Who directed the Sherlock episode The Six Thatchers?

Rachel Talalay directed the Sherlock episode “The Six Thatchers.”

Talalay, an American film and television director, brought the episode to screen as the opening instalment of Sherlock’s fourth series. The story begins with Sherlock investigating smashed busts of Margaret Thatcher before expanding into Mary Watson’s former life as an intelligence agent and the dangerous AGRA conspiracy.

The episode was written by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, who also co-created the series. Talalay’s direction is distinct from the work of several other Sherlock directors: Paul McGuigan directed much of the early series, while Nick Hurran directed “The Lying Detective.” Euros Lyn is another television director, but he did not direct this episode.

“The Six Thatchers” also marked Talalay’s Sherlock connection after her work on Doctor Who, including the acclaimed episodes “Heaven Sent” and “Hell Bent.” The episode aired in 2017 and set up the emotional and narrative arc that continued through “The Lying Detective” and “The Final Problem.”