Series 4 Rumors

[John Cartney]

In 2013 for Series 3, I think we knew they would be filming about 3 months in advance (which is pretty good advance notice for getting good airfares).  We also knew that Martin Freeman had to go back to New Zealand for more Hobbit filming in late May.  We scheduled our three week trip so that we would leave London to return to the USA on May 22, which turned out to be one day after they did exterior filming at North Gower Street for The Sign of Three and exterior scenes they previously didn't have time to finish (I believe a car that parked in front of Speedy's had to be towed on the day of the March filming, which delayed their filming that day) for The Empty Hearse.  So we got breakfast and had our luggage put into storage at our London hotel on the morning of the 21st, walked over to North Gower Street and witnessed the filming, then picked up our luggage and took the tube to go to our Heathrow area hotel after filming was completed.  It was an exciting and memorable last day in the UK for us!   If you haven't seen this video link posted by Carol in the Series 3 North Gower Street filming thread, here's a link to a fan video of the filming that day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUFVRMQwqk-B7yVJMDR6pq4g&v=ORWSrG3LisY#t=11 . We are planning to return to the UK to try and witness Series 4 filming after they announce when they will be doing that and Carol said that some other forum members are also going to try to be there.

 

Thanks for that link. Just watched it back and some other setlock footage and I'm amazed how close everyone is allowed to get to the actual filming, looks like a great day out. I'm only a short train journey away from central London so I'll definitely make the effort to see some S4 filming, whenever that may be.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I realize it looks like it in the video, but we were not allowed particularly close.  The gal who shot that footage must've had one honker of a telephoto lens.

 

We started out on the sidewalk on the far side of the street, which was pretty good -- maybe 30 or 40 feet (10 - 12 meters) away.  But before they started filming, they moved us down to the corner (so we wouldn't be reflected in the windows), which was considerably further, more like 100 feet (30 meters).  If you haven't seen my thread with Alex's photos of that day, you might want to check it out, especially the shot or two when Alex forgot to turn his zoom on.  That'll give you a better idea of how far away we were.

 

We could see everything pretty well, but due to the distance it almost felt like I was watching TV.  I had to keep reminding myself that this was live.  I had much more feeling of being there during the setup, when we could get as close as we liked, as long as we didn't interfere.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

If a "source" is to be believed, we may see Series 4 as early as late 2015:

 

“It will not be this year – but 2015 is very much the hope and expectation,” said the source.

 

Even before the last episode was aired it was the question on the lips of many fans, who had to wait two years between the broadcast of series one and two, and two three.

 

You can read the entire Radio Times article here -- though one may wonder just how accurate this could be if the reporter has swallowed Mark Gatiss's claim that "it's always two years," despite the fact that the UK S1-S2 gap was "only" eighteen months.

 

[T.o.b.y]

Thanks, Carol - every spark of hope is appreciated. Although I hardly know whether to hope or fear for series 4... Oh well. It took me less than a month to fall in love with series 3, so I guess I'll like the next too, whenever it's done.

[sherlockandjohn]

We hope we get a chance to meet you there, Sherlockandjohn!

 

Even when they're not filming, a trip to North Gower is lots of fun.  One can take pictures (including a self-portrait at the famous door), get lunch from Speedy's (we recommend the Watson Wrap), and sit at one of the tables out front in nice weather.  It's somehow amazing that the street really looks like that!

 

And there are other location sites in London, especially Bart's Hospital of course, but lots of others as well.  If you'd like a semi-guided tour, we'd love to show you around if we're in town -- or you can do a self-guided tour (as we did) based on Sherlockology's location write-ups.

 

Thank you, Carol, I certainly hope so too! And I will keep your kind offer in mind.

[John Cartney]

Gatiss tells the Radio Times "We're moving closer to getting a date for Sherlock series four".

 

Speaking to RadioTimes.com on the BAFTA red carpet today, Mark Gatiss has said that he and co-creator Steven Moffat have "moved significantly closer to getting a date in the diary for series four."

 

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-05-18/mark-gatiss-were-moving-closer-to-getting-a-date-for-sherlock-series-four

 

 

[Undead Medic]

Gatiss tells the Radio Times "We're moving closer to getting a date for Sherlock series four".

 

Speaking to RadioTimes.com on the BAFTA red carpet today, Mark Gatiss has said that he and co-creator Steven Moffat have "moved significantly closer to getting a date in the diary for series four."

