Along with several other announcements, PBS confirmed today that Sherlock Season 3 will make its U.S. premiere Jan. 19, and air Sundays through Feb. 2 at 10pm ET (check with your local PBS affiliate for confirmation in your area when the time comes, of course). During its run on PBS, Sherlock Season 3 will follow Downton Abbey, which airs its fourth season in the U.S. Sundays at 9pm ET, Jan. 5-Feb. 23.
Sherlock Season 3 will again air as part of PBS’ Masterpiece brand, and features Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman returning as Holmes and Watson in Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’ reinvention of the classic characters. Season 3 will include three new, 90-minute episodes: “The Empty Hearse” (Jan. 19); “The Sign of Three” (Jan. 26); and “His Last Vow” (Feb. 2).
Among other PBS announcements today was the confirmation of the return of Call the Midwife for Season 3 (Sundays at 8pm ET March 30-May 18); Season 2 of Mr. Selfridge (Sundays at 9pm ET March 30-May 18); Season 2 of The Bletchley Circle (Sundays at 10pm ET April 13-May 4); and a new season of Pioneers of Television (Tuesdays at 8pm ET April 8-29).
Beyond the enhanced focus on British drama on Sunday nights during the winter and spring, PBS also made announcements reinforcing its move into 10pm programming on several key nights, including Chasing Shackleton, airing Wednesdays Jan. 8-22 at 10pm ET. The three-part series follows a modern expedition that re-creates Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition. Also coming up on PBS is Hawking (Jan. 29 at 10pm ET), in which the life of physicist Stephen Hawking is told, for the first time, in his own words.
“It’s clear that our 2012-2013 season was a real turning point for PBS, with Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE growing in popularity and a rise in overall general viewership ranking PBS among the top 10 U.S. networks,” said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager for General Audience Programming, PBS, in a release. “With our winter and spring schedule, we continue to enhance our already popular drama and non-fiction nights, and offer potential new viewers a wide range of exciting, timely and topical programs.”
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Sherlock Season 3 photo: © Robert Viglasky/Hartwood Films for MASTERPIECE