What did Jonny Lee Miller actually think about people comparing his version of Sherlock to others?

The name "Sherlock Holmes" has been around longer than many of us have been alive. It is a classic detective character created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. He first appeared in the 1887 novel A Study in Scarlet. Naturally, there have been many television and film adaptations.

Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal of Holmes in Elementary wasn't the first and won't be the last. That is why the actor didn't care about being compared to others who played the detective. In a 2016 article in The Herald (Glasgow ed.), Miller said it was ridiculous to complain about comparisons to Benedict Cumberbatch, another Sherlock actor. He also revealed there was no rivalry between Elementary and BBC's Sherlock, which starred Cumberbatch.

"I think we do widely different shows. Why would I be tired of comparisons with other incarnations? I think the original stories are so good, they can afford many different incarnations — like Robin Hood."

Miller's co-star, Lucy Liu, who plays Dr. Joan Watson, also chimed in. She said she used to watch Cumberbatch's version but believed there was room for both shows to succeed, especially since they aired differently around the same time. Thirteen episodes were produced for the BBC's version, with four three-part series airing from 2010 to 2017 and a special episode in January 2016. Elementary aired from 2012 to 2019, with 7 seasons and 154 episodes.

"I liked seeing something that was based in London. But that was a time before our show actually came on. It's nice to know they can be living in parallel universes and still be successful on their own."