Keep in mind that Benedict Cumberbatch did say that a season 5 of Sherlock Holmes ‘could’ happen, not necessarily that it would. One big concern at the moment is that both he and Martin Freeman, along with other key characters in the show, are busy with other projects and appear to be fairly booked for a while to come. That could be one big reason why season 5 might be possible but still almost impossible at the same time. Then there’s the idea that the show might have ended the way it needed to, and that any add-ons would be unnecessary at this time. Fans might actually be divided by a thought like this, but the truth of it is that pushing a story past its boundaries isn’t a bad thing, but it can be taken to extremes that might eventually prove to be detrimental to one or more elements of the story. The actors appear ready and willing to come back if they had the time, but even they have to acknowledge the idea that they have other matters to tend to at the moment and need to prioritize what’s more important, especially given that there’s no guarantee that a season 5 would be that well-received. Cumberbatch had this to say about the season via Screenrant:
“I’m the worst person to ask on this because I never say never, obviously. But I don’t know. And I’m the worst person to ask because my slate’s pretty, pretty full at the moment, as is Martin [Freeman, Watson] and all the other key players involved. So, who knows? Maybe one day, if the script’s right. And I say ‘the script,’ maybe it could be a film rather than the series. Who knows? But anyway, not for now.”
It would be interesting to see how Cumberbatch and Watson might match up when making a movie rather than a series, but it stands to reason that since they’ve been so popular on TV that a movie if done just right, would be enough to satisfy a lot of fans. Whether it will happen or not is up in the air at the moment since as Cumberbatch stated he’s always up for it if the script is right, but it’s a matter of scheduling and then deciding whether it’s the right move to be made or not. It could be that by the time it was possible that it wouldn’t be a great idea to bring Sherlock back for a series or a movie. There are plenty of people that would agree that certain trends are wise to pay attention to, and while Sherlock Holmes might be the kind of character that could be used for any occasion, there are times when it might be best to admit that even the famed detective isn’t always as popular at the moment as some might think. His versatility has been tested more than once over the years, as there have been plenty of movies and shows that have taken on the name or have at least included content that is similar to or somehow connected to the original stories.
There are a lot of fans that happen to believe that season 4 ended things in a manner that makes it clear that the show shouldn’t need another season, though of course there are plenty of folks that would beg to differ. The argument over whether to continue a series or not is pretty typical since some people believe that squeezing more out of a story is the best option either because they can’t bear to be without their show or they genuinely think that there are other tales that could be told. While the latter is definitely true the consideration of whether or not the show is still as popular and pulling in the ratings is a big consideration that has to be looked at, and if it is then it might be worth continuing. But if not, then there’s no incentive for those in charge to even worry about it, since trying to continue a show that people aren’t watching is bound to cost too much for too few returns and that’s not what people in show business are all about. The profit that comes from a hit show is what executives want to see, and if that’s not there then it’s bound to happen that another season won’t be forthcoming. It sounds entirely too cynical, but that’s a big part of the business and unfortunately, it’s how things work
There’s nothing to say that this will never happen, but at the moment it’s not going to be happening any time soon. The scheduling wouldn’t allow it since the stars that are needed for the show simply aren’t available. In the years to come, we’ll see what happens no doubt, but for now, it’s best to think that it’s possible, but not right now.
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