Martin Freeman Has Bad News for 'Sherlock' Fans: Detective Drama Is 'Not Fun Anymore'

Rabid “Sherlock” fans chomping at the bit for Season 5 could be in for a major disappointment. But they’re also partly to blame, according to one of the show’s stars.

Martin Freeman, who plays Dr. Watson on the British crime drama, described the series as “not fun anymore,” in an interview with The Telegraph, adding that there has been little talk about a fifth season.

That is largely due to the poor reception Season 4 received last year and its failure to live up to fans very high expectations, he said.

Also Read: Showtime Sets Benedict Cumberbatch's 'Patrick Melrose' as 1st Saturday Scripted Series in 18 Years

“I think after series four [it] felt like a pause. I think we felt we’d done it for a bit now. And part of it, speaking for myself is [due to] the reception of it,” Freeman (above right with co-star Benedict Cumberbatch) said in the interview published Friday.

“To be absolutely honest, it [was] kind of impossible,” he continued. “‘Sherlock’ became the animal that it became immediately. Whereas even with [the U.K. version of] ‘The Office,’ it was a slow burn. But ‘Sherlock’ was frankly notably high quality from the outset. And when you start [that high] it’s pretty hard to maintain that.

Also Read: 'The Grinch' Trailer: Benedict Cumberbatch Is Mean, Green and Ready to Take Down Christmas (Video)

“Being in that show, it is a mini-Beatles thing,” Martin went on to say. “People’s expectations, some of it’s not fun anymore. It’s not a thing to be enjoyed, it’s a thing of: ‘You better f—ing do this, otherwise, you’re a c—.’ That’s not fun anymore.”

The modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic crime novels (which airs on the BBC in the U.K. and PBS in the U.S.) premiered in 2010 and has catapulted its two lead actors into the international spotlight.

Cumberbatch was best known for his theater work before playing trouble genius Holmes — he is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood, part of the Marvel franchise playing Dr. Strange and an Oscar nominee thanks to “The Imitation Game.”

Freeman had prominent roles in “Love Actually” and “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” before becoming Dr. Watson, and has since starred in a slew of movies, including “The Hobbit” trilogy, “Captain America: Civil War” and “Black Panther.”

117 Amazing Portraits From TheWrap's Toronto Studio, From Angelina Jolie to Jim Carrey (Photos)

Actors Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney and director Craig Gillespie, "I, Tonya"

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Actress-producer Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"

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Margot Robbie, "I, Tonya"

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Actress Allison Janney, "I, Tonya"

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Sebastian Stan, "I, Tonya"

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Helen Mirren, "The Leisure Seeker"

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Helen Mirren, "The Leisure Seeker"

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"Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond" Jim Carrey

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Jim Carrey, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond"

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Director Chris Smith, "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond"

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Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Current War"

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Michael Shannon, "The Current War"

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Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon with actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon and Nicholas Hoult, "The Current War"

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Director Angelina Jolie, "First They Killed My Father"

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Director Angelina Jolie with producer Rithy Panh, stars Kimhak Mun, Sareum Srey Moch and co-writer Luong Ung, "First They Killed My Father"

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Writer-director Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird"

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Greta Gerwig, "Lady Bird"

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Actress Laurie Metcalf, "Lady Bird"

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Actor Tracy Letts, "Lady Bird"

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Brie Larson, "Unicorn Store"

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Actor Sam Rockwell, "Woman Walks Ahead"

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Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci, "The Children Act"

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Writer Ian McEwan, actor Stanley Tucci, director Richard Eyre and actors Emma Thompson and Duncan Kenworthy, "The Children Act"

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Stanley Tucci, "The Children Act"

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"Outside In" director Lynn Shelton with her cast Jay Duplass, Kaitlyn Dever and Edie Falco

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Jay Duplass, "Outside In"

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Edie Falco, "Outside In"

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Kaitlyn Dever, "Outside In"

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Director Lynn Shelton, "Outside In"

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Jake Gyllenhaal, "Stronger"

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Tatiana Maslany, "Stronger"

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Miranda Richardson, "Stronger"

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"Stronger" star Jake Gyllenhaal with Jeff Bauman, the Boston Marathon bombing survivor he plays in the fiilm

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Writer Jeff Bauman, "Stronger"

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Actor Cedric the Entertainer, "First Reformed"

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Cedric the Entertainer, "First Reformed"

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Cedric the Entertainer and director Paul Schrader "First Reformed"

