BBC’s Sherlock Should Only Return In A Movie Format

As one of the BBC’s most successful ever dramas, Sherlock is a project that is often rumored to be making a return. Whether it be a one-off special or another series, there’s a genuine demand for more Sherlock content due to how popular the show proved to be and its impact at the time.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman played Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in the series, which was star-studded and fast-paced. This made it a refreshing take on the classic stories. However, if Sherlock is to return at some point, it would be better in a movie format.

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Sherlock Should Just Focus On One Gripping Story

If Sherlock were to return as another BBC series, there could be a risk of overthinking it, telling multiple stories in one, and trying to blend legacy characters with new ones. That’s why a movie would be the smartest decision. It would guarantee everything is streamlined and focused on one mystery that Sherlock and Watson can work together to solve. There will be opportunities for nods to the series and fun cameos, but it would also be the next logical step for the show.

BBC did everything that could be done with Sherlock in terms of a television series, which is why it ended. A movie would be a new experience for everyone, which guarantees it will be fresh and not repeat anything that has been done previously. Plus, it would be easy to market and promote in this manner as it would capture a global audience. The series was always fast-paced and filled with great details that made audiences think from start to finish as they tried to work out the mystery alongside the characters. That’s why it naturally lends itself to being a movie, as it could create a gripping and tense story that would have people hooked without worrying about long-term plans beyond itself.

Sherlock’s Actors Are Leading Men

Another big reason why Sherlock should only return as a movie is due to the two leading stars in the series. Cumberbatch and Freeman are proven commodities in the acting world at this stage, having both led major franchises. Cumberbatch is a major star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Strange, while Freeman was the face of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, where he played Bilbo Baggins. While neither man is above working in television, there’s no doubt that they have the star power to take this show to the next level and move it to the big screen.

They’re proven stars who instantly get audiences interested in a project simply by being involved in it. When the show returned in 2014, it drew in BBC’s biggest-ever UK audience, proving that there was a genuine demand for the show and an established fanbase ready to watch the stories unfold. Movies based on the Sherlock Holmes stories have been put on the big screen for years and have often performed well, which is why it wouldn’t necessarily be a major risk to turn Sherlock into a movie.

A Movie Could Wrap Up Sherlock In Style Once And For All

BBC committed to four seasons of Sherlock, which featured three 90-minute episodes and a one-off special episode before it all concluded in 2017. However, it always felt like there was more on the table and something being left behind due to the popularity of the show and the fact the writers and actors all seemed to be in a groove in terms of creating high-quality content. That’s why people want to see it return, but doing so with another series would only lead to further questions about the show continuing to come back.

Putting a Sherlock movie together would not only work as an excellent comeback moment that would service the fans, but it could also act as the ideal way to wrap up the franchise. BBC can announce ahead of time that this is the end, which would instantly raise the stakes of everything that happens too. If Sherlock and Watson find themselves in peril, people would buy into it, wondering whether or not they would be hurt because a movie is more likely to make those big decisions than a television series, where the characters might be needed for a future series.

Sherlock has always had lengthy episodes that have felt like films; therefore, finally, committing to that is what people want to see. It would allow the writing team to create something entertaining and thrilling that would feature enough time to develop the characters and showcase the back-and-forth conversations that people loved, all while putting in enough drama and stakes to make it a compelling movie. It also feels like the fitting way to end Sherlock, being the ideal finish to what has been an incredible project.