The long awaited next season of Sherlock is coming – finally. BBC sure knows how to leave the fans wanting more. For them, the time between the last season in 2014 and the one soon to be coming felt like forever, although there was the surprising festive special ‘The Abominable Bride’ released on New Year’s Day 2016. Not quite enough to satisfy the thirst of the Sherlock fandom, but enough to cheer them up a little.

Now the waiting has an end: On New Year’s Day 2017, one year later, the next episode, which will be titled ‘The Six Thatchers’, airs on BBC One. The return of the consulting detective and his assistant was confirmed with a surprising trailer. And now, with the next episode only a moth away, a new mysterious teaser was released, showing Sherlock and Watson sitting in 221B Baker Street with the caption ‘It’s not a game anymore’ – Let the speculations begin!

Therefore, the next season can be expected to be rather dark in comparison to the much lighter third season. BBC called the fourth season to be a “devastating emotional upheaval.”

It will revolve around the title character “back once more on British soil as Doctor Watson and his wife, Mary, prepare for their biggest ever challenge – becoming parents for the first time”, the BBC revealed.

The trailer, which also seemed pretty dark, starts with Moriarty’s “Did you miss me?,” the cliff-hanger from the previous season. Mrs. Hudson tells Sherlock “Get out of my house, you reptile,” as well as Sherlock himself says ominously “Something’s coming. Maybe it’s Moriarty, maybe it’s not.” This sure leaves room for theories from the fan’s side. Along with Cumberbatch & co there will be a new villain played by Toby Jones who can be expected to be “diabolical”.

Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch hinted that this season could be the last season of Sherlock saying “It might be the end of an era” but at the same time leaving hope for the fans: “We never say never in the show.”