On the heels of Benedict Cumberbatch’s surprise Emmy nomination for Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, the BBC just released a first look at the popular miniseries’ upcoming fourth and possibly final season. And what a tease it is, because Martin Freeman’s Dr. John Watson is nowhere to be found in the new image. Instead the titular consulting detective appears to be conversing with a brand new sidekick, and a rather faithful one at that.
The unnamed blood hound pictured with Holmes wasn’t named by BBC News or the official press materials, though the affiliated outlet did recall Holmes’ dog Toby from the books. Toby, of course, was a faithful companion to the world-famous detective who trotted along in The Sign of the Four. Per Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s narrator, Watson, Toby was an “ugly long haired, lop-eared creature, half spaniel and half lurcher, brown and white in colour, with a very clumsy waddling gait.” In other words, the good doctor didn’t really like the dog all that much.
Whether or not the dog pictured turns out to be Toby, or an adapted version of the same canine character, remains to be seen. (Since human actor Toby Jones plays a villain in the second episode, perhaps the particular name wouldn’t be the best choice.) Not that any of these details really matter because he looks like such a good boy!
(Via BBC News)
