BBC seems to be in a mood to dole out early Christmas surprises. First, it announced the premiere date of the much awaited "Sherlock" Season 3 and later followed it up with an announcement of a bonus, mini episode of "Sherlock" Season 3. Now, it has released photographs of the first episode, "The Empty Hearse," of Season 3.

The released photographs provide a glimpse of the upcoming episode. In addition, it also reveals that all the characters of the previous two seasons are returning, except Prof. Moriarty. Sherlock has shunned his dead garb and is back amidst the people whom he trusts, which include Mycroft, Ms Hudson, Molly and Inspector Lestrade.

Also, there is the presence of a new woman in some of the photographs. She is Mary Morston, the potential love interest of Dr Watson and his future wife.

In an interview with MTV, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock, described the upcoming season of "Sherlock" in two lines. "There's a reunion, there's a marriage and there's a new villain. That's pretty much it," the actor stated

Martin Freeman, who portrays Dr Watson, however, spilled more details about the upcoming season. He said to MTV: "You get to see that Sherlock isn't dead, obviously. He did survive, as we sort of knew. You get to see where John is. From my point of view, John is in a completely different place."

"Sherlock" Season 3 is scheduled to premiere on Jan 1, 2014. The premiere episode will pick up 2 years after Sherlock jumped down from the roof of a hospital, faking death. According to the plotline released by BBC, London is facing the threat of a terrorist strike. Sherlock rises from his empty grave to find things are not the same anymore. The mourning period is almost over for Dr Watson as he is moving on and there is romance waiting for him.

Freeman said that as far as his character is concerned, he has moved on as Sherlock has been dead for 2 years. "He (Dr Watson) has someone else in his life."

"He's fallen in love and so you see him in that state of mind, and he's put his friend behind him. And now, sparks fly, I tell you!," he added.

Freeman also talked about the new villain in "Sherlock" Season 3. He said that the new villain Charles Augustus Magnussen, portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen, is like a "dead man walking." He called Mikkelsen's character "fantastic" and "chilling."

"He's really scary; scary in a different way to Moriarty," Freeman said. "Not crazy, crazy like Moriarty was, but sort of just chilling. I think you'll like him," Freeman said.

The bonus mini episode called "Many Happy Returns" is scheduled to air on Christmas Day, Dec 25, 2013. Check this link to see the new photographs released by BBC.