- Paul Jones
.jpg)
.jpg)
The influx of British stars to US Sherlock Holmes update Elementary continues with the news that Natalie Dormer will play Irene Adler, the key love interest in the life of Jonny Lee Miller's detective.
Dormer follows Vinnie Jones, who made an appearance as Holmes's adversary Sebastian Moran, and John Hannah, who played the detective's ex-drug dealer. However, her character Adler is unlikely to make the trip to the drama's New York base, and is instead expected to appear in flashbacks set in Holmes's native London.
In the Elementary universe, Adler is the detective's former lover who was murdered by the as-yet-unseen villain Moriarty (another hotly anticipated piece of casting, yet to be announced). A three-episode story arc for the character will culminate in the two-hour season one finale (showing in the US on 16 May and shortly afterwards in the UK on Sky Living), as confirmed by the show's writers via America's TV Guide.
Elementary has faced criticism from some Sherlock Holmes fans for the decision to make the detective's partner Dr Watson female, handing Lucy Liu the role. But Dormer seems an excellent casting choice, with a proven track record in portraying entertainingly arch characters similar to Adler, the woman whose intellect comes close to matching that of Holmes.
As both Margaery Tyrell in fantasy drama Game of Thrones, and Anne Boleyn in historical romp The Tudors, she combines brains and feminine wiles to great effect in her pursuit of a king, while she is also known to British viewers as a formidable supernatural being in BBC3 drama The Fades.
The news of Dormer's casting comes on the same day that Lara Pulver, who plays a dominatrix version of Irene Adler in BBC1's Sherlock, told Radio Times she does not expect to reprise her role in the upcoming third series, which is currently in production.
The door is still open for Pulver ahead of an expected fourth series of Sherlock but, unlessElementary has some radical twists up its sleeve, Dormer's role is likely to be more shortlived.
Good old RadioTimes, reporting with subtle editorializing.
ReplyDeleteThey always know more than we do. . .
ReplyDeleteI read that she will be in a 3 episode arc.
ReplyDeleteB2B.
That is what they are saying, with number 3 being 2 hours!
DeleteI believe the three episode arc is Episode 22 - "Risk Management" on 5/9; Episode 23 - TBA & Episode 24 - TBA both on 5/16. I must say that as I don't have pay cable, I have not seen Ms. Dormer in anything.
ReplyDeleteLOL. That's an interesting math!
ReplyDeleteB2B.
I have don't seen any of her other work either, but, I have been wanting to watch Game of Thrones. So I may have to check it out.
Delete"LOL. That's an interesting math!" I don't get the LOL. Episode 22 is one Episode 23 is two Episode 24 is three. You can show a two-parter back-to-back, they still count as two separate episodes. This is from the CBS press release:
Delete04.09.2013
NATALIE DORMER TO BEGIN A DRAMATIC THREE-EPISODE ARC, BUILDING TO A CLIMACTIC TWO-HOUR SEASON FINALE, AS THE ICONIC IRENE ADLER, SHERLOCK HOLMES’ FORMER LOVER, ON “ELEMENTARY,” BEGINNING THURSDAY, MAY 9
THIS JUST IN…
…From the CBS Television Network
Natalie Dormer will begin a dramatic three-episode arc playing Sherlock Holmes’ former lover, Irene Adler, building to a climactic two-hour season finale, beginning Thursday, May 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Irene Adler was Sherlock’s first and only love in London. Her mysterious murder by the hands of Moriarty caused his downward spiral into drug addiction.
“We're moving to the next chapter in our show – and in some ways, to a previous chapter in Holmes' story,” said Executive Producer and creator Rob Doherty. “Irene Adler is perhaps the most pivotal relationship in Sherlock's life, and I can't think of an actress better suited to the challenge than Natalie.”
Dormer’s television credits include “Game of Thrones” and “The Tudors.” Her feature film credits include the upcoming movies “The Counselor” and “Rush.”
My comment was in response to John's comment about "number 3 being 2 hours!"
DeleteB2B.
Apologies. I guess I had to be there!
ReplyDeleteI thought the last episode was going to be two hours, which means, I think, she will be in the last three episodes with the third being a two hour finale.
ReplyDeleteIf a show is a half-hour sitcom or hour drama, all episodes are at that time length. This is regardless of whether they are broadcast as, in the case of a sitcom, an hour special, or drama, a two hour special. They are budgeted at their normal time length and numbered as episodes at their normal time length. When the shows go into syndication they will be broken down and broadcast in their normal format with the appropriate opening and closing credits. As stated in the CBS press release, Ms. Dormer's three story arc will start on May 9. She will be in the next two episodes, both broadcast the next week on the 16th.
ReplyDeleteI am so confused!!!!!
DeleteThank for the update.
"Elementary" quickly became a bright spot in CBS' '12-'13 season and gave them a full season order of 22 episodes. After giving them the coveted post-Super Bowl slot on November 5, I think--I don't know for sure--CBS gave "Elementary" two additional episodes on November 15: one to make up for the Super Bowl (in many ways post-Super Bowl episodes are considered "special") and one for a two hour season finale. CBS has shown a lot of faith in "Elementary", in part because it is produced by CBS Studios and the network stands to gain quite a bit by its success, but mostly because of the production team and actors. I'm glad the general public has responded so favorably to the show. Maybe in time Sherlockians will see its virtues as well.
ReplyDeleteWe at least know we have at least one more year to look forward to.
Delete