Sherlock—Back from the Dead!

Sherlock Season 3
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman
On MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!
January 19, 26, and February 2 at 9:58pm ET on PBS

You can’t keep a dead detective down. Seemingly six feet under at the end of the last series, Sherlock is miraculously back as the acclaimed super-sleuth played by Benedict Cumberbatch (The Fifth Estate, Star Trek Into Darkness) with Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Office UK) as his too-trusting sidekick, Dr. John Watson. The eagerly anticipated Sherlock Season 3 airs on MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! in three exhilarating episodes on Sundays, January 19, 26, and February 2, 2014 at 9:58 pm, following the broadcast of Downton Abbey on PBS (check local listings).

The series is a contemporary reinvention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories by creative team Steven Moffat (Doctor Who) and Mark Gatiss. The writers, cast, and crew have been honored with a Peabody Award, a host of Primetime Emmy® nominations, and many other accolades.

Like viewers, critics have been insatiable. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote: “If the proof of quality is that a show leaves you craving more, Sherlock has quality to burn.” And Daily Variety implored: “…to borrow a line from another famous U.K. author, ‘Please sir, I want some more.’”

Cumberbatch and Freeman are joined by co-star Amanda Abbington (Mr. Selfridge, Case Histories) as Mary Morstan, Dr. Watson’s devoted love interest. Also appearing is Lars Mikkelsen (Borgen, English title: The Killing) as the arch-villain that Sherlock calls “the most dangerous man we’ve ever encountered”—which is saying a lot!

Returning cast members include Rupert Graves (The Forsyte Saga, God on Trial) as D.I. Greg Lestrade, Sherlock’s friend at Scotland Yard; Mark Gatiss (Game of Thrones) as Mycroft, aka “Mike,” the sleuth’s hyper-competitive older brother; Una Stubbs (Till Death Us Do Part) as Mrs. Hudson, the compulsively cheery landlady at 221B Baker Street; and Louise Brealey (Bleak House) as Molly Hooper, the ever-helpful pathologist at St. Bart’s morgue.

One of the mysteries tackled during the new season is how, exactly, Sherlock effected his escape from death at the end of Season 2, when he was apparently spurred to commit suicide by the megalomaniac Moriarty. There were witnesses galore, but as depicted in the first episode, a Sherlock fan club called “The Empty Hearse” has several theories on how their hero pulled it off:

“The Empty Hearse”—Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 9:58 pm ET on PBS
Two years after Sherlock’s “death”, Dr. John Watson has got on with his life. But, with London under threat of a devastating terrorist attack, Sherlock is about to stage his outrageous resurrection. But if he thinks everything will be just as he left it, he’s in for a very big surprise…

“The Sign of Three”—Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 9:58 pm ET on PBS
Sherlock faces his biggest challenge of all – delivering a Best Man’s speech on John’s wedding day. But all isn’t quite as it seems. Mortal danger stalks the reception – and someone might not make it to the happy couple’s first dance. Sherlock must thank the bridesmaids, solve the case and stop a killer.

“His Last Vow”—Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 9:58 pm ET on PBS
A case of stolen letters leads Sherlock Holmes into a long conflict with Charles Augustus Magnussen, the Napoleon of blackmail, and the one man he truly hates. But how do you tackle a foe who knows the personal weakness of every person of importance in the Western world?

Sherlock, Season 3 is a Hartswood West for BBC/Cymru Wales co-production with MASTERPIECE. It was created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, and inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The executive producers are Beryl Vertue, Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE.

MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston. Funding for the series is provided by Viking Cruises and Ralph Lauren Corporation with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust, created to help ensure the series’ future.