Dec 07, 2016 07:00 AM EST By Aldous Calubad, UniversityHerald Reporter

"Sherlock" Series 4 is now scheduled to start airing on New Year's Day, January 1, 2017, with its first episode, "The Six Thatchers." The second episode will be titled, "The Lying Detective" and will be shown on Jan. 8, while the untitled season finale will be shown exactly a week later on Jan. 15.

While "Sherlock" Series 4 had a once a week schedule, the same can't be said for Season 3 last year, according to Radio Times. It began on New Year's Day of 2014 then the second episode aired four days later on Jan. 5 for it to get back on a Sunday night time slot. The last episode then aired a week later on Jan. 12.

According to Digital Spy, Toby Jones will be the villain for "Sherlock" Series 4. He will play Culverton Smith, a nasty piece of work who uses his knowledge of deadly tropical illnesses to try and kill Sherlock. In order to catch Smith in the act, Sherlock pretends he really is sick and dying from the disease while he refuses to get treatment from a concerned Watson. Another new cast member for the upcoming season is Sacha Dhawan, who plays a character named "AJ."

Tom Middleston was recently seen at the San Diego Comic Con as he posed for pictures with "Sherlock" Series 4 stars Amanda Abbington and Mark Gatiss. Speculation went wild that Middleston could be the third Holmes brother since the season finale of Series 4 hinted that at the introduction of a third Holmes sibling.

"Sherlock" Series 4 stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes, Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson, Amanda Abbington as Mary Morstan, Louise Brealey as Molly Hooper, Lindsay Duncan as Lady Smallwood and Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes. All episodes are going to be aired on BBC1.

Check out the trailer for "Sherlock" Series 4:

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