'Sherlock' special trailer, release date & season 4 news: watch Sherlock and Watson in trailer for 'The Abominable Bride'

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Nov 09, 2015 06:34 AM EST

Watch the teaser below for the special episode titled "The Abominable Bride" which will be broadcast on Jan. 1, 2016.

The 26-second trailer of the holiday special shows the "first meeting" of Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman).

While a mutual friend introduces the two to each other, Sherlock quickly tosses his cane to Watson which the latter successfully caught.

Sherlock seemingly pleased by his new colleague's reflexes, said: "Excellent reflexes. You'll do."

In another scene, Watson tells Sherlock: "I'm an army doctor which means I can break every bone in your body while naming them."

The special episode will be released on Jan. 1, 2016 in the UK and the US. It will also be available for viewing on the big screen where the theatrical version will have 20 more minutes of additional footage.

Plot details about the episode are scarce but Business Standard reports that it will be set in gothic 19th century London. The site also revealed that executive producer Steven Moffat said that there might be ghosts involved: "Ghost stories work better in a Victorian setting. Other than that it's remarkably similar."

According to Christian Post, the special is based on "The Adventure Of The Musgrave Ritual," a story involving a treasure, murder and someone's abominable wife, said co-creator Mark Gatiss.

In other news, "Sherlock" season 4 will finally air in early 2016.

Show runner Steven Moffat revealed in an interview with Variety that "Sherlock" will stop airing when Benedict Cumberbatch "gives up" the show.

"For example, once Benedict Cumberbatch gives up "Sherlock," what are we going to do? We are going to stop, that's what we are going to do," Moffat said when asked why another show "Doctor Show" did so well despite being rebooted. "Most shows have a built-in mortality. But here is a show that sheds us all like scales; a show that can make you feel everything except indispensable. It will carry on forever, because you can replace every part of it."

"Sherlock" fans can rejoice because Cumberbatch expressed that he will not be leaving the show anytime soon.

"If we can keep the quality up," Cumberbatch said via Vogue. "I can't imagine that I will ever get tired of being Sherlock. I'd love to play him as an old man."

The actor also told USA Today last year pre-season 4 approval that he is very committed in the role as long as there's "room for character growth."

"I'll keep doing it as long as that's the case," Cumberbatch told the outlet. "as long as I feel he's developing and there's stuff we're all being challenged by and that it's being loyal to the original stories as well."

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