I would LOVE a season five. And (I know this is really greedy) but if they were going to do it, they should bring back the big guns and find a way to get AS (Moriarty) back on board bc he was the very best (I think the ONLY) good villain that Sherlock faced. Indeed, I personally know of like four ways Jim could have faked that suicide on the top of the hospital and if a random fan knows that, clearly the writers know tons of ways to do it (likely much better than mine).
It’s not greedy, it would only be the right thing to do.
It might not be practically possible for quite a while even IF Cumberbatch might be interested. He’s already signed on for the movie Book of Clarence and is in the middle of trying to adapt a Dahl movie among other projects.
I can only imagine that their return would be cinematic, a pity as we’d all prefere multiple episodes. But the possibility of something large scale, post-Bondian, and unwoke would be refreshing.
Why in the world would either of then return after the betrayal of such an absolute pile of insane sh*t that was season 4?!
I have to say, they waited too long and once Mrs Hudson is gone…Sherlock has fallen. She was so excited to do more and they just acted like there was all the time in the world.
There were things I loved in S4… But it was crap writing mostly do I see why people complained.
John shut with a tranquilizer dart from a ballistic gun was just weak. All the things they thought were so clever were just horrid. Mrs Hudson in any Aston was brilliant! John in a well, the dumbest thing I have ever seen since jumping sharks was coined.
I’d love to see more…like 1 or 2. If 4 its the best they can do…lets just call it good. Wouldn’t be the same without Mrs Hudson anyway.
I for one would love to see Benedict and Martin reprise their roles in Sherlock. Was captivated by the love/ antagonist push/ pull of these two. Was my first time seeing Martin. Have to admit to doing a deep dive into his other projects, was not disappointed at all.
Honestly, I would watch season 5 if there was a good plot and especially if they brought back Moriarty, then I’d like to see Sherlock and John looking after Mary (who would have grown a bit meanwhile).
I was saddened by Martin and Benedict as if my world had ended. Guys, ditch the ridiculous Marvel movies, Baker Street is in danger! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
ABSOLUTELY; Please come back guys! Fantastic writing/scripts, fantastic acting – what’s not to love!
Hmmmmmm!
Interesting!
The music is superb the acting is perfect and I’ve only seen the first episode. I truly hope the actors who are greatly matched, decide to come back – I’m going to continue watching till then!!
Thank you.
Oh that’s a shame if they didn’t get along. I lived in Hollywood many years and it is true though some great shows you’d never know but yes the main characters didn’t get along.
That’s too bad. Probably won’t return then. :(
I hope series 5 airs as soon as possible, they are really breath taking episodes.
I’d love to see a season 5, as I totally enjoyed every episode so far, but I just simply can’t imagine it without the late great Una Stubbs…
Like Sherlock said: “Baker Street without Mrs Hudson?? England would fall.”
Too many explosions.
Too few powerful verbal exchanges.
Too many unbelievable (far-fetched) situations.
Too far away from the tales that inspired this series.
In so few episodes, there is quite a lot of killing off characters and making new ones, without ever exploiting them fully.
Whatever happened to Sherlock’s new assistant Higgins?
The idea of making it 20th Century was simultaneously exploited by the Americans, who also made Dr Watson a woman.
Please COME BACK!!!
Please return! I miss Sherlock and Dr. Watson!
They should come back. Don’t care how great Cumberbach thinks he’s doing now. He was more thrilling & romantic as Sherlock than any thing else I have seen him in. He looked incredibly handsome & his acting was superb. Why stop? Feel the same way about Watson. They will be much more famous if they do more Sherlock. It was one of the best series ever presented. Why end it? Downey Jr is making another Sherlock & he’s a far bigger star. I’m happy Downey is coming back. He had a very unique approach and so does Cumberbach.
I believe that a 5th season would be extremely successful if they expanded the role of Sherlock’s sister. It would be great to see her evolving to a fully functioning person who solves tough cases with Sherlock and Watson.
I absolutely LOVE Sherlock and ALL the actors in this series!!! I have been a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle since childhood and know every story by heart. That said, I found the new stories in this series totally captivating and enjoyable. So many twists and just sheer joy to watch! Please, please, please bring back this series and do some more seasons. Your fans are waiting!