Elementary series finale: Why didn’t Natalie Dormer appear as Moriarty?

If there was one part of the Elementary series finale that may have disappointed people tonight, it was this: The absence of Natalie Dormer as Moriarty. She hasn’t made a physical appearance on the show in years, though this character is well-known as being the most nefarious adversary that Sherlock Holmes has ever faced off against.

Tonight, there was certainly an opportunity to bring Jamie back into the fold — the character was referenced, and it was clear even in the closing seconds that she was still presumably out there and not dead. All of that made us want something out of her, even if it was just a brief cameo of a few seconds and that was it. Maybe Dormer would’ve wanted more if she did return, but it doesn’t seem as though she was ever asked in the first place.

Speaking via TVInsider, executive producer Rob Doherty described the decision-making that went into crafting this episode, and then also making the choice to not have Natalie Dormer turn up during it:

I adore Natalie, but there was never a plan to bring her back. Ultimately I didn’t want to resolve the story of Sherlock, Joan, and Moriarty. I wanted to focus on the partners. The reason we dared invoke her name in the final episode is it seemed appropriate to at least drop the name of Sherlock’s greatest enemy from canon. But it’s also a great misdirect. For some people, there’s an expectation that you can only complete your Sherlockian franchise with a confrontation between Sherlock and Moriarty. Because it’s potentially expected I wanted to push it in that direction and then head in a different one.

For more video thoughts on the Elementary finale, watch what we have for you below! After you do that, subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube and also view our Elementary playlist. We’re going to have more updates there that you don’t want to miss.

We do think that there is some logic in what Doherty is saying here, and we do think that having a one-episode confrontation with Moriarty at the end would’ve been very much rushed. Yet, here would’ve been our ideal ending — show Moriarty in the closing seconds, right after Sherlock and Joan walk into the precinct. It’s a reminder of what they would still be up against, and it doesn’t wake away from what was established — a really strong story about two great characters in Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson.

We’ll miss Elementary — a great mystery show chock full of a lot of interesting stories, every step of the way.

Related News – Could there ever be more of the series someday?

Did you want more of Moriarty within the Elementary series finale? Be sure to share in the comments below. (Photo: CBS.)