The BBC’s Sherlock was a favorite among fans. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes is one of the most recognizable literary characters and has been adapted to all types of media. The BBC version, simply titled Sherlock, was created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, and brought the Great Detective (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his partner John Watson (Martin Freeman) to modern-day London.

Sherlock was praised for its stories and the performances of its main cast, especially Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock himself. The show aired from 2010 to 2017 for four seasons, one mini-episode, and a special episode. While the first two seasons were very well-received, the final seasons weren’t as successful, and the fourth season was heavily criticized. Still, rumors about Sherlock season 5 have been floating around for years, with Gatiss and Moffat giving fans hope from time to time.

However, Sherlock season 5 has not materialized.

The Latest Sherlock Season 5 News
There hasn't been much news regarding Sherlock season 5 in years, but Mark Gatiss' newest TV special, an adaptation of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story Lot No. 249, serves as a prequel to the classic Sherlock Holmes mythos. The ending of the special introduced the young future sleuth and could help set up another Sherlock Holmes TV show set in Conan Doyle's original time period.

This could be bad news for Sherlock because it could make a fifth season unnecessary, or it could actually help the long-awaited new season because it could drum up interest. The sneaky prequel might help revitalize interest in the modernized Sherlock in the years since it went off the air in 2017.

Sherlock Season 5 is Not Confirmed
There has been no concrete movement on Sherlock season 5 since 2017, but because Sherlock Holmes belongs to the public domain, there will always be new adaptations of the character.

There's very little motivating Sherlock season 5, since the actors are busy, there's no more story to tell, and the show has already hit a downward trend. As such, the only real reason for the BBC to keep making Sherlock season 5 would be that Doyle's works are in the public domain, and Sherlock Holmes is, therefore, one of the cheapest IPs on which to base television materials.

Sherlock Season 5 Cast

The initial problem impeding the show back in 2017 when Sherlock season 4 concluded was Cumberbatch and Freeman’s schedules. Their careers took off during Sherlock, and both Freeman and Cumberbatch are now part of the MCU in addition to other massive projects, so it’s understandable that finding a Sherlock season 5 schedule that works for everyone has been difficult. Gatiss, Cumberbatch, and Freeman have all expressed interest at one time or another in Sherlock season 5, but always expressed uncertainty about it actually happening.

Moffat insisted he was still open to reviving Sherlock, but reminded the audience that, at the end of the day, it all depends on Cumberbatch and Freeman’s availability.

Sherlock Season 5 Story Details
One of the biggest questions when talking about Sherlock season 5 is what the main plot of the season could be, and the truth is that there’s little the show could do now, as the detective’s best cases have already been used.

Sherlock season 4 wasn’t a favorite for critics and viewers, but it did one thing right by giving the show a true ending. Though the loose ends were tied up and the partnership of Watson and Holmes was forever cemented, season 5 of Sherlock could still put the dynamic duo through a slew of fascinating modern mysteries. On the other hand, Sherlock season 5 could throw continuity to the wind and simply ignore the season 4 ending.