Steven Moffat Calls Next SHERLOCK Season an 'Emotional Upheaval'

In an uncharacteristic moment, Steven Moffat has opened up about SHERLOCK Season 4.

The SHERLOCK co-creator told Entertainment Weekly that the long-awaited next season of the BBC drama will surprise fans and bring them to tears.

"There are some answers coming to questions nobody has asked," said Moffat. "We're very exultant about a little thing we've set up that no one is talking about."

At the 2014 Emmys, Moffat had told reporters, "We have a plan to top (last season), and I do think our plan is devastating. We practically reduced our cast to tears by telling them the plan."

Moffat promises that fans will be "desperate for series five" following the conclusion of Season 4. "We're certainly going to put them through the mill. It's going to be more of an emotional upheaval."

SHERLOCK is a British television crime drama that presents a contemporary adaptation of Sir Arthur CONAN Doyle's SHERLOCK Holmes detective stories. Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, it stars Benedict Cumberbatch as SHERLOCK Holmes and Martin Freeman as Doctor John Watson. Nine episodes have been produced, the first three of which were broadcast in 2010. Series two was broadcast in 2012, and a third series was broadcast in 2014. The third series has become the UK's most watched drama series since 2001. SHERLOCK has been sold to over 200 territories. Sue Vertue and Elaine Cameron of Hartswood Films produced the series for the BBC and co-produced it with WGBH Boston for its Masterpiece anthology series on PBS. The series is primarily filmed in Cardiff, Wales. North Gower Street in London is used for exterior shots of Holmes and Watson's 221B Baker Street residence.

Critical reception has been highly positive, with many reviews praising the quality of the writing, performances, and direction. SHERLOCK has been nominated for numerous awards including: BAFTAs, Emmys and Golden Globe, winning several awards across a variety of categories. The show received the most number of wins at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special for Moffat, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Cumberbatch, and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Freeman. In addition, the show was also honoured with a Peabody Award in 2011.

All of the series have been released on DVD and Blu-ray, alongside tie-in editions of selected original CONAN Doyle stories and original soundtrack composed by David Arnold and Michael Price. In January 2014, the show launched its official mobile app called Sherlock: The Network. On 2 July 2014, SHERLOCK was renewed for a fourth series. The three-episode series is to be aired in early 2016, following on from a full-length Christmas 2015 special which went into production in January 2015.