Atlanta and Sherlock join long list of TV shows delayed by success of their stars

While television was previously viewed as the graveyard where actors went to end their careers, it’s now seen not just as a launchpad but as an equal to the big-screen.

Over recent years the likes of Donald Glover and Benedict Cumberbatch have seen their careers blossom in film after thriving on the likes of ‘Atlanta’ and ‘Sherlock’. But the pair have insisted that, despite their busier schedules, they still see futures for these shows. However, recent revelations from both Glover and Cumberbatch suggest that this will only arrive after their cinematic commitments have been complete.

Donald Glover disappointed fans of his acclaimed FX comedy series ‘Atlanta’, which recently won two Golden Globes, when he confirmed that the second season has been delayed for a whole year, and will only arrive in 2018 rather than 2017. Just one look at the schedule for Donald Glover, who created, stars, writes, directs, and produces ‘Atlanta’, reveals the reason why, as he’s set to spend the next few months working on the ‘Han Solo Star Wars’ movie after being cast as Lando Calrissian.

This isn’t the first time in recent years that the leader of a television series has had to put a show on hiatus because of their success. Louis CK’s ‘Louie’ is on an extended hiatus as the comedian works on different projects, while ‘Inside Amy Schumer’ is also on a break because of the titular star’s schedule.

Meanwhile at the end of December ‘Sherlock’s’ co-creator Mark Gatiss admitted to the Guardian that the future of the BBC drama is up in the air because of how difficult it is to find time for Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman to film episodes. “We would love to do more, but we are not lying, we absolutely don’t know. It’s up to all kinds of factors, scheduling. Willingness to do it as all here, but we are just not sure,” he admitted.

The fact that ‘Sherlock’s’ fourth season viewing figures are its lowest since it premiered back in 2010 prove just how dangerous it can be for these delays between series to be so long. While there was a one-off special in January, 2016, ‘Sherlock’s’ fourth season came three years after its third, and with critics divided on its final instalment, and just 5.9 million people tuning in (which is less than half of the 11.3 million – 12.7 million than turned in throughout its third season), it suggests that TV powerhouses have to be careful when it comes to having their cinematic cake and eating it, too.