The release schedule for Season 4 of the popular BBC series "Sherlock" has been confirmed to start in January 2016 with a special to be shown in December 2015. According to Hollywood Reporter, Steven Moffat has revealed that the special will be based on the "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle," one of the 56 short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for his Sherlock Holmes series.

Mark Gatiss has similarly said the show is on and that he is happy with the release date. On the other hand, Steven Moffat has revealed that everything depends on the BBC. The station has yet to make a final announcement on the exact date for the release of the Christmas Special and for Season 4 of "Sherlock."

What has been reported for some time now is that the new season is scheduled for 2016 with a special on the last month of 2015. It has been reported that the filming for the new season will start in January 2015, although it might still be pushed back because of the other commitments of actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

There is still no concrete release date for the premiere of "Sherlock" Season 4 because of the busy schedules of everyone involved in the show, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch, but can you really fault the star for being so in demand?

According to Martin Freeman, the Christmas episode will air in 2015, although he did not give an exact date. Fans were anticipating that the new season would start sooner, possibly in 2015. Regardless, we can be sure the show's directors and cast have something awesome planned as they attempt to top the last season of the series. On the plus side, the spread out release dates can contribute to the longevity of the show, as long as fans can abate their patience.