For those wondering why the TV seriesElementarywas canceled, there’s a pretty simple explanation, even if it won’t satisfy fans of the long-running series.Elementaryisthe underratedSherlock Holmesadaptationthat too few have heard of. Set in the modern day where Sherlock Holmes is a real person, Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective (Jonny Lee Miller) is a recovering drug addict who relocates to New York City and works with the NYPD. He is forced to live with Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) to help with his recovery.
All the major characters from Doyle’s stories are present in one form or another, and the series combines the week-to-weekexcitement of popular police proceduralswith the wit, intelligence, and creativity inherent in Sherlock Holmes stories. The show was nominated for two Emmy Awards across seven seasons and has a 95% onRotten Tomatoes. With two standout performances from Liu and Miller,Elementaryjoins the ranks ofgreat shows people didn’t appreciate at the time. It was that lack of appreciation that led to its cancelation, sadly.
Elementary’s Cancelation May Have Been Due To Actors' Contracts & Declining Ratings
CBS Canceled The Series Without Much Explanation
There is no big mystery as to whyElementarywas canceled. It was simply a victim of network head honchos deciding it was time for the series to get off the air.Elementarywas canceled after its seventh season, with the announcement coming in December 2018 (viaDeadline). While no official reason has been given for the cancelation, CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl said,
“A lot of parties came together and talked about their positions on the show — both in terms of business and in terms of creative — and we all decided that this was an opportune time to say goodbye to a show that has been very, very good to us.”
One of the possible issues that arose was that both Liu and Miller’s contracts were coming upat the same time. Instead of going through a lengthy contract renewal negotiation, it seems like all parties agreed this was a good time for the series to wrap up. While the show also saw some declining ratings, with year-over-year declines in viewership, it was still a solid utility player for CBS with good enough numbers. Kahl even said,
“This ticks a lot boxes for a successful show for us. It’s almost a template for what makes a successful CBS show: initial strength, strength in various time periods over time, very successful in terms of international and domestic distribution and, last but definitely not least, a very high-quality show with terrific producers and terrific actors.”
It appears that a confluence of reasons came together to pushElementaryoff the air.
What The Elementary Creator Said About The Show’s Cancelation
Rob Doherty Was Surprised He Even Got Season 7
Though no one wants their show canceled,Elementary’s creator, Rob Doherty, was surprised he even got season 7, and he had written season 6 to serve as a finale, but he didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth when his show was renewed,
“It was great news for us, we felt we had more stories to tell.”
With Holmes and Watson in London in season 6,season 7 allowed Doherty to bring his characters back to NYC, which works a lot better as a finale, as that’s where the show mostly takes place, and it’s what made the characters into who they are at the end of the series. On finishing the show, Doherty said,
“Everyone is sad, we are scattering to the wind and will miss each other, and because of that, there is a lot of sadness. But at the same time, there is a ton of pride in the seven years of hard work and devotion to this show and devotion to each other.”
Season 7 was a great ending toElementaryand one Doherty and his team can be proud of, which probably made it all the harder to say goodbye.
What Jonny Lee Miller & Lucy Liu Have Been Up To Since Elementary Ended
SinceElementaryended,Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu have continued their very successful careers. Miller ended up in a supporting role inThe Crownseason 5 as Prime MinisterJohn Major. In film, he’s played Paul Bennet inAlice, Colonel Vokes inThe Covenant, and Reza inSettlers. Miller has also had a successful career on stage, recently appearing inA Mirroras Čelik. He’s set to appear in an upcoming miniseries calledInheritanceas Oliver Connaught.
10 Reasons Elementary Was Better Than BBC’s Sherlock
Elementary and Sherlock ran around the same time, but the American take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world-famous detective actually stood out.
Lucy Liu has appeared in several movies and TV shows sinceElementary, includingShazam! Fury of the Godsas Kalypso,Red Oneas Zoe Harlow,Presenceas Rebecca Payne, andA Man in Fullas Joyce Newman. She’s set to appear in the filmRosemeadas Irene.Elementarymay have been canceled, but the stars haven’t stopped working.
