CBS' medical mystery drama seriesWatsonputs a clever spin on the overusedSherlock Holmesmythos, and now the show has scored a season 2 renewal. Developed by Craig Sweeney, the show stars Morris Chestnut as Dr. John Watson who has returned to the world of private medical practice in the aftermath of the apparent death of Sherlock Holmes. While applying his brilliant medical mind to some of the most vexing cases in Pittsburgh, Watson must also grapple with his own past and the challenge of some famous villains from the original source material.
Despite the unceasing deluge ofSherlock Holmes-inspired movies and TV shows,Watsonproves that there is always something new to see from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic works. Perhaps the biggest storytelling opportunity withinWatsonis its focus on medical mysteries, as opposed to the typical murder and mayhem found in Sherlock Holmes' casebook. This opens the door for new types of mysteries that put the titular doctor in his element and out of the shadow of his famous partner. After a triumphant debut and high ratings, CBS opted to renewWatsonfor a second season.
Watson Season 2 Latest News
CBS Preemptively Renews Watson For Season 2
Even before the debuting midseason series was able to finish its first outing, the latest news confirms thatWatsonhas been renewed for a second season. The news broke in the wake of the show’s impressive debut, and despite somewhat negative reviews,Watsonwas clearly a ratings hit from day one. More recently,CBS moved it to its fall 2025 slate, taking the place ofFBIspinoffCIA, which was pushed back.
Season 1 ofWatsonconcluded on June 16, 2025.
When speaking with Screen Rant,showrunner Craig Sweenyalso confirms thatWatsonseason 2 will continue to borrow elements from theSherlock Holmeslore after the events of season 1 - the show did not simply use Moriarty, one of the most famousHolmesvillains, as a jumping off point:
The Sherlock Holmes canon will not go away. In fact, it will be present in a new and hopefully inventive way in season 2. It’s not as simple as like, “Well, we did Moriarty, so now we’ll do Gruner, and this time he’s stealing the post-it notes instead of the DNA.” … We work the lore in what I think is going to be a really pleasantly surprising way for the audience in season 2. But yes, we’re not just saying the flavor of the stories, but actual events and characters from the stories will figure into season 2.
Watson Season 2 Is Confirmed
Watson Is Back On The Case In Season 2
With CBS' slate in flux due to a myriad of cancellations and renewals,Watson’s future was anything but certain. However, the Sherlock Holmes-inspired show proved to be an immediate ratings success, which made CBS' decision much easier.The network ordered season 2 ofWatsonin March 2025, almost two full months before the season 1 finale in May. Riding high off an early ratings bump,Watson’s first episode was the most-streamed episode of CBS' 2024-2025 season. Since then, numbers have held steady in season 1.
Watson Season 2 Cast Details
Will Morris Chestnut Return As Dr. Watson?
Though the cast of mostSherlock Holmes-inspired series feature the dynamic duo of Holmes and Dr. Watson as its centerpiece,Watsonis unique because the latter takes center stage. It seems highly certain thatMorris Chestnut will be back to reprise his role as Dr. John Watsonin season 2, especially since the series is his namesake. Joining him will most likely be Rochelle Aytes as Dr. Mary Morstan, Watson’s former wife and current colleague with whom he works very closely on his cases.
The rest ofthe cast ofWatsonincludes Eve Harlow as Ingrid Derian, who often rubs her colleagues the wrong way, and Peter Mark Kendall as twin doctors Stephens and Adam Croft. Inga Schlingmann appears as Sasha Lubbock, a brilliant immunologist, while Ritchie Coster plays reformed criminal Shinwell Johnson, an administrative aid to the clinic who uses his underground connections to help the team.
Excitingly, though Randall Park’s Moriarty is gone,Watsonseason 2 recently cast Robert Carlyle as the legendary detective Shelock Holmes. It was also announced thatNCISfranchise star Noah Mills will join the castas disgraced tech entrepreneur Beck Wythe in a recurring role.
Watson Season 2 Story Details
Is Sherlock Really Gone For Good?
Though the overarching narrative about Moriarty and Watson’s past was fascinating for the first season,the weekly medical mysteries are really the heart of the show’s ongoing appeal. Each new challenge that enters the clinic pushes Watson and his team to the limit, and medical drama certainly never fails to be compelling.
One mystery that needs to be solved is whether Sherlock is really dead, and it stands to reason that he could have survived if Moriarty did
Moriarty’s villainous plan in the first season almost cost one of the members of Watson’s medical team their life, but the group managed to find an unorthodox method to save the day. Watson also, ultimately, opted to ensure Moriarty could never hurt anyone again.Though Moriarty’s time in the series is done, otherSherlock Holmescharacters from Doyle’s original stories could see modern adaptations make their way intoWatsonseason 2.
One mystery that needs to be solved is whether Sherlock is really dead, and it stands to reason that he could have survived if Moriarty did. Whatever happens inWatsonseason 2, it’s bound to be a mix of medical drama and classic mystery.
