During PBS's MASTERPIECE panel at the Television Critics Association (TCA) 2012 Winter Press Tour, actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Lara Pulver, who portray Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler in the highly anticipated second season of BBC's SHERLOCK, dished about the sexual chemistry between their characters, chatted about the show's direction, and teased whether Holmes would live to see a third season.

After the session opened with an amusing clip featuring Watson bantering with a pants-less Holmes and then previewing the arrival of Sherlockian fan-favorite character, Irene Adler, the actors answered questions while being cautious not to reveal too many spoilers about the resolution of last season's explosive cliffhanger -- or the possible return of Holmes' archnemesis Moriarty, played by Andrew Scott.

The panelists at the SHERLOCK Q&A session:

(front, left-to-right) Lara Pulver, who plays Irene Adler,

and MASTERPIECE exec. prod. Rebecca Eaton,

with Benedict Cumberbatch via satellite (on screen behind).

Photo credit: Rahoul Ghose/PBS.

At the top of everyone's mind was the romantic dynamic between the characters of Holmes and Adler, a dominatrix by trade and the only woman to whom Holmes has ever hinted any sexual interest. Cumberbatch remarked on the pair's dynamic and why he thought the previously asexual Holmes could be drawn to such a character: "I think he meets a like mind. That's the fundamental attraction for him. He meets someone who is a challenge, who is rather good, and it takes him by surprise […] So the fact that he meets somebody who is a worthy opponent of either sex is of great intrigue." Pulver elaborated on the pair's intellectual chemistry: "I think if it was just on a sexual level, it would kind of be boring […] the whole sexual aspect is actually the least intriguing thing that they find about each other."

Lara Pulver portrays Irene Adler in this season of SHERLOCK.

Photo credit: Rahoul Ghose/PBS

Helmed by Steven Moffat of DOCTOR WHO fame and writer/actor Mark Gatiss, last year's BBC revival of the Sherlock Holmes stories brought the delightfully sardonic, incurably sociopathic Holmes character into the 21st century. With wit and intelligence, marrying strong writing, clever dialogue, and loving homage to Arthur Conan Doyle's original Holmes novels and short stories, Moffat created some of the most compelling television of 2011. Cumberbatch reflected on the unique challenge of working with the show's high caliber scripts: "It's a rare challenge, for an audience and for an actor, to take part in something with this level of intelligence and wit. And you have to play with it. You have to really enjoy it. It is hard. It's a sort of form of mental and physical gymnastics."

Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson (left)

and Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes (right).

It was inevitable that one reporter would question Cumberbatch about his upcoming role in J. J. Abrams' sequel to 2009's STAR TREK. Contractually bound to remain tight-lipped on the subject, Cumberbatch replied, "Sorry. There's a lawyer standing here saying I can't say anything." Ah, well. Someone had to try.

The new episodes of SHERLOCK will feature three 90-minute adventures adapted from original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, including an interpretation of the short story "The Final Problem," in which Doyle famously tried to kill off the beloved detective -- until fan backlash caused him to resurrect Holmes in a later retcon. As to whether Cumberbatch's character will meet a similar end at the close of this season, Cumberbatch hinted at Holmes' fate when asked if he would return for a third year on the series: "You might see it's quite hard for me to make it back by the end of the last episode […] So I'm only going to tease you with ‘I would like to.'" Series executive producer Rebecca Eaton was less nebulous in her answer about whether Cumberbatch will be back next year: "Yes, he will be. Yes. Yes. Yes." Let's hope she's right.

MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! presents Season 2 of SHERLOCK in three, thrilling, 90-minute episodes on Sundays, May 6th, 13th, and 20th, 9-10:30pm on PBS.