Sherlock’s third season just wrapped up in the U.K. last week and will be premiering stateside on Sunday after Downton Abbey.

'Sherlock' Spoilers

In Season 3, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) team up again to fight crime in London. The season will include three 90-minute episodes: “The Empty Hearse,” The Sign of Three” and “His Last Vow.”

"We are hugely excited about this next series of Sherlock, and have worked closely with our partners, MASTERPIECE and PBS, to bring these episodes to U.S. audiences in January," said Sue Vertue, executive producer for Sherlock and Hartswood Films, in a press release. "We promise our fans that Season 3 is worth waiting for."

In Season 3, one of the biggest shockers is that Moriarty, like Sherlock, managed to fake his own death. It’s not revealed how the villain pulled off the faux-suicide, only that he’s back to give Sherlock a headache.

Another surprise is that Irene Adler (Lara Pulver) returns in "The Sign of Three." Though her appearance is fleeting, it stands to reason that she’ll return in a bigger way in the series going forward. Season 4 could be the season for Irene and Holmes to further their plot.

Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington) drops the bombshell in Sherlock Season 3 that she’s actually a trained assassin. Next season will likely provide greater insight into the character, including how she came to be a proficient killer

Benedict Returning For Fourth Season

Creator Steven Moffat has already confirmed that Cumberbatch has signed on to reprise his title role for a fourth and a fifth season in the BBC TV show. He could next be seen as Sherlock as soon as Christmas Day 2014, according to the U.K. The Sun.

Through Sherlock, Cumberbatch launched to fame and critical acclaim in the United States. In just the last year, the British actor starred in Star Trek Into Darkness, The Fifth Estate, August: Osage County and the Oscar-nominated 12 Years a Slave. After his successful year, the actor isn’t resting on his laurels, with multiple films in various stages of production.

Sherlock’s Season 3 premiere will air Sunday, Jan. 19 on PBS at 10/9c.

– Chelsea Regan

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