The hit BBC series "Sherlock" won't be back until 2016, but fans of the show will revel in the announced Christmas Special that is now confirmed to be set in Victorian-era London.
The network released a single photo in 2014 that shows Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, respectively, dressed in Victorian clothing. Unofficial photos also show the duo being filmed in the aforementioned costumes.
Fans have since speculated that if it is set in the past, there could either be an element of time travel or it is just for show. Some surmised it to be a dream sequence, while others guessed that the detective duo need to play dress-up in order to solve a case.
Now, in a report by Entertainment Weekly, "Sherlock" executive producer Steven Moffat stated it would be a historical piece set in the past, and that the events of the special would not be connected to the regular three-episode series.
Moffat told EW prior to his appearance at the SXSW panel, "The special is its own thing. We wouldn't have done the story we're doing, and the way we're doing it, if we didn't have this special. It's not part of the run of three episodes. So we had this to do it — as we could hardly conceal — it's Victorian."
BBC has not yet announced an official release date for the Christmas special, but judging from the schedule of previous "Sherlock" specials, it is expected to air on Christmas Eve. Filming for the special began on Jan. 5 and wrapped up on Feb. 10.
Season 4/ Series 4 of the show will then continue sometime in early 2016, and it is speculated to once again focus on series antagonist, Moriarty, played by Andrew Scott.
