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The Abominable Bride is the first new episode of BBC1’s Sherlock since series 3 ended in mid-January 2014, and the BBFC have, today, awarded the episode a 15-certificate ahead of its DVD release on January 11th 2016. As always, the drama stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr John Watson. There’s no details yet given on the BBFC website as to why it’s a 15-cert, but the programme is often dark in tone, so you’d think it’s to be expected. However, the boxset for the first three series is only a 12-certificate.
Series 4 isn’t due until early 2017 – well, both BenCum and Freeman are busy men – and this special episode has been expected since July last year when showrunner Steven Moffat confirmed it would be set in Victorian London adding, “The special is its own thing. We wouldn’t have done the story we’re doing, and the way we’re doing it, if we didn’t have this special. It’s not part of the run of three episodes. So we had this to do it… It’s kind of in its own little bubble.”
This episode is also airing on PBS on the same day as BBC1 is screening it.
As for the title, it’s based on the quote: “Ricoletti of the club foot and his abominable wife”, referring to a case mentioned by Watson in the original series, but it wasn’t a case written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The Abominable Bride also stars Amanda Abbington and airs on BBC1 on January 1st 2016, but fans can also go and see it on the same day in the cinema (booking opens next Monday – November 2nd), and there you’ll be able to watch additional material, such as a guided tour of 221B Baker Street from Moffat, plus a behind-the-scenes look at how the episode was made, featuring the lead cast and crew.
You can see the BBFC decision on Sherlock: The Abominable Bride here, and pre-order the DVD here.
Check out the trailer below and click on the above image for the full-size version:
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