Elementary

TV Series · 2012–2019 · 15 people

Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes moves into the present day in Elementary, an American police procedural drama. Created by Robert Doherty, it aired on CBS from September 27, 2012 to August 15, 2019 for seven seasons and 154 episodes. It breaks from the source by moving Holmes from London to New York and turning Dr. John Watson into the former surgeon Dr. Joan Watson; it was set and shot mainly in New York.

Jonny Lee Miller's Holmes is a recovering drug addict and former Scotland Yard consultant. His wealthy father hires Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) as a 'sober companion'. As Holmes helps the NYPD with hard cases, his indifference to procedure often brings conflict with Captain Thomas Gregson (Aidan Quinn), though the two respect each other. Watson becomes Holmes's apprentice and then his professional partner. Jon Michael Hill plays Detective Marcus Bell, Natalie Dormer his nemesis and former lover Jamie Moriarty, Rhys Ifans his brother Mycroft and John Noble his father Morland.

Before it aired it drew criticism for following so soon after the BBC's Sherlock; after the premiere it got a full season plus two extra episodes. The second-season opener was partly filmed in London. Critics praised its performances, writing and fresh approach to the source material.

Production company	CBS Studios
Network	CBS

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Ward Horton Actor · 50 years old

Gina Gershon Film actor · 64 years old Jonny Lee Miller Lucy Liu Aidan Quinn Jon Michael Hill John Noble Erik Jensen Linda Emond Ato Essandoh Natalie Dormer Vinnie Jones Michael DenDekker Dallas Roberts Jennifer Ferrin

Last reviewed: November 1, 2026

Through different eyes

Series Binger A series devotee tracking character arcs, cast chemistry and season pacing.

Elementary's real strength is how the Holmes–Watson relationship changes over the seasons: Joan starting out as a companion, then becoming an apprentice and finally an equal partner is a solid character arc stretched across seven seasons. The team built with Gregson and Bell is the show's warm core, too. But to be honest, in a 154-episode procedural the case-of-the-week formula repeats itself sooner or later, and some episodes pass without adding much to the main story. The storylines that bring in Moriarty and the Holmes family work as real turning points in that kind of structure.

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

Arriving right after the BBC's modern Sherlock counted against the series before it aired, yet putting the two side by side shows how different they really are. Elementary chooses a calmer, relationship-driven story over a flashy portrait of genius. Moving Holmes to New York costs it London's literary atmosphere, but in return it gains an everyday, abrasive working arrangement with the police: the tension between a consultant indifferent to procedure and a captain who still respects him is a well-built engine for the show. In my view the weak spot is the visual language; the safe shooting and editing habits of a network procedural never produce a cinematic identity to match the subtlety of the writing.

History & Society Lens Asks about the period, the social background and what the work reflects.

The show's most meaningful choice is treating addiction not as a character quirk but as an ongoing process of recovery. Assigning Holmes a 'sober companion' is a reminder that rehabilitation is not a road anyone walks alone. A wealthy father securing his son with someone he pays also makes the initial balance of power interesting: Watson starts as someone providing a service and becomes an equal partner. Writing Watson as a woman and a former surgeon rebuilds the source's male friendship along today's lines of work and gender relations.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

Elementary

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