This series of ‘Sherlock’ has had its share of critics complaining about the whacky twists and turns that have befallen the lead characters, but writer Mark Gatiss is having none of it.
Ahead of last night’s explosive final episode, which saw Sherlock, Watson and Mycroft faced with a series of challenges, some Krypton Factor-esque, some more ethically juggling, by Sherlocks’ errant sibling Eurus, Mark Gatiss disputed the idea that the series had got too clever for its own good.
He said any fans who found the show too complicated should “go read a children’s book”.
“People ask if it’s good to challenge the audience. Of course it f***ing is. Why would you not want to challenge your audience?
“I did a phone-in after the Christmas special a few years ago and someone said [Sherlock] was too complicated for people to follow. I said, ‘Oh, go and pour some warm paste into your mouth.’
“Go and read a children’s book with hard pages if you don’t want to be challenged. We’re making the show we want to make. We don’t make it a certain way because fans are pressuring us.”
However tough they find it to follow, fans will be distraught following the end of Series 4 last night, which the lead actors have hinted could be the last. Benedict Cumberbatch told GQ magazine in an interview last year that there felt something “very, very final” about ‘The Final Problem’ which aired last night, and both writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have said there would need to be a good reason to continue.
Despite this, as recently as last week they told the Radio Times they would consider a fifth series for the super-sleuth and his pal, now fans have discovered what makes Sherlock so special, not as it turns out, his deduction skills, but his compassion and ability to relate to other people.
You can catch up with ‘Sherlock’ Series 4 on BBCiPlayer.