 

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-05-18/mark-gatiss-were-moving-closer-to-getting-a-date-for-sherlock-series-four

 

"Moved significantly closer..." As in "Moved one day closer..."?

 

He's not giving much away is he?

[Pamela]

I didn't see anything we've not heard before.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Well, I hadn't heard "moved significantly closer" before, but I have no idea what it means.

 

Seems to me their best bet would be to find the earliest time slot when everyone's available at once, even if it's not as soon as they'd like -- because if they don't, people will begin to fill that time slot with other things, and then they'll just have to go even further out.  Or as Martin Freeman recently put it, "piss or get off the pot."

 

[Caya]

There's a tweet that points to something being filmed at North Gower Street next Tuesday - just what is anybody's guess, though.

 

It's only a single day's shot, anyway, so maybe something for a documentation or similar.

[Carol the Dabbler]

   Maybe they're coming out with an extended edition of the Series 3 DVD?  With commentaries??  And "Many Happy Returns" included??? 

 

 

 

 

Not exactly holding my breath, though. 

 

 

 

Did anyone ever find out what was being filmed there was last -- what? December?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'm comparing the new sign with Alex's photo of the notices for the "Sign of Three" shoot last May:
 

 
and I'm noticing two things --

 

The upcoming shoot is a longer day (from 7:00 to 19:00 instead of 8:30 to 18:30 -- twelve hours instead of ten), and

 

It covers a slightly wider geographical area (from Drummond St. to Euston Rd., rather than from Drummond St. to Stephenson Way, one extra street).

 

On the other side of the ledger, both shoots are on a Tuesday.  (Are they always on Tuesdays?)  But of course I have absolutely no idea what any of that might mean. 

 

[Alex the Dabbler]

We can follow #setlock on Twitter to find out if anything happens.

[sherlockandjohn]

Hm, intriguing. Yes, commentaries would be very nice, and if they'd use North Gower St. for some background shots, all the better.

[Carol the Dabbler]

My bet would be on some sort of documentary, presumably something that will run on the BBC.  But I'm still curious about that other shoot -- maybe they're connected?

 

[Convict13]

Martin Freeman talks again about that "one off" episode for Christmas 2015?

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10930426/Sherlock-back-for-Christmas-special-says-Martin-Freeman.html

[Carol the Dabbler]

Thanks, Convict13!  That does indeed appear to be a new interview (rather than one of those "replays" that some sites post).  So we've got this:

 

 

 

Freeman told the Telegraph that a period of filming in early 2015 “looks pretty likely”.

 

... and this:

 

 

 

“If that’s going to be a special ... I think that might be for next Christmas. A Christmas special. That’s what I understand,” he said, indicating that a full-blown series is unlikely.

 

So now we're waiting two years per episode? 

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I don't know. He was still keeping it pretty vague.  Nothing definite still.

[Pamela]

I'd rather wait longer for at least three.

[Carol the Dabbler]

A little longer, yeah, if we could get three.  But Fox is right, it's still "if" and "likely" and "might be."

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

From another thread:

 

Some more series 4 rumours, according to digitalspy, are that there could be a Christmas special planned for 2015 (nope, not 2014), and that Mary will presumably be in the show for the foreseeable future, but also presumably die at some point. Martin Freeman is supposed to have said that, but how would he know, and the ones who do, why would they tell us?

 

 

[sfmpco]

news on the one-off today:

 

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Martin-Freeman-Says-Sherlock-Christmas-Special-Works-64998.html

[sfmpco]

I should also add, if the one-off is a Christmas episode, then we should assume that it is at least one year following HLV and the Watson's baby will already be several months old.

 

Someone on that show must really like Christmas because it will be the 3rd episode to have Christmas in it.

[Carol the Dabbler]

More like two years later, or nearly.  She'll probably be walking by then!

 

But both of those articles seem to be merely quoting the Telegraph item that Convict13 linked to yesterday (or earlier today, depending on your time zone), so it's still a string of maybe's.  (And as for Freeman's comments about Mary, he's merely citing canon, so that tells us nothing we didn't already know.)

 

As to why Freeman would be the one to tell us this, I believe someone suggested back in April (when he first mentioned a possible special) that perhaps Moftiss appointed him to run it up the flagpole.  Clever of them, if so -- we can't very well blame him for the news, so he's safe enough, and they can stay hidden in the woodwork till they see how we react.

 

[sfmpco]

Yeah, I was going to amend my post to say probably the child would be 1-1/2 or so.