Will Sherlock Season 3 Premiere Before January 19 U.S. Air Date? PBS Unveils Release Date, But What About BBC?

Fans of "Sherlock" are in a frenzy now that PBS has announced an air date for season 3, but others are now wondering, what about BBC?

For those who do not know, "Sherlock" season 3 will premiere on PBS January 19, just two weeks after BBC fans in the U.S. will see "Downton Abbey" return as well.

"They're fantastic," says "Masterpiece" executive producer Rebecca Eaton of the new "Sherlock" season 3 episodes. "They are jaw dropping. They are like small movies. Benedict and Martin are so in their Sherlock-Watson groove. They are so comfortable with that relationship it's like being in the room with them."

"We are hugely excited about this next series of 'Sherlock,' and have worked closely with our partners, 'Masterpiece' and PBS, to bring these episodes to U.S. audiences in January. We promise our fans that Season 3 is worth waiting for," adds "Sherlock" executive producer Sue Vertue.

But, fans are quickly realizing that this is only the air date for PBS, and BBC has the rights to air "Sherlock" season 3 in the U.K. prior to the U.S. premiere.

So, fans are wondering now whether season 3 will arrive even faster for your viewing pleasure.

Okay guys, calm down! Sherlock Season 3 will be out way before January 19th. The official BBC One premiere date is not out yet!

— Nirav Mehta (@EkCupCoffee) October 24, 2013

Some fans, including "Sherlock" star Benedict Cumberbatch, have lobbied for the series to air in the U.K. and U.S. simultaneously to prevent spoilers and decrease piracy.

"There are things fans would like to do we just can't do," Eaton says. "But we do pay attention. This isn't just the fans of 'Sherlock' speaking up, it's the nature of the shrinking TV world. So we try to manage that with all the intricacies involved. It's all taken into consideration."

What this means is that "Sherlock" season 3 will almost definitely arrive earlier than January 19 in the U.K.

Stay tuned!