In the Christmas special that is set in the Victorian period, Sherlock 'operates like a Victorian gentlemen instead of like a posh, rude man,' while 'Watson is a bit more upright.'
- Aug 3, 2015
AceShowbiz - The time period change in "Sherlock" upcoming Christmas special will also affect the characters' behaviors. At the Television Critics Association summer press tour on Saturday, August 1, executive producer Steven Moffat revealed what the difference that fans would notice from the two main characters.
"Sherlock is a little more polished, he operates like a Victorian gentlemen instead of like a posh, rude man," he shared, before adding, "He's a lot less brattish when he's back then and Doctor Watson is a bit more upright."
While details of the plot are still kept under wraps, Moffat did tease, "Ghost stories work better in a Victorian setting. Other than that it's remarkably similar." He, however, reportedly didn't mean real ghosts but implied that the story would be spooky.
When asked why they decided to change the period to when the original books take place, he cheekily replied, "Just because we can. It's a mistake we've been a long time rectifying." The special won't explain the time traveling as Moffat said, "We never bothered explaining what they were doing in modern London, so why bother explaining what they're doing in Victorian London, when that's where they're supposed to be?"
Moffat said he had no interest in doing another classical take on the detective story, saying, "Really this is a one-off unless we go mad and set it in the 1940s and have him fight Hitler."
After the Victorian special, Moffat will be working on season 4 of "Sherlock" that will consist of three episodes and return to modern times. "We go back to doing 'Sherlock' next year unless I'm lying or we change our minds," Moffat said.
Star Benedict Cumberbatch couldn't attend the panel because of his commitment to theater play "Hamlet", but he appeared in a taped video in which he answered some questions that TV critics might ask, including "What Victorian technology will apply to Sherlock's crime solving?" His response to the question was "ear trumpets, and no comment."
