In an event entitled "Sherlock -- Anatomy of a Hit," the executive producers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat opened up their surprise to the growing popularity of their BBC show.
Moffat admitted that he didn't not raise his expectations high, even joking that he "thought it would be a little niche show that would win an award in Poland," according to HollywoodReporter.
It turns out, the BBC Executives were also clueless that they have a gold mine at hand.
Ben Stephenson, controller of drama commissioning at the BBC, recalled: "did we know we had a phenomenal hit? No."
Though his team know that there was something about "Sherlock Holmes" that is engaging, they didn't know it will catch fire the way it did: "There was just something about it. We actually controversially, according to newspapers, decided not to show it," but wanted to reshoot a 90-minute version and do a three-episode first season.
When asked about the odd casting of putting Benedict Cumberbatch on the lead role, Moffat and Gatiss said they know he was a respected actor, but not yet a star at that time. But the first reading was a clincher as the creators and BBC executives loved him.
Stephenson commented: "Nobody had a clue who he was. I did."
The English television executive was quick to interject that "great shows are not about stars, but about great shows. And they make stars."
And It is no secret that they made a star out of the "Star Trek: into Darkness" star, Benedict Cumberbatch.
And an attractive one at that.
The 37-year-old actor was recently voted Empire Magazine's 'world's sexiest movie, beating Ryan Gosling, Tom Hiddleston and Henry 'Superman' Cavill to the number 1 spot.
Mark Gatiss, who plays Sherlock's stoic but equally genius brother, Mycroft, even labelled him as "the first sexy Sherlock Holmes."
Gatiss tried to explain why Cumberbatch is becoming a craze to the female of the species, according to entertainmentwise.com: "I think there is something about Sherlock Holmes, which has possibly always been the case - there's a kind of unapproachability about him. He's not interested in sex, apparently. So you immediately get that Mr Darcy thing going on.
"He can't be tamed. It's attractive. Those are the people we are attracted to, the ones that aren't interested. I think it's that and the combination of the Byronic looks that Benedict has - and the coat! "Doctor Who" writer concluded.
