For well over a century,Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes has been influencing the mystery genre on the page and the screen. Nearly every year, someone‚ somewhere, has used Holmes and Dr. Watson’s friendship as thelaunchpad for their own creation, whether as a straight adaptation of Doyle’s works or mere inspiration. In 2004, Holmes and Watson’s dynamic became partial inspiration forDavid Shore’s long-running and critically acclaimed medical dramaHouse. Setting the series amid the high-stress drama of a teaching hospital plagued with a fresh medical mystery each week was a novel concept that ultimately allowed the series to be largely removed fromcomparisons to other Sherlock Holmes adaptations. Now, two decades later, CBS is trying to replicate the success of FOX’sHouseby crafting their very own Holmes adaptation set against the backdrop of a clinic that specifically treats patients with strange and unidentifiable issues. ButisWatsonthe cure for aHouse-shaped holein the ever-growing medical drama landscape?
The series hails fromCraig Sweeny, who is no stranger to the world of Sherlock Holmes, given that he executive produced and penned sixteen episodes ofElementary, a modern retelling of Sherlock Holmes through the lens of a crime procedural.Watsonhas a similar tone toElementary, though it lacks the spark the seven-season series had. Perhaps that’s becauseWatsonpicks up six months after the apparent death of Sherlock Holmes, which leaves the audience feeling lost in the middle of a story they have no real emotional connection to.This presumptive air of familiarity ultimately holdsWatsonback from being a truly remarkable series, despiteMorris Chestnut’s natural charm as the series’ titular lead, Dr. John Watson.
Does ‘Watson’s Cast of Characters Have What It Takes to Hook Fans?
Watson’s pilot opens in a familiar location for even the most casual Sherlock Holmes fan: Reichenbach Falls.Six months removed from the untimely demise of his friend and partner, Watson is still plagued with memories of that fateful day and the mysterious Moriarty, in addition to dealing with the side effects of the debilitating concussion he sustained. Despite clearly suffering, Watson heads back to work, solving medical mysteries with his quirky team of professionals.
The series attempts to quickly establish Watson’s dynamics with those around him, including his soon-to-be ex-wife Dr. Mary Morstan (RochelleAytes), who runs Pennsylvania’s largest health care system, and his unlikely confidant Shinwell Johnson (Ritchie Coster). But even beyond the pilot, these dynamics never really receive the attention they require to convince audiences to care. There’s nothing wrong about starting a series in the middle of the action, butWatsondoesn’t do any of the work required to ensure an emotional buy-infrom viewers. Instead of being a series that unravels the mystery of what happened before,Watsonfeels like picking up a series midway through a run and having no access to the first three seasons.
Watsonbreadcrumbs details about the supporting cast — like Sasha Lubbock (Inga Schlingmann) and Dr. Stephens Croft and Dr. Adam Croft (Peter Mark Kendall) — but, most notably, it only chooses to hint at Ingrid Derian’s (Eve Harlow) questionable past, which, again, gives the impression of referencing something from previous seasons that simply does not exist. It’s an infuriating way to introduce a slate of admittedly compelling characters who are ultimately relegated to the realms of being archetypes, rather than fully-formed characters. Five episodes into the series, no single character has the foundation to become even half as memorable as, say,House’s ensemble remains two decades later. However,Watson’s characters do start to feel a little more grounded by Episode 4, though even that may be too long for some viewers.
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How Do ‘Watson’s Medical Mysteries Unfold?
As with most medical dramas,Watsonis a case-of-the-week-style procedural. Each episode opens with the week’s guest star being struck down by some mysterious ailment that leaves them on the brink of death before they are brought into Watson’s clinic to be treated. Similar toHouse, Watson’s patients often have a myriad of conflicting symptoms, which require the good doctor and his team to thoroughly investigate their lives and loved ones in ways that should lead to them all losing their medical licenses. In the typical three-act structure,each week’s case is resolved by the end of the episode, often with a satisfying conclusion that pairs nicely with the series’ overarching mystery surrounding Watson’s concussion.
In a surprisingly crowded television landscape that includes long-running medical dramas likeGrey’s AnatomyandChicago Med, as well as newcomers likeThe Pitt,Watsonhas a steep hill to climb in delivering cases that are wholly unique to the series. If you’re drawn to one medical drama, you’ve likely watched them all, so any new show has the hefty task of ensuring that audiences never feel like what they’re watching is a pale imitation of what has come before.This is one area thatWatsonexcels in. While the underlying medical conditions (like Sickle Cell Disease and cancer) are relatively run-of-the-mill, the way the series subverts expectations and presents clever challenges to the diagnosis makes the cases quite compelling.
Is ‘Watson’ Another Network Win for CBS?
WhileWatsondoes suffer from how its ensemble is written — partly as a consequence of the narrative being set in the middle of some of these characters’ arcs —Morris Chestnut is both a brilliant Dr. Watson and a solid lead. Both he and Aytes’ Dr. Morstan prove to be the most well-written and intriguing characters within the cast, and that makes sense, considering their relationship — or rather, past relationship — is given the most care and consideration. It seems as though the series is setting up the potential for the two doctors to drift back together again, and their chemistry is a definite selling point.
The premiere also delivers a surprise casting reveal for Moriarty, which proves to bea rather inspired choice for the iconic character. While Moriarty doesn’t make an appearance in the four subsequent episodes provided for review, the character’s influence is felt throughout the underlying subplot for the series, which adds to the intrigue of Watson’s post-Holmes dilemma. Whether the remainder of the thirteen-episode season can stick the landing with these dynamics is yet to be seen, butWatsoncertainly has all the trappings of a hit procedural once it hits its stride.
Watsondebuts on CBS on January 26 at 10 PM ET after the AFC Championship Game, before the official launch on February 16 at its regular time at 9 PM ET. you may stream episodes weekly on the Paramount+ app.
Morris Chestnut might be what the doctor ordered, but is Watson?
