Whether relieved that BBC's Sherlock might never be revived, assuming that season 5 will go ahead in the future, Sherlock deserves one final 'hurrah' after the disappointing ending that was season 4.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's Sherlock quickly became a sensation. The series was also nominated for multiple awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Performance and numerous Primetime Emmy Awards. Be that as it may, season 4 is frequently ranked the worst of Sherlock's four seasons because of a number of problematic plot devices and many failed character arcs.
Sherlock Deserves To End On A High Note (Sherlock 4 Wasn't That)
Sherlock Season 4 Was Disappointing
Sherlock received exceptionally impressive ratings until its fourth and so-called final season, which saw a disastrously low drop to 54% after its release in 2017. The BBC's dramatized adaption had a successful run, for the most part, thanks to Cumberbatch and Freeman's portrayals of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, as well as the talented ensemble cast that helped expertly adapt Conan O'Doyle's detective into the modern-day world. Unfortunately, the last season made some rather decisive decisions that suggested season 4's attempt to tackle too much undermined many of its strengths.
Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Future Gets Optimistic Response From Producer
Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock future gets a promising response from producer Sue Vertue, who discusses the possibility of a new season.
Rather than focusing on new stories, Sherlock season 4 continued to tease the return of its revered criminal mastermind to continue the ongoing rivalry between Sherlock and Moriarty (Andrew Scott). This was the most anticipated element of season 4, as audiences were eager for Scott's return after Moriarty's death in its second season. Any plausible reasoning for Moriarty's return got lost in execution alongside the barrage of complaints regarding Sherlock's sister, Eurus, and the character arc of Watson after Mary's death.
Sherlock Season 5 Would Allow The Show To Fix Its Past Mistakes
The Show Can Return To Its Previous Formula That Never Fails
In comparison to the balanced pacing of Sherlock's earlier series, the final installment favors an overly intricate plot that feels increasingly rushed. Creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss made the executive decision to stray from the original 1880s canon and reveal Sherlock's estranged sister who had been repressed in Sherlock's memory at the hands of his older brother, Mycroft. It was a poorly constructed plot device and lacked any logical coherence, and the sudden introduction of Eurus into the story was so jarring that it disrupted the audience's immersion in the narrative.
For how good its first two seasons were, Sherlock deserves a better final chapter.
A fifth series could ultimately fix this, as the events following "The Final Problem" reset Sherlock's dynamics back to the beginning, with Mary Morstan no longer in the picture and John living back in 221B with both Sherlock and his new daughter. It would be interesting to see how Sherlock would navigate his repaired relationship with his brother, Mycroft. While there are not many Conan Doyle stories left to be covered, Sherlock could welcome at least one more case in a final season or a movie.
If Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Ever Returns, It Shouldn't Be For Multiple Seasons
Sherlock Should Run For One More Season At Maximum
Similar to most shows in recent years, the continuation of a story that was neatly tied together runs the risk of being unsuccessful. There is a demand for a fifth installment, but Sherlock's seven-year hiatus may be a calculated risk. The complications of season 4 would ratify just one series more, or potentially even one additional special episode, akin to "The Abominable Bride." However, if Moffat and Gatiss chose to move forward in this direction, it would have to be a huge improvement from the bad reception of their third series special.
Although it seems unlikely that everyone's schedule for Sherlock will align with a continuation of the story, there are a few Sherlock Holmes stories that Sherlock season 5 could use. Considering Sherlock's format that commits to feature-length episode runs, it would be wise to narrow down these adventures and utilize them across three episodes, as more than one season would dilute any of the pair's new adventures. For how good its first two seasons were, Sherlock deserves a better final chapter.
- Writers
- Steven Moffat, Steve Thompson, Mark Gatiss
- Franchise(s)
- Sherlock Holmes
- Seasons
- 4
- Streaming Service(s)
- Dis, Netflix
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