‘Elementary’ Season 6 Spoilers: EP Reveals New Details About Desmond Harrington’s Character

Fans will meet new character Michael Rowan in Season 6 of “Elementary.” And while Michael will be introduced as a friend of Sherlock’s on the CBS series, the former actually has a secret agenda that will put the British detective in a complicated position.

“I think of Michael (Desmond Harrington) as a man who’s intent on becoming Sherlock Holmes’ (Jonny Lee Miller) shadow,” showrunner Rob 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.”

As previously revealed by Deadline, Michael is a recovering addict who once found inspiration to stay sober from Sherlock. In the new season, Michael offers to return the favor and be an ongoing support to Sherlock.

Michael’s introduction to the series seemingly comes at a right time for Sherlock, who hasn’t really been in good terms with his partner Joan (Lucy Liu) after he forgot to attend Shinwell’s (Nelsan Ellis) wake in the Season 5 finale. But despite the rift between the two, Doherty said that Sherlock will eventually make amends with Joan and tell her about his mental condition.

Doherty told Entertainment Weekly last June that Sherlock “knows by now that problems like these are best addressed with help from friends,” so viewers will definitely see him open up about his health issues to Joan next season. The real question, however, is how long before Sherlock will tell Joan about it. “Has he waited too long to confide in her?” asked Doherty.

“Suffice [it] to say [given his health issue], Sherlock will have a lot more on his plate,” Doherty told TVLine. “Working as a detective is about to become a lot more complicated for him and life in general. The Brownstone will become more complicated for him and Joan.”

“Elementary” Season 6 premieres on Monday, April 30 at 10 p.m. EDT. Check out the first-look photo of Harrington as Michael below: