Last Updated: 08 January, 2014

(Yes, duckies, I’ve made this post “sticky” again because people are looking for it.)

Note: I’ll be posting the new links and speculation in reverse chronological order (in other words, the newest stuff will be on top once we get to the actual spoilers and speculation).

Right. There’s going to be some updated theorizing and guessing about Sherlock Season 3, but there will also be some definite “spoilers,” if you call sneak peeks at shooting, rumor, and hints by BBCOne spoilers. If so, stop now. If you don’t want spoilers, stop now! We’ll just mention that shooting is definitely underway and being observed in Bristol, in Cheltenham, in London…

If you don’t want Sherlock Season 3 spoilers, you might want to check out another post like this one with some guesses about Sherlock Season 3 or this one for a bit of post-RF fanfic or this one for a bit of video. We’ll wait until you leave the room before we chat about the latest spoilers.

.

.

.

Okay, don’t say your weren’t warned, Sweetie. (Sorry. I seem to be channeling River Song (who I was hoping was going to be the Doctor’s new companion).) There are video clips with Benedict Cumberbatch in full Sherlock regaliafrom some exterior filming below.

Update: 08 Janaury, 2014

Oh, dear, after seeing the trailer for the last episode, His Last Vow, not only am I certain it’s curtains for Mary (and the baby), but I’m rather worried about Molly’s health as well! This is Moffat after all — and he’s killed his allotment of Doctors in the past couple of years! Weeping angels, indeed.

Moffat’s specialty is jerking as many tears as possible and wrenching as much gut as human’s can endure. It also has a number of tells and patterns that he’s demonstrated in Dr. Who through the years, so having given us a the frothy feels of joy and loads of laughs in Sherlock Series/Season 3 episodes 1 and 2, everyone should be prepared to have the boom lowered and the guillotine dropped. I am truly concerned about Molly. The series has been making her more and more a support for Sherlock; think Rory from Dr. Who — and what happened to him — repeatedly. It’s John’s role in the Sherlock universe to be the much wounded but stalwart warrior (Rory again). Magnussen is the cold, clinical psychopath that Scott’s Moriarty was not (Scott’s Moriarty was The Master). And keep in mind that Moffat has had several years to perfect his “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” pathos.

So we know that Mary (and the baby) are toast, the question remains who else are we losing and how painfully.

So keep your tissues handy and be prepared for some genuine horror in “His Last Vow,” sweeties!

Posted: 02 January, 2014

Pay attention to the “goldfish” in Sherlock Series 3, Episode 1, The Empty Hearse. It’s a clue of what’s to come…

No, I’m not going to tell you what all happens. That Would be a Spoiler! Really. You want to watch “The Empty Hearse” and savour its many delights without knowing the libretto. But I do want to bring up a couple of points of interest to observe while watching.

I’m keeping this brief since it’s late but for those who haven’t seen Sherlock Season 3 “The Empty Hearse,” — and for those who planning to re-watch it — pay attention to the scene between Mycroft and Sherlock where Mycroft discusses “goldfish” and the subsequent conversation on “isolation” and Sherlock’s point that the owner of the ugly hat “doesn’t mind being different; doesn’t have to isolated.” (I especially love Sherlock getting a bit of his own back after Buckingham Palace; when Mycroft insists he isn’t lonely, Sherlock replies “How would you know?” and there’s a lovely reaction shot.) All of this discussion of Mycroft’s possible vulnerability through his isolation and “being different” is foreshadowing for Episode 3, “His Last Vow.”  I’d place a sizable wager on it. There is another clue at the very end when we get to see our new villain repeatedly watching Sherlock at the bonfire. (Notice how cleverly I didn’t actually mention things that would spoil it for you? Oh, what the heck. You probably know already. It’s when Sherlock rescues John from the bonfire.) We end with Charles Augustus Magnussen freeze-framing on Sherlock’s face. We’ve already been told that Sherlock Series/Season 3 ends on another cliffhanger and a particularly chilling one at that. My guess is that it’s Mycroft who is endangered by Magnussen in Episode 3 and it has something to do with “goldfish” and “isolation.” Is it possible Mycroft isn’t quite as “isolated” as we believe or does he suddenly become less “isolated?” Either way will be interesting.

Posted: 27 August, 2013

I haven’t posted about the shooting of Episode 3 because, well, there hasn’t been a lot of spoilers, just a lot of shots of the actors entering and leaving places (I’m certain you’ve heard how Benedict Cumberbatch is using the paparazzi to direct people to more pressing and important issues). But not there seems to be a bit of news about not only Episode 3, but Episode 1.

Keep reading to find out why I’m doing the Happy Dance, digging out every guide to London I own, reviewing the words to Auld Lang Syne, and squirreling away every penny I can.

First, let me give some links to some photos:

Contactmusic.com has a nice gallery that starts with Benedict Cumberbatch but includes Martin Freeman looking extraordinarily dapper as Watson.

Lainey Gossip has some shots from actual location shooting of Benedict Cumberbatch as a decidedly less than dapper Sherlock Holmes. According to the article, Sherlock apparently looses his clothes. It does not explain exactly what Martin Freeman as John Watson is doing there, but I’ll assume he’s doing a bit of a rescue. Oh, No They Didn’t has a bit more coverage of the actual shoot and a delightful derp shot of Sherlock in rags.

Meanwhile, Anglophilia has coverage of the mobs at the London filming, as well as the news from the director of episode 1 that we’ve fed false information in the location shots for “The Empty Hearse” (please, please, let it mean that Watson wasn’t hypnotized into believing he saw the fall). See the Youtube clip below.

Now about that Happy Dance…

Sherlock Series 3, Episode 1 UK Target Air Date

A rational and reasonable target UK air date for Sherlock Series of 1 January, 2014 is being touted at Den of Geek among other places. Mind, Sue Vertue has tweeted:

“Not sure where #Sherlock latest rumoured tx date of 01/14 has come from. Not from me as tx date is not yet confirmed.”

As Den of Geek notes, however, this is not a denial like her tweet regarding the IMDB date of 31 October, 2013. And the 1st January date, or at least that week, makes much more sense (Series 2 premiered 1st January) and fits in more comfortably with the previous post-production time necessary after principle shooting.

But it means I can start looking at fulfilling a lifelong desire to spend The Holidays in the UK and see Sherlock Series 3 there as well. Frankly, I’m Not the Fan Who Waits Patiently. Since there was no way I could combine Oxford Holiday Choral performances, Christmas in London (with Panto), Hogmanay in Edinburgh, and Sherlock Series 3 with the 31st October start date, I’d decided to save my shekels for Summer 2014  to enjoy everything from the Sherlock Picnic, the Oxford experience, as much of the UK as I could possible cover in 3-4 months, ending with LonCon3 (the London World Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention). But a 1st January start date does let me justify two flights in 12 months, so I’m starting to marshal my resources and make some preliminary arrangements so I might spring into action very soon. (I may be asking for information and advice soon.)

Meanwhile, I keeping my fingers crossed (and writing more flash fic).

Posted: 29 July, 2013

Sherlock Series 3, Episode 3, titled “His Last Vow,” will feature Lars Mikklesen as Charles Augustus Magnussen, which means the episode will be based in part at least on “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton.” I’m offering 10 to 1 that we see Sherlock awkwardly attempt to court or seduce someone in the episode… Read more below.

Yes! Sniggering already.

Executive producer Sue Vertue has released the above official photo and announced the news that the villain in Sherlock Season 3, Episode 3 will be Charles August Magnussen, an obvious derivation of Charles Augustus Milverton  who was the most repulsive criminal Sherlock Holmes ever battled — and the one who most successfully challenged him!

That’s right, Milverton is right up there with Moriarty in stumping the Great Detective who must resort to deception, breaking and entering, and thievery to successfully retrieve his client’s letters being held for blackmail.

Just in case you don’t remember “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton” (but I’m absolutely certain you’ve read it, yes?), Milverton is a highly successful blackmailer who has ruined the lives and marriages of dozens of people, and threatens dozens more. A total psychopath which no remorse, no regrets, and no feelings of empathy or compassion who makes  it clear that Sherlock Holmes amuses him.

This, of course, is a challenge Sherlock Holmes simply can’t ignore. He’s so desperate and determined to beat Milverton and help his client that he disguises himself as a plumber and gets hired to solve a problem in Milverton’s house and in the process flirts with and courts one of Milverton’s maids leading to Sherlock’s eventual elopement to the young woman and assault by her other suitor. Dr. John Watson is shocked, appalled and highly upset when Sherlock blithely announces that the engagement is unimportant because Sherlock plans to jilt the young woman as soon as he gets the information he needs. Watson has no problem with suggestions of breaking-and-entering Milverton’s house, no problem with suggestions that violence might necessary, no problems with Sherlock duplicitous destruction of much of Milverton’s plumbing while engaged in highly illegal and immoral spying on the man — but Watson goes ballistic at Sherlock’s nonchalance at wooing and unceremoniously dumping a young woman!

As you may have gathered there’s a lot of humour in this story, and given that Steven Moffat stated at San Diego Comic-Con that the series is moving towards a great deal more humour, this was an obvious choice. It’s also one of the “big” stories in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Canon, so we knew Moftiss would want to do it.

The story is not all fun and games though. Not only do we have people committing suicide over Milverton’s blackmail, but the ending is quite grim and it’s one of the occasions where Sherlock Holmes — and Dr. Watson — choose justice over the Law. There are a number of Sherlockians who find the ending a bit uncomfortable. What Steven Moffat is going to do with it will be interesting, since we know a) he is not going to follow the Canon in spirit but not to the letter, and b) he’s already stated the that ending will be a cliffhanger to be resolved in Series 4, Episode 1, similar to the ending of Series 1,” The Great Game.”

By the way, it’s believed that “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton” was inspired by the real life villain, con artist, art swindler, and probable blackmailer, Charles Augustus Howell. The circumstances of Howell’s death was always suspicious. He was found near a pub with his throat slit, and a 10 shilling coin placed in his mouth, symbolic of slander. The conflicting reports state that he was found dead or that he died at the hospital. His cause of death was listed not as murder from having his throat slit, but “pneumonic phthisis” which we now call  Tuberculosis! In his home were found numerous letters by people of position and power, all carefully filed and cataloged, leading to rather a lot of speculation and conjecture about his actual cause of death, his income when alive, and the police investigation — or rather lack of investigation.

So my bet is that Magnussen will have be involved in secrets more important than ordinary blackmail — even beyond embarrassing photographs of certain persons, young female persons, of particular interests to a resident of Buckingham Palace. I can easily see Team Sherlock led by Steven Moffat combining the spy aspects of “His Last Bow” with the machinations of Sherlock Holmes in trying to recover blackmail-worthy secrets  from “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton” — and getting seduction tips from Molly and John!

(And why do I think the secrets are Mycroft’s and he’s the person being blackmailed? I could be wrong, but I’d be willing to risk a bob on it.)

I desperately need an air date for Series 3!

Posted: 23 July, 2013

Well, we now have a title for Season 3, Episode 3: His Last Vow.

We knew the teaser word was “Bow” and pronounced “bow” as in what an actor does during a curtain call or the prow of a ship, so a number of people speculated that the original Sherlock Holmes story, “His Last Bow” would be the basis for the episode plot. This does look likely now.

As I mentioned, Sherlock is going to owe Mycroft some very big favours after Season 2. (In Hounds of Baskerville, when Major Barrymore objects to Sherlock having free run of the lab to trick John Watson, Sherlock tells Barrymore, “It’s what I have…negotiated.”) For those who may not remember the original story, it is Sherlock’s last “case” as a detective and is really a spy story. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson retrieve top secret documents and capture a German spy in 1914 on the eve of World War I. This is also the story in which we discover Sherlock Holmes’ age and year of birth (60 years old, 1854). Note the age.

I seriously doubt that they are going to do the episode with the actors aged by 20-30 years; although given Moftiss’s delight in tweaking the nose of fans, I’m not placing any big bets. But I have other ideas.

There are several advantages, however, to using “His Last Bow” as the base story for the episode:

1. in the original Canon, the stories that appeared after “His Last Bow” were not in any chronological order,
2. given that it’s becoming more and more difficult to coordinate Benedict Cumberbatch’s and Martin Freeman’s schedules at present, breaking the linear chronology gives BBC Sherlock and the writers more freedom in storylines and production,
3. and it would allow Steven Moffat to make the Season 3, Episode 3 more of a spy story than a mystery. (Think “My name is Holmes. Sherlock Holmes.” “221B — License to Sleuth” And if Moftiss isn’t doing this, I bloody well am as fanfic because it’s just too much fun to give a miss.)

We also know that Cumberbatch and Freeman are contracted for a Season 4 and that BBC has optioned a Sherlock Series 4, however, as Executive Producer, Sue Vertue has stated, “We just haven’t figured out when we can do it.”

Which brings us back to point 2 above.

If Vertue, Moffat, Gatiss, Steve Banks (the other writer) and BBC are not committed to a linear chronology for the remaining series and stories, they can toddle on indefinitely making episodes whenever their stars are available. And as much as I hate to bring this up, every A-List star reaches a period of fallow when they shine a little less brightly in Hollywood and are offered less choice parts (Harrison Ford, George Clooney, I could go on). Cumberbatch and Freeman would be able to fill the time between decent scripts with a truly remarkable bit of television (and surely add some more BAFTAs and Emmys to their awards collections) and keep reminding Hollywood why they should be paid very large sums of money.

But one of the other things we know, is that His Last Vow ends with a cliffhanger.

At San Diego Comic Con, Steven Moffat stated :

“You’ll be watching the end of the last episode thinking, ‘They wouldn’t stop it there?! They wouldn’t stop it there?! Oh my God, they wouldn’t stop it there?!'”

As I’ve also discussed elsewhere, we know that, in the original stories, Mary Morstan doesn’t live long after marrying Dr. John Watson. This leads me to suspect that Sherlock’s last vow might very well be to track down the killer of Mary Morstan. I could easily see a mash-up of “His Last Bow” and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service — spies, marriage and murder. Only instead of James Bond’s wife being killed out of revenge shortly after her marriage, it’s Mary Morstan.

Given that Sherlock Season 3, Episode 1 is titled “The Empty Hearse” and quite clearly will deal with the reappearance of Sherlock Holmes and Episode 2 is entitled “The Sign of the Three” and, thanks to the lovely clip Team Sherlock brought to Comic Con, we know does indeed involve John Watson’s wedding (and yes, I’m working on the Bachelor Party story already), I think it’s safe to say that Episode 3 will take it’s baseline story cues from “His Last Bow” and we are likely to see Sherlock doing a bit of spying for Mycroft and a certain person whose ashtray he stole in A Scandal in Belgravia. I also am willing to place a hefty bet that the cliffhanger has something happening to Mary Morstan (either she’s abducted or killed).

Okay, that’s my speculations to date. Let’s see what the tabloids show us once Episode 3, His Last Vow, begins shooting in August.

And if anyone gets a genuine date for broadcasting the series in London, please let me know. I’m trying to determine whether I can swing a trip to London for both the Holidays (and Season 3 Sherlock) and the London Worldcon next summer.

Posted: 28 May, 2013

Right. Sorry about the lengthy delay in updates. Been a bit crazy this spring with double classes, medical whatnots, and all sorts of unexpected visitations. Hope to do better now that things are settling into something of a routine.

First, let’s put paid to those silly rumours that Sherlock Season 3 is airing in the UK in September. Given that BBC America is reporting that Season 3 Episode 2 (Wedding) has just finished shooting, not ruddy likely. Besides, Gatiss and Vertue have both denied the September date on Twitter. Add to this Martin Freeman on the red carpet at BAFTA giving a December or January date (see Hypable post and video clip of the Freeman interview here), and you’ve got me doing the Happy Dance since this matches my earlier estimates and my plans to be in the UK to see the episodes, see London during the Holidays, and Hogmanay in Edinburgh. (Yes, I am still looking at London for the Holidays and LonCon 2014. Yes, I’ve gone totally mad.) Benedict Cumberbatch is reportedly stating that work is being done with PBS on getting simultaneous US and UK air dates, which would put it more likely in January (and while most of the focus is on Star Trek Into Darkness, there is a charming clip from the Graham Norton Show on the related BBC America post).

Speaking of filming Sherlock Season 3, there are some new photos about including the “Coffee Set” on the Daily Mail. While I’m delighted to see that Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman appear to be as coffee addicted as myself, I’m trying to figure out what kind of headphones Freeman has around his neck. (If anyone knows, please post a note in the comments. Thank you!)  Here are some additional links to photos in the UK tabloids. Here’s some fun shots (including Benedict Cumberbatch dressed as Sherlock wearing one of those tall bearskin hats) from filming in front of the former home of the Duke of Wellington with a group of soldiers. And ContactMusic.com has a nice gallery of shots of the Cumberbatch, Freeman et al.

As for the kerfluffle about Benedict Cumberbatch’s premature ejaculation regarding Sherlock Season 4 and attempts by the BBC, Gatiss, Vertue, and Moffat, in particular, to deny that Season 4 is definite — phaffttt! (That’s an attempt at typing a derisive noise.) Clearly Moffat is ticked that Benedict Cumberbatch’s slip of the lip takes some of the torture out of the ending of Season 3 which Moffat has already said was going to be a cliff-hanger. Please. First, Season 1 ended with a cliff-hanger because BBC (and Cumberbatch and Freeman) had already committed to Season 2. Sherlock Season 2 did not end in a cliff-hanger, unlike the original The Final Solution story on which it was based, but instead showed us quite clearly that Sherlock Holmes was still alive. I suspect this was because there was some ambiguity regarding contracts and schedules for Cumberbatch and Freeman at the time. Yes, Sherlock Season 2 did end with the mystery regarding how Sherlock survived the fall, but there was no ambiguity that he did survive while Moriarty didn’t.

So I now believe that the Sherlock fans hoping for a variation on The Adventure of the Three Garridebs are going to get their wish and Season 3 will end with the cliff-hanger of John Watson being shot. 

There. I’ve said it. Let’s face it. Moffat likes to go for the obvious emotional heart-string tugs and killing, or appearing to kill, one of the beloved characters is a standard ploy. I’ll also add that Mary Morstan is going to be killed off. I confess, these obvious plot devices will disappoint me. They are trite and hackneyed and the fact that, if they happen, they were telegraphed so far in advance we could predict them before there is even a glimmer of story available to us makes them diminished. Having said all of this, I’ll be absolutely delighted if we get a twist and, instead of the expected, we get something a bit fresher like Sherlock bowing out (remember, the teaser word for Sherlock Season 3, Episode 3 is “bow”) of Watson’s life with Morstan as the cliff-hanger.

Well, I must go for now. I have a pet to get to the vete’s for thrice weekly treatment and a ton of work to get started, however, I’ll be back later today to add some more material. Promise.

Posted: 16 April, 2013

It seems quite a bit more re-shooting was done for the Sherlock Season 3 Reichenbach Fall Redux than I expected, given the statements last year that the “how done” had already been shot before shooting wrapped for Season 2. Among others spotted at the location shoot was a very dapper Andrew Scott as James Moriarty and an even more dapper Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes.

The Holy Moly site has a gallery of 49 pics highlighting Moriarty and mycroft as well as a shots of John Watson and a mysterious man apparently hypnotizing (?) him and re-setting Watson’s watch. (I am sincerely hoping this isn’t true and it’s something quite different. Firstly because hypnosis really doesn’t work like that and while the watch re-setting might have worked in old 30’s mysteries, John Watson would know something’s wrong as soon as he checked his mobile phone or any of the other ubiquitous time pieces in our digital lives and realized his watch was off.)

There’s more, and different, shots from the Sherlock Season 3 location shooting at Contactmusic.com (why a music site has Season 3 Sherlock photos I won’t ask because frankly I think everyone should be a Sherlock fan). and once more hypnotism is mentioned along with the mysterious man in the big coat who is, apparently, an illusionist named Derren Brown.The Sun has a surprisingly close and lengthy series of images from Martin Freeman as John Watson interacting with the man reported to be Derren Brown, illusionist and magician.

And, of course, the Daily Mail has it’s own series of images covering the event which have a few new angles.

Posted: 14-15 April, 2013

First, here’s the latest photos from location shooting as posted in the British tabloid press. I’m not going to post the images here (okay, I am going to do one because it shows Cumberbatch being incredibly professional and is heart-stopping for his fans and doesn’t spoil anything since it’s a recreation of the plunge from Season 2 Reichenbach Fall).

Apparently, the deerstalker is back and John is being manhandled (Stop It, you Johnlockers! You know what I mean.)

This one has some lovely shots of the Cumberbatch and Freeman smiling at the camera as well as link to a Youtube video of them preparing to shoot a scene in front of 221B. The video captures the insanity of the shoot with all the fans crushing, the police, and the eventual wearing on the cast and crew (Martin Freeman looks decidedly displeased at the fan shooting the video at one point), but there’s also the hilarious moment when it appears that one take is ruined not by fans, but a very loud and unhappy bird (sounds like a gull, but I don’t think they are that close to the Thames, are they?).

Unreality Primetime does a nice bit os summation and speculation about the announcement that Sherlock Season 3, Episode 2 will be titled The Sign of the Three and that Amanda Abbington is playing Mary Morstan with Watson getting married. (Please,oh, please, Moftiss let us the Bachelor Party Sherlock plans for his best friend!)

Over at Hypable you can find a gallery of photos from the 221B location shoot. Mostly it’s Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock in the deerstalk, but there’s an absolutely charming one where’s he making a complete derp face.

And here’s a nice photo of Amanda Abbington and Martin Freeman in “formal attire” (oh, dear Dog, please don’t let Watson get married in a 1970’s powder blue tux! Did no one look at the prom and photo pictures from that era and notice that no one (not even the Pips) actually looks classy in those things?) with short piece about the speculation that the “wedding” in the Moftiss teaser is John Watson’s. (Yes, yes, more of my updated opinion shortly.)

The Daily Star has a nice little piece where folks claim that despite working on the shoot, they still don’t know how Sherlock faked his death. Really? Because…

There’s some lovely photos of the Reichenbach Redux here as well as the Daily Mail’s heavy coverage of the Reichenbach Fall Redux. There’s also some Youtube video of the action as well. 15 April, 2013: Here’s a link to the latest Daily Mail compilation of photos and video including some shots of Benedict Cumberbatch replacing his stunt double on the sidewalk in the Reichenbach Redux location shoot.  I’m sorry, Ms. Vertue, but I just couldn’t resist posting a grab of this photo:

What am I doing? Obviously, John, I’m showing how I used the Mary Poppin’s technique to survive the fall.

Okay, so that should keep you busy for a bit. I’ve got to run and file taxes, but I’ll be back shortly to update my speculations for what we’re going to get in Season 3 based on the new episode titles and hints Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat, and BBC One have dropped (and a large part of the entertainment industry has heart palpitations when they see shots like this of Cumberbatch doing stunts…)

Posted : 28 March, 2013

First, I’ve got a screengrab of a tweet (and some responses) from BBCOne regarding a new cast member we all know and love.

Amanda Abbington! Amanda Abbington! Amanda Abbington is being added to the Sherlock Season 3 cast! Can you say Mary Morstan?

Before I get to some speculating and fantasizing (and glossing over the abusive use of the word “impacts” (meteors “impact”, people “affect”), here are a couple of video clips from folks catching the Sherlock Season 3 location filming Bristol.

Sherlock Season 3 Video Clips

Now somewhere — and this is DEFINITELY A SPOILER ALERT — in one of the quips by someone watching the filming I read that a crew member was being very loose-lips about the scene and the script and said that “John Watson is in the middle” of the bonfire. (Yes, I’ve looked at the various pics of the bonfire which can be found here in the Daily Mail coverage.) Now if you really, really, really want spoilers, here’s a link to someone who was at the Sherlock Season 3 shoot (and got, along with other Sherlock fans present, to be an extra. Lucky girl!) She confirms that a stunt double for Martin Freeman was taken from inside the bonfire and laid out on the grass where he apparently was then replaced by Martin Freeman. John Watson appeared to be injured with blood running down his face. Amanda Abbington is reported to be screaming “John! John!” and to have been called “Mary” during the filming. So it appears that we’re getting Mary Morstan and John’s wedding after all. (Oh, and the bonfire appears to be Guy Fawkes night, November 5th — which means we may get another Christmas episode.)

I confess, I’m utterly delighted that they cast Amanda Abbington as Mary Morstan. It’s always fun when the onscreen romance is played by actors who are married.

Now, of course, if Sherlock Season 3 has John Watson getting married to Mary Morstan than we have a couple of options for the Season 3 episode 3 cliffhanger alluded to by Steven Moffat. And a possible new interpretation for teaser word #3 — “bow.”

“Bow” could stand for “bow out” as in it looks like John Watson is going to “bow out” of Sherlock’s life (or vice versa, depending upon your point of view) and settle down with Mary Morstan and his medical practice. This would certainly be a “cliffhanger” of sorts for the series. How will BBC Sherlock continue without John Watson being driven mad sharing a flat with Sherlock Holmes?

It’s certainly doable. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle managed it in the canon by having John Waston frequently abandoning his patients to the care of another physician while he joined Sherlock Holmes on an adventure. But that would be like Dr. Who when Rory & Pond tried to have a normal life. Someone’s going to end up being the third-wheel in the arrangement.

Of course, another cliffhanger option would be to marry John and Mary, and then pull a James Bond “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” bit where Mary is killed off between Sherlock Season 3 and Sherlock Season 4. Given Steven Moffat’s penchant the last few years for killing likable, and even beloved, characters for the emotional manipulation, I wouldn’t be surprised if this happened. Doyle killed Mary Morstan off in the short period of time between Watson’s wedding and the return of Sherlock Holmes after The Final Problem. This allowed Watson to move back into 221B and continue the Boy’s Own Adventures with his best friend.

So my new guesses for Sherlock Season 3 are:

Option A. We will see John Watson and Mary Morstan get married with a heartbreaking scene or two of John leaving 221B and Sherlock pretending like it’s no big deal.

or

Option B. Sherlock will reveal himself alive to John Watson in The Empty Hearse and Watson will say “Too late. I’ve got a new life, a love, and I’m getting married.” We’ll get lots of Sherlock coping badly in 221B alone with Mrs. Hudson and Mycroft greatly concerned.

In either case, many complications happen that force John back into Sherlock’s activities, but with a certain tension between the two. And then finally, Mary Morstan is killed (granted in the canon she simply “dies” of unspecified causes and without any hint of foul play, but, hey, this Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, they’ve already said they are not sticking too closely to the actual canon except in spirit (and truth be told, in spirit, John Watson wasn’t that upset by his wife’s death; I mean she dies, and that’s pretty much all Watson ever says about it. Life goes on — with Sherlock Holmes!))

First, they give me a cliffhanger ending to Cabin Pressure Season 4 (I seriously wasn’t going to catch it until the same lovely British fan friends who said “You haven’t seen Sherlock? You have to watch it. You’ll love it!” emailed “You haven’t listened to Cabin Pressure yet? It’s brilliant! If you love Sherlock, Pratchett, and Wodehouse, you’ll love Cabin Pressure!” They were right. I’m hooked. I ordered the complete Season 1-3 CD set from the UK and then bought Season 4 on iTunes. But it ended in a way that leaves open the strong possibility that Cumberbatch won’t be doing any more (if there are going to be any more). *sigh*) Then Sherlock Season 1 & 2 ended in cliffhangers (okay, okay, Season 2 wasn’t a cliffhanger, just a mystery about how Sherlock did it), and now we know that Sherlock Season 3 is going to end in a cliffhanger. What’s up with Brits and cliffhangers?

Right. Well, I’ve got to stop for now. I’m heading to NorWesCon tomorrow to spend the day (Thursday). I *am* working on some new fanfic and I’ve been told there may be a new video or two coming in April. Depends upon how taxes go, it seems.

I’m about half way there in my fundraising to head to the UK later this year to see Sherlock Season 3 premiere and spend Christmas in London and then head to Edinburgh for Hogmanay. And then next summer is LonCon3. Woot!

If you want to see my earlier guesses for Sherlock Season 3, check out this post as well.