Is Luther season 5, Sherlock season 5 mystery a good thing?

At present, nobody knows if there will be a Luther season 5 or a Sherlock season 5, but isn’t a little mystery healthy?

If you recall, when both shows premiered their fourth seasons, there was a little ambiguity as to whether or not either one of them could be coming back on the air for more episodes. Yet, they remained popular in the ratings all over the world, and maybe getting a chance to see some of that popularity play out reinvigorated everyone into the idea of doing more even though the stars of these shows are crazy busy.

Take, for example, the story of Luther. It feels now like there is far more optimism for a season 5 than there was before season 4 premiered, and the longer the hiatus lasts, the more that this buildup and anticipation could continue. For Idris Elba in particular, the thirst to return to the John Luther role may remain palpable especially if there is a good story to tell. In the midst of his many extraordinary roles, this is one of his best — it’s dark, it’s meaty, and it shows off a full range of what he can do in both emotional capacity as well as a physical one. Hopefully, this will be a discussion point for him throughout his upcoming promotional tour for his starring role in The Dark Tower.

Meanwhile, Sherlock may find itself in a similar position the longer the hiatus lasts, and the further roles we see Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman landing. It may be frustrating that there is no season 5 officially ordered, but nostalgia is a powerful thing for an actor. The longer this hiatus lasts, the more these two performers may realize how much they miss doing this series.

There is something to be borrowed from here when it comes to other shows, whether it be the quality of the work to the decision to leave the ending open enough to return in the future. It may be frustrating to be unaware of a show’s future, but in this era of revivals and reunions, both Sherlock and Luther are prime examples of looking ahead and only coming back when the story is right. On the flip side, you have in America shows like Roseanne and Will & Grace that are coming back, but are having to alter their series finales in order for the revival to make sense. That’s not something needed here.

If either show comes back, it won’t be until 2018 at earliest — odds are, it will be even longer. Once more news is out there, it’ll be posted here as soon as possible.

Do you like that both Luther and Sherlock left things open enough for future seasons, or do you wish that their endings were even more definitive? Share below! (Photo: BBC One.)