Will there be any romance in the fifth season of "Elementary"?
CBS’ crime-solving drama “Elementary” has returned for its fifth season, and the sizzling on-screen chemistry between co-stars Lucy Liu and Jonny Lee Miller has many fans asking if the two will ever kindle a romantic relationship.
Miller plays detective Sherlock Holmes and Liu plays Dr. Joan Watson in the modern take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic characters. Sorry to those who’ve been anxiously anticipating romance, but the co-stars said that’s highly unlikely. The series’ creator, Robert Doherty, wanted to remain true to what’s “sacred to the original material.”
“Fans especially don’t want that. I think if anything, we want to hold true to the literature of their relationship and how that develops into friendship, which is what drew people into the stories to begin with,” Liu told “CBS This Morning” Friday.
“Adding the female role changes things though, you know?” Gayle King asked.
“It does. We didn’t really take that into consideration I think in terms of the gender, but I do think that Rob’s original idea was that Sherlock always has this kind of uncomfortable feeling around women and he sort of thought it would be interesting to have a woman being around him all the time,” Liu said.
Liu has also stepped behind the camera to direct episodes of the series herself. She’s directed three episodes, and will also be directing again later in this fifth season. Her co-star complimented her skills, but Liu said it certainly is “not easy,” and that the dual role “pushes you to your maxes.”
“They don’t make it easy. I’m like, ‘Can you guys write a little bit less in the episode?’ And all of a sudden I’m in every scene,” Liu joked. “It’s been a challenge but I think… it’s been such a wonderful, creative experience and the opportunity to do both really shows, you know, what you’re capable of.”
“Elementary” is among the latest of hundreds of incarnations of Sherlock Holmes, from movies to books. When asked what makes the fictional detective such an iconic character, Miller said it’s a “testament” to Conan Doyle’s writing and ability to create “very, very strong, very unique characters.
“It also suits us. The books were originally short stories serialized, which works for us in our interpretation in network drama because you have a consistent element and you can keep repeating that,” Miller added. “And yet, it’s character-driven.”
“And it’s also problem-solving,” Charlie Rose added.
“Right, in the relationship and in our cases that we have, which is nice,” Liu said.
Catch the 100th episode of “Elementary” on CBS Sunday, Oct. 30th at 10/9c.