‘Sherlock’ Season 3 Reveals First Photo, January U.S. Premiere Date

The game is back on! After a nearly two-year wait, tempered by the show's first official turn at Comic-Con 2013, 'Sherlock' will return Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman to their iconic roles as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in early 2014. The UK thriller series has given out its first official photo for the seasion, surprisingly announcing its U.S. PBS premiere before the BBC debut, so when can fans finally unearth the 'Sherlock' season 3 mystery?

Via Entertainment Weekly, we've learned that 'Sherlock' season 3 will premiere its inaugural installment "The Empty Hearse" on PBS January 19 at 10:00 P.M., going back to back with fellow UK import 'Downton Abbey' for the first time. Presumably the BBC will air the 'Sherlock' series 3 premiere some time before January 19, but thus far the network has yet to offer its official date.

Meanwhile, in addition to the footage screened and details gleaned at Comic-Con, we most recently learned of season 3 that Danish actor Lars Mikkelsen (brother to ‘Hannibal”s Mads Mikkelsen) has joined in the villainous role of “Charles Augustus Magnussen,” a character with no direct literary counterpart, but one that likely corresponds to 1904 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story, “The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton.” Follow-up episode "The Sign of Three" will feature an oft-discussed wedding, while "The Last Vow" will air on February 2.

The BBC has yet to commission an official 'Sherlock' season 4, though reportedly Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have both signed on for the follow-up, in spite of their increasingly busy schedules.

You can check out the first photo from Sherlock' season 3 above, and tell us in the comments what you want to see answered when the series hits PBS on January 19, 2014!