With a new cast and creator carrying on the Sherlock Holmes torch on the network, Lucy Liu is addressing the chances of an Elementary revival on CBS. The show, which ran from 2012-19, served as a modern-day update on Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic private detective, seeing him having to live with Dr. Joan Watson as she works as his sober companion following a stay in rehab, with Watson reluctantly joining him on his investigations. Jonny Lee Miller and Liu led the Elementary cast as Sherlock and Watson, with the show praised throughout its run for its writing, character development and performances.
Now, during a recent interview with ScreenRant for her action-comedy Old Guy, Liu was asked about the possibility of an Elementary revival, particularly after CBS recently launched its spiritual sequel, Watson. The two-time Emmy nominee began by admitting she never really thinks about the possibility of a follow-up to the show, though did express her gratitude for the ongoing love of hers and curiosity about future adaptations of Doyle’s works. Check out what Liu shared below:
I don’t think about it, because it feels like we really had closure on it. Thank you for watching the seven seasons of Elementary. I feel like it was such a blur, because when you’re doing television, you’re on a treadmill, and you just can’t stop. So, I just loved working with Rob Doherty, who created the show and created these very interesting characters that developed and could grow and change. I don’t know that that would ever happen, but I’m glad that people are still able to have spinoffs on Holmes, because obviously, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was on to something, and the legacy continues.
What This Means For Elementary’s Potential Revival
The Show Has A Few Potential Hurdles To Overcome To Return
Though Liu may feel that the Elementary series finale brought closure to the show, it certainly didn’t close the door entirely on the possibility of her Watson and Miller’s Sherlock to return. Having been diagnosed with breast cancer, the episode’s flash-forward revealed that she was successfully cancer-free, reuniting with her longtime companion to resume their detective consultancy under the supervision of Marcus, now the captain of the precinct. Additionally, Sherlock remained certain that Moriarty had faked her death, and thus was ready to keep hunting for her.
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It has been six years since Elementary went off the air. In 2025, however, it’s finally getting a spiritual successor now that a new show.
Despite the door being open for more, however, there are some obstacles that an Elementary revival would face in getting off the ground. The biggest one is that CBS currently has Watson on the air, which provides another modern-day take on its eponymous character, albeit this time with the plot thread that Sherlock is apparently dead, and its incarnation of the character is continuing with his own investigations. Considering both Chestnut and Liu’s Watson are technically the same character, and What We Do in the Shadows‘ Matt Berry will be playing Sherlock, it would create a continuity confusion for audiences.
The other major hurdle facing Elementary‘s potential roadmap back to the screen is the potential for an oversaturation of Sherlock Holmes-related content on screen. In addition to Watson, Prime Video also has the upcoming Young Sherlock series from director Guy Ritchie and led by Hero Fiennes Tiffin in the titular role, while Netflix is also currently developing an Enola Holmes 3. There’s also Robert Downey Jr.’s long-gestating Sherlock Holmes 3 and potential Sherlock season 5 for Benedict Cumberbatch that could make audiences lose interest in the material altogether.
Our Take On A Potential Elementary Revival
Liu & Miller Are Better Off Letting Their Sherlock & Watson Alone
In a time in which Downey Jr.’s movies and Cumberbatch’s BBC show were dominating the market for Sherlock Holmes adaptations, I was always adamant that Elementary was not only an underrated one, but also arguably the best one, thanks to its deeper focus on character development over its mysteries. While I can’t deny that I do miss seeing Liu and Miller’s incarnations of their classic characters, I do think that despite the open nature of the finale, there was enough resolution to leave them be.
Elementary
8/10
- Release Date
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2012 – 2018
- Showrunner
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Jonny Lee Miller
- Directors
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Jonny Lee Miller
- Writers
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Bob Goodman
