Two years after his supposed death (depicted in The Reichenbach Fall), Sherlock Holmes has been completely exonerated of the slanderous accusations against him originated by Jim Moriarty and secretly returns to London to help his brother Mycroft uncover an apparent imminent and huge terrorist attack. It garnered a viewership of 12.7 million people and received positive reviews. The episode was first broadcast on BBC One and Channel One on 1 January 2014. Inspired by ' The Adventure of the Empty House' and ' The Lost Special' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the episode follows Sherlock Holmes' return to London and reunion with John Watson, along with an underground terrorist network. It also marks the first appearance of Amanda Abbington as Mary Morstan and Lars Mikkelsen as Charles Augustus Magnussen.
It was written by Mark Gatiss and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes, Martin Freeman as Dr John Watson, and Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes.
' The Empty Hearse' is the first episode of the third series of the BBC television series Sherlock.
