Benedict Cumberbatch pushed back on remarks made by his "Sherlock" co-star Martin Freeman, who had described the intense fan attention surrounding the show as no longer enjoyable. In a 2018 interview with The Telegraph, Cumberbatch called it "pretty pathetic" if fan expectations were enough to unsettle someone's grip on reality, though he later softened his stance, saying he understood the pressure that comes with fans feeling a sense of ownership over the franchise.

The pair won Emmys in the same year for their performances as Holmes and Watson, and their off-screen chemistry had long fuelled intense fan speculation and scrutiny. While Cumberbatch said he largely avoided engaging with the fandom and felt unaffected by it, Freeman had described the show's fame as a "mini-Beatles thing" that stopped being fun. "Sherlock" was never renewed beyond its fourth series, amid a lukewarm reception and reluctance from both leads to continue.