‘Elementary’ EP Reveals How Natalie Dormer’s Moriarty Will Figure Into Season 6

Due to a scheduling conflict, Natalie Dormer won’t be reprising her role as Moriarty in the upcoming Season 6 of “Elementary.” But despite Moriarty’s absence, executive producer Rob Doherty said that the character will still figure into the next season of the CBS series.

“We will address their relationship over the course of the season,” Doherty told TVLine. “We will talk about where Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) and Moriarty are these days. We’ll see how Sherlock feels about her as a nemesis and a potential romantic partner. His health is going to give him cause to look at what he has in his life that’s good and working, and what he is missing.”

Moriarty has not been seen on the show since Season 2, episode 12. Fans last heard her voice in Season 3, episode 14, in which she wrote a letter to Joan (Lucy Liu) expressing her displeasure at the attempt on the former surgeon’s life. Moriarty revealed in the letter that she’s the one who arranged the death of Elana March (Gina Gershon) to protect Joan. At the end of her correspondence, Moriarty hinted at an “unfolding game between Sherlock and herself,” of which she said Joan is a player.

Dormer gained international attention for her role as Margaery Tyrell on “Game of Thrones.” Although Margaery was killed off in Season 6 of the HBO fantasy drama in 2016, Dormer’s other work commitments have prevented her from returning to “Elementary.”

“I can say that there is always a chance of seeing the return of Moriarty,” Doherty previously told Entertainment Weekly. “[But] at the same time, ‘Game of Thrones’ was never the only obstacle between us and Natalie. She’s extraordinarily busy, tends to have multiple projects going on at one time, so we’ll talk as we always do and look for a window.”

While Moriarty won’t appear next season, fans will meet a new character, Michael (Desmond Harrington), who appears to be just as enigmatic as Moriarty. “I think of Michael as a man who’s intent on becoming Sherlock Holmes’ shadow,” Doherty told TV Guide. “They meet as fellow addicts in recovery, but it’s no accident. Michael has plans for Sherlock, a twisted idea of how they can help each other. By the time Sherlock looks closer, he’ll realize there’s this warped, dark figure attached to him and it might not be possible to shake him off.”

“Elementary” Season 6 premieres on Monday, April 30 at 10 p.m. EDT on CBS.