Doesn't that mean that it is not special... and that all the 'modern' one's were special. Isn't Sherlock meant to be set in Victorian London?
Co-creator Steven Moffat has now confirmed the special will take place in Victorian London, validating fan assumptions about the episode. Last month the show’s stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman were spotted filming Sherlock in 19th century clothes, causing fans to wonder if perhaps the crime-fighting duo attended a costume ball, or ir perhaps it was just some kind of dream sequence within the special. But no: The 90-minute episode literally takes place more than 100 years ago.