‘Sherlock’ Season 4 Release Date with Spoilers: Culverton Smith, Moriarty’s Return, the Death of Mary Watson, and no Season 5 Release Date?

Jul 18, 2016 01:41 AM EDT

If you have never watched Sherlock before, then you just should, pure and simple.  The BBC show certainly redefined the mystery genre on television, which has been in dearth for quite a while.  Sherlock Season 4 is planned to be something spectacular with this set photo, as he has a dog!  Also, there is going to be Culverton Smith, the possible return of Moriarty, and the death of Mary Watson.  This is what is known about Sherlock Season 4 Release Date, and how there might not be a Season 5 Release Date

According to CNET, the first photo, presumably from the Sherlock Season 4 set, has Mr. Holmes posing with a bloodhound.  I suppose that the proper caption should be "Sherlock Bones", but I can think of some kids' shows that used this pun. 

What is interesting is how Sherlock's hound is accurate to the original stories from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  In the famed story "The Sign of Four", Dr. Watson states that Sherlock got himself a dog named Toby describing the dog as an "ugly long haired, lop-eared creature, half spaniel and half lurcher, brown and white in color, with a very clumsy waddling gait". 

Speaking about Toby, we have reported before that actor Toby Jones is going to be play Culverton Smith, a villainous character from the 1913 story of "The Adventure of the Dying Detective".  Smith uses tropical diseases to murder his victim, and he murders his own nephew.  Sherlock even receives a spring-loaded box capable of infecting those who opens it with a disease.  This is a bit of a spoiler, but Sherlock fakes being sick so he can capture the bad guy. 

It is believed that Season 4 will have a lot of life and death going on.  For the life part, it is believed that Andrew Scott will be back as Moriarty.  The most famous of Holmes villain certainly looked like he was making a comeback at the end of Season 3, so it is possible that he is alive.  Hey, if Sherlock could beat the reaper, why not his most famous enemy?  They certainly explored that option at length in The Abominable Bride, which surprisingly tied in to the series in spite of its clear Victorian flashback going on.

As for the death, many have suspected that there is going to be some serious tragedy going on, as it is believe that John's wife, Mary, is going to die.  That is something that could end the show as we know it.   

Of course, there are a lot of fans for this show, and it has made stars out of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.  There is a report on the Morning Ledger saying that Steven Moffat gives hints that Season 4 could be the show's last.  The producer stated: "I don't know how long we can keep it going. I'm personally willing but I'm hardly the main draw. I would be moderately surprised if this was the last time we ever made this show. But it absolutely could be." 

So, will be the last time that Holmes and Watson ride?  If so, it sure has been a good ride.  The show will return sometime in 2017, possibly early in the year.  Season 4 will have the typical format of three episodes that are 90 minutes in length, which means that the viewers get a movie trilogy, possibility for the last time.