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Director Paul Schrader, "First Reformed"

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Actors Aaron Pederson, Abbey Lee, Matt Nable, Simone Kessell, Josh McConville and Ryan Corr, "1%"
Abbey Lee, "1%"

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Actress Simone Kessel, "1%"

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Actor Ed Harris, "Kodachrome"

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Actor Ed Harris and director Mark Raso, "Kodachrome"

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Mark Raso, "Kodachrome"

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Writer-producer Jeremy Chilnick, writer-director-producer Morgan Spurlock and producer Matthew Galkin, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Producer Matthew Galkin, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Writer-producer Jeremy Chilnick, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Writer-director-producer-star Morgan Spurlock, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Morgan Spurlock, "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken"

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Director Joseph Kahn, "Bodied"

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Actress Rory Uphold, "Bodied"

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Actor Calum Worthy, "Bodied"

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Director Armando Iannucci, "The Death of Stalin"

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Director Darren Aronofsky, "mother!"

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Director Darren Aronofsky, "mother!"

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Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince and Sean Baker, "The Florida Project"

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Willem Dafoe, "The Florida Project"

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Director-star James Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Director-star James Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Actor Dave Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Actor Dave Franco, "The Disaster Artist"

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Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, "The Disaster Artist"

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Alison Brie, "The Disaster Artist"

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Alison Brie, "The Disaster Artist"

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Ari Graynor, "The Disaster Artist"

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Actress Jessica Chastain, "Molly's Game" and "Woman Walks Ahead"

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Actress Jessica Chastain, director Susanna White and Michael Greyeyes, "Woman Walks Ahead"

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Actress Julianne Nicholson, "Who We Are Now"

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Zachary Quinto, "Who We Are Now"

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Actor Josh Lucas, "Mark Felt"

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Selma Blair, "Mom and Dad"

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Selma Blair and Nicolas Cage, "Mom and Dad"

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Co-directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, "One of Us"

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Director Kyle Rideout, "Public Schooled"

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Judy Greer "Public Schooled"

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Actor Eddie Izzard, "Victoria & Abdul"

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Actor Ali Fazal, "Victoria & Abdul"

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Actress Elisabeth Moss, "The Square"

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Actor Terry Notary, "The Square"

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Director Ruben Ostland, "The Square"

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Actor Claes Bang, "The Square"

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Screenwriter Anthony McCarten, "Darkest Hour"

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Writer Anthony McCarten, stars Ben Mendelsohn, Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas with director Joe Wright, "Darkest Hour"

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Actor Ben Mendelsohn, "Darkest Hour"

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Actor Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"

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Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"

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Actress Kristin Scott Thomas, "Darkest Hour"

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Director Joe Wright, "Darkest Hour"

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Actor Nahuel Peres Biscayar, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"

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Actor Arnaud Valois, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"

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Director John Curran with actors Jim Gaffigan, Ed Helms and Kate Mara, writers Andrew Logan and Taylor Allen, "Chappaquiddick"

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"Chappaquiddick" director John Curran

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Kate Mara, "Chappaquiddick"

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Kate Mara, "Chappaquiddick"

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Jim Gaffigan, "Chappaquiddick"

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Ed Helms, "Chappaquiddick"

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Director Dan Gilroy, "Roman J. Israel, Esq."

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Actress Diane Kruger, "In the Fade"

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Actress Diane Kruger, "In the Fade"

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Director Alexander Payne, "Downsizing"

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Actors Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau and director Alexander Payne, "Downsizing"

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Actor Christoph Waltz, "Downsizing"

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Actress Hong Chau, "Downsizing"

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Actors Wes Studi, Rosamund Pike, direcor Scott Cooper, Christian Bale and Jonathan Majors, "Hostiles"

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Actor Simon Baker, "Breath"

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Simon Baker, "Breath"

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Director Neil Burger, "The Upside"

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Writer-director Martin McDonagh, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"

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Director and co-writer Dee Rees, "Mudbound"

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Actor Jason Mitchell, "Mudbound"

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Rob Morgan, "Mudbound"

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Jason Mitchell and Rob Morgan, "Mudbound"

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Actors Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, director Dee Rees, actors Rob Morgan and Carey Mulligan, "Mudbound"

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Garrett Hedlund, "Mudbound"

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Writer-director Robin Campillo, "BPM (Beats Per Minute)"

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Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, "Battle of the Sexes"

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Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, "Battle of the Sexes"

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Brady Jandreau, "The Rider"

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