'Sherlock' Trailer: Sherlock and Watson Solve a 19th-Century Ghost Story

Good news, Sherlock fans: Our favorite TV detective is back on the case… and heading back to the 19th century to do it.

In the just-released trailer for Masterpiece’s upcoming Sherlock special (posted above), Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman return as Sherlock and Watson, but they’re transported back to the era of the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories. That means no cell phones and no GPS to solve the case… just Sherlock’s prodigious mind.

The trailer indicates that the central mystery is some kind of ghost story; a woman snarls at Sherlock, “You promised to keep him safe! You promised!” Later, after they ride in a horse-drawn carriage up to a scary castle, Sherlock lyrically explains to Watson: “Ghosts… they’re the shadows that define our every sunny day.” (The trailer is gorgeous, by the way — steeped in sumptuous 19th-century period detail.)

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There’s also some tension evident between the iconic sleuth and his trusty sidekick. At one point, Watson asks Sherlock, “What made you like this?” To which Sherlock coldly replies: “Oh, Watson… nothing made me. I made me.” But there’s also the usual Sherlock meta nods as well: Watson shoves a deerstalker cap into Sherlock’s chest and barks, “You’re Sherlock Holmes. Wear the damn hat.”

The one mystery we can’t solve, though, is when we’ll be able to see the damn thing. Masterpiece has been coy about the premiere date for months, and the trailer still just says the special is “coming soon.” Keep in mind the last Sherlock episode aired way back in January 2014. Will we get to see the boys again before year’s end? Consider it added to our holiday wish list.

The Sherlock special is “coming soon” to Masterpiece on PBS.