Sherlock's fourth season taps female director for first time in show's history

The fourth season of BBC's acclaimed mini-series, Sherlock, has started filming and for the first time in the show's history, will feature an episode headed by a female director.

Rachel Talalay, best known for her work on various series including the network's Doctor Who, will direct the first episode the new season, according to Variety. Although a press release from the BBC doesn't specify what the episode's specific case will be about, the new series will mark Watson and his wife Mary's newfound venture into the world of parenting.

It's been two years since the last full season of Sherlock aired, but the BBC did air a special, one-time episode featuring the entire cast, which includes Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, earlier this year. It's been difficult for the network to work with both stars' schedules, especially Cumberbatch, who has emerged as an in-demand actor in Hollywood since the show's first season. Cumberbatch is currently in the middle of filming Marvel's upcoming Doctor Strange, with Freeman working on his newest project, Ghost Stories.

Still, Cumberbatch told Variety that he was "genuinely thrilled to be back filming Sherlock" with the group of people he's been working with since 2010.

Sherlock's fourth season, which is co-written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, will air next year.