It was clear that the BBC show Sherlock had a lot of things working against it and for it at the same time.  Sherlock is a show about Holmes and Watson, but it put them in a modern setting, not to be confused with CBS Elementary.  The premise alone could have killed this show, but it was well-received, and most of it had to do with Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of the legendary detective in a modern-day setting.  Fans cannot wait for a Season 4, and this Christmas will bring a special gift of a holiday special.  Here is the latest Sherlock Season 4 and Victorian Christmas Special Release Date and News. 

A recent trailer for the new Sherlock Christmas special shows both Holmes and Watson in their original source material setting of Victorian England.  Instead of the world of mobile phones and cars that made the original three seasons of the show so intriguing, there will be horse-drawn buggies and all the advancements (and lack thereof) of the nineteenth century.  Not only that, Benedict Cumberbatch is going to be brandishing the trademark coat, hat, and pipe for no reason other than he's Sherlock Holmes.  Holmes (Martin Freeman) will have an extremely burly mustache, and it is reported that the Moriarty plotline will be dealt with in this special. 

So why is this version of Holmes and Watson back in Victorian times instead of their regular modern setting?  According to the International Business Times, there is actually no explanation on why this is happening.  Does this holiday special even take place in the same continuity as the series?  That doesn't seem possible, but CNET happened to notice that Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington aka Mrs. Watson) is on the special, so it looks like a Holmes and Watson story set in some parallel timeline, again. 

It is reported from the Latin Times that Season 4 will be darker, as is visible with the Victorian holiday special with minimal lighting.  There are also reports that a "legendary story to be re-told", but it is not known which one.  There are rumors that Mrs. Watson might die, but that won't be confirmed until that episode airs.  Considering that Sherlock is following the stories of the legendary Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, that is certainly possible. 

There is also news that Lara Pulver might return to reprise her role as Irene Adler, and the love interest tease to Holmes will continue to draw interest from fans of the show for sure.  It is known that Janine, another love interest for Sherlock, will be making a return. 

There has been reports that Tom Hiddleston, who is now famous for playing Loki in Marvel's Thor and Avengers films, will be joining the cast, and he could be playing another brother of Sherlock. 

The Victorian Sherlock Special is a definite holiday gift to fans, and it will be arriving on Christmas Day 2015 on TV and will even have some theatrical releases, but so far there isn't any actual Release Date.  The same goes for Sherlock Season 4 other than sometimes in 2016.