Infrequently though they appear on our TV screens, Sherlock and Watson have been showing their faces as of late for the upcoming special episode, which takes Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman all the way back to their Victorian London roots. We’re on hand at Comic-Con 2015 to see the crime-solving duo back in action — way back —but what do producers have to say of Series 4 and beyond?

First, we caught sight of this special preview for the upcoming Victorian Christmas special:

Though Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were understandably busy, showrunner Steven Moffat had plenty to show of Sherlock’s future, both of the upcoming special, and the hotly-anticipated (but not yet shooting) fourth series.

  • Andrew Scott unfortunately couldn’t make the panel, but at least sent in an adorable video of himself reading the “Spekter” script, before getting a call from Benedict Cumberbatch, who was himself too busy playing Hamlet. Mark Gatiss dropped by the video chat as well, he and Cumberbatch stammering over one another over what to tell the Comic-Con audience, before Scott himself took the reigns. “Hello, Comic-Con. Miss me?” he intoned in that classic Moriarty voice. Chills!

  • We were also treated to a short clip of the Victorian special, which doesn’t yet have a formal release date, but according to Moffat, will play in select cinemas. In the brief clip, Sherlock and Watson returned to a busy Victorian Baker Street from their latest caper, greeted by an irate Mrs. Hudson. She notes that Watson’s stories of Sherlock’s exploits had been selling well, though she disapproves of her limited role, often only as a go-between and landlady. Cough, cough. Plus, more mustache humor!

  • Both Moffat and Vertue assured that the special would still “unmistakably” represent their show and the characters they’ve developed, tricky though it was to graft some of those qualities back onto Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original vision. In particular Moffat noted the challenge of developing better roles for its female characters, considering the “unbelievably sexist era.”

  • A recurring gag through the discussion played off the handsomeness of Rupert Graves, something Moffat Jokes that Sherlock likely resents about Lestrade. Both discussed the characterizations of Lestrade as an “aggressive idiot” and a “good copper,” while their version seems especially competent in his own right, and admires Sherlock. As for what Graves wants out of Season 4, “the same shit.”

  • Fan questions inquired if Moffat ever worried over running out of material, to which Moffat pointed out of Doyle stories that “There are 60, we’ve done 10.” Even in the case of “A Scandal in Bohemia,” which blew through the original story in twenty minutes, Moffat had no worries coming up with his own material. “I AM SHERLOCKED” also emerged as one of the few moments the affably-insecure Moffat would admit he found clever from the start.

  • Another fan asked if we’d see Irene Adler again, to which Moffat didn’t have a clear answer, though he admitted liking the idea that she and Sherlock never saw each other again after that mysterious night. Still, he imagines they might keep in touch in odd ways, and smile once a day at the thought of each other.

  • Despite his insistence the crowds might find the story boring, Moffat expounded on his and Mark Gatiss’ pride fixing some of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s continuity errors, including mixing up Watson’s first name (or his injuries), or Mrs. Hudson’s surname. In both cases, Moffat and Gatiss worked in their own solutions, though Moffat joked “We really care about the things grownups should not care about.”

  • Moffat also explained that he preferred to write stories in which Sherlock loses, moments where “his surpreme reason doesn’t work, and his great heart rescues the day.”

  • No word yet if Sherlock might plan any kind of world press tour, as with Doctor Who, though the trio joked about a “Lestrade Baffled” spinoff in which Rupert Graves was continually foiled by everything, despite being a generally good detective. Hey, we’d watch!

  • Work also continues on bridging the British and US airdates, as with Downton Abbey previously.

  • Another fan inquired about a Doctor Who / Sherlock crossover, though Moffat joked he “doesn’t need an excuse” not to do it. He’d even drawn Sherlock chasing Daleks out of boredom once. He’d sell it online, but “my son added obscenities to it.”

When last we heard, showrunner Steven Moffat had plotted through a potential fifth season of the series, while the fourth was projected to air sometime in 2016. Along with the surprise resurrection of Season 3 finale “His Last Vow,” Moffat also specified that Sherlock Season 4 would likely see increased roles for the women of the series, particularly Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) and Mrs. Hudson (Una Stubbs), potentially adding new female characters into the mix as well, as part of “Sherlock’s gradual humanization.”

It seems a devastatingly long wait for Sherlock to return for the 90-minute special, but what do we make of the new footage? What should Season 4 bring to the series, once production finally begins?

More From ScreenCrush