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Comic-Con: Get Your First Look at the 'Sherlock' Christmas Special (Spoiler: It's Funny!)

By Philiana Ng
BBC

The countdown to a brand-new Sherlock officially began on Thursday at Comic-Con, and ETonline was there to bring all you up to speed on our favorite crime-solving duo!

Fans were treated to the very first sneak peek at the first new episode of the upcoming holiday special -- “coming soon-ish” -- and it even addressed (in a tongue-in-cheek way) the incredibly long wait between seasons.

Eighteen months and counting since season three, if you’re curious.

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“I hardly knew myself, Mrs. Hudson,” Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) says in the 82-second clip of the Victorian-era Christmas special, when his landlady queries him about his time away.

“Dismembered country squires are notoriously difficult to schedule,” he notes.

It’ll be a few more months before fans will get to see Sherlock and Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman) reunited again and unfortunately, executive producer Steven Moffat (who booked it to Ballroom 20 in time for the panel after wrapping up Doctor Who in Hall H) doesn’t have a firm date for its return.

“In the next year we hope,” Moffat told the enthusiastic crowd.

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But with Cumberbatch and Freeman’s film careers taking off, it was only a matter of time before Sherlock would make its way to the big screen too. Sure enough, it will.

Moffat announced at the panel that the upcoming special will also be screened internationally in “select theaters.”

And if you wanted any intel on the other season four episodes, you’re tough out of luck.

Moffat admitted he hasn’t started writing the three episodes yet, but he does have a blueprint of what he wants to accomplish, promising – and brace yourselves – that season four will “sucker punch you into emotional devastation.”

Though Cumberbatch, Freeman, Mark Gatiss or Andrew Scott weren’t present at the panel, they did film an adorable video message apologizing for their absence. You can watch that below.

Following along as we bring you the highlights from the hourlong conversation with Moffat, executive producer Sue Vertue and cast member Rupert Graves.

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