Mark Gatiss almost named a Sherlock episode "Backlash" because he expected an outcry
The Sherlock showrunner was unsurprised by negative reactions from certain fans and critics
Mark Gatiss has revealed that series four of Sherlock almost had an episode titled "Backlash" – as a nod to viewers' inevitable outcry.
There was a mixed reaction to the latest series, but the Sherlock showrunner reckons the detective drama is only a victim of its own success, following a “familiar pattern” for popular TV shows.
“We toyed with calling one of the episodes Backlash, because it’s time," he told the Guardian.
Looking for comfort in TV history, Gatiss highlighted how the third series of The League of Gentlemen, “though now regarded as a classic, was very controversial. A lot of people hated it.”
He added: "All you can do is your best. Sometimes you have to have an unpleasant amount of attention.
"But I’m stopped in the street two or three times a day by people saying how much they’ve enjoyed it. What more could you want?”