The fourth season of Sherlock premiered January 2017 on PBS, a year after the last special, The Abominable Bride, was released. After three years since the last episode of series three aired, viewers have been awaiting the newest season for a while now, and their wish finally came true.

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     Sherlock, a television show that airs on BBC and PBS, is based off of a series of mysteries, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, centered around detective Sherlock Holmes. With this adaptation taking place in present day, the characters and plot lines are somewhat like the books, but it is a very different and unique outlook than other adaptations of the popular set of stories. The title character is portrayed by critically acclaimed actor Benedict Cumberbatch; and Dr. John Watson is played by Martin Freeman; other actors include Rupert Graves, Andrew Scott, and Louise Brealey playing a wide array of characters (see picture below).

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   The fourth series has revealed the most surprises during the duration of the show and these events have left fans shocked, excited, and confused even. With each season having only a total of three two hour episodes along with the 2016 special, each installment has gotten better and more intense as these surprises are revealed, leaving viewers wanting to watch the next episode immediately. 

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With the introduction of new villains, hidden secrets, and new information that viewers had no idea about, the success of this show is proven once more with this season's release. Fans learn about Sherlock’s untold childhood, which had barely been talked about in previous seasons. One reason this production is successful is that the writers and creators have planned these twists and turns from the start of the show by adding subtle easter eggs hidden in the set and dialogue of the previous episodes.

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   “This season had many scary moments,” says UME junior Ben Coleman, “but it was awesome to see the [dynamic] duo, [Sherlock and Watson,] back in action.” The last episode was the biggest shock of the series yet, and left fans questioning if it was the ending of of the show for good. While those tied to the show have yet to reveal if it will go on, people will hope to see more episodes in the future, and it most definitely will leave us breathless if another season is announced.