Martin Freeman knows a thing or two about obsessive fans. Between The Hobbit, The Office and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the English actor has frolicked in a glut of places where devoted fans come armed with strong opinions. Freeman’s work on Sherlock may be the most obsessed over of them all and Freeman admitted in a recent interview that the demands have drained a lot of the fun out of making the BBC series.
Freeman addressed the subject in an interview with The Telegraph that published on Friday. Asked if a new season of Sherlock was on its way, Freeman noted that there hasn’t been much in a way of talks for the fifth season and says personally the response to the program is part of the reason why he hasn’t pushed for a speedy return.
“To be absolutely honest, it [was] kind of impossible,” he explained. “Sherlock became the animal that it became immediately. Whereas even with The Office, it was a slow burn. But Sherlock was frankly notably high quality from the outset. And when you start [that high] it’s pretty hard to maintain that.
“Being in that show, it is a mini-Beatles thing,” he concluded. “People’s expectations, some of it’s not fun anymore. It’s not a thing to be enjoyed, it’s a thing of: ‘You better f*cking do this, otherwise, you’re a c*nt.’ That’s not fun anymore.”
It’s hard not to sympathize with that viewpoint. No one likes to be yelled at because they’re not bringing a bit of art people like fast enough. The door hasn’t closed on more Sherlock, but consider this a reminder to play nice with the people making that thing you like.
(Via The Telegraph & Entertainment Weekly)