Although many adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes have been made over the years, CBS' show, Robert Downey Jr.'s two Sherlock Holmes movies premiered in 2009 and 2011, and both were successful (at least, commercially). They grossed over $1 billion combined, resulting in Warner Bros. ordering a third film. Unfortunately, the second sequel was never made as it has been in "development hell" over the years due to script rewrites, directorial changes, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
New episodes of Watson air on Sundays at 9 pm ET on CBS, directly following new episodes of Tracker season 3.
One of the worst parts about Sherlock Holmes 3's indefinite delay is that the second movie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, concluded on a cliffhanger. Spoiler alert for those who haven't seen the sequel — Downey Jr.'s Sherlock "dies" at the end. He and Professor James Moriarty fall over a cliff during a struggle, resulting in both of their presumed deaths. However, the last scene reveals that Sherlock survived, setting up Sherlock Holmes 3. Perhaps Downey Jr. will somehow get to continue the story one day, but, in the meantime, Watson previews what might've happened in the third film.
Watson Is Set In A World Where Sherlock Holmes Is Dead
The Renowned Detective Died Prior To The Show's Beginning
As its title suggests, Watson revolves around Dr. John Watson, played by Morris Chestnut. The CBS mystery medical drama doesn't focus on Sherlock Holmes like many other adaptations because, in this universe, the famous detective is dead. One year before the beginning of Watson, Sherlock and his arch nemesis, Professor James Moriarty, fell over the cliff in Reichenbach Falls (similar to Sherlock: A Game of Shadows' ending). Both were presumed dead, but viewers soon learn that Moriarty is still alive, meaning Sherlock might be, too.
Watson Cast |
Role |
|---|---|
Morris Chestnut |
Dr. John Watson |
Eve Harlow |
Ingrid Derian |
Peter Mark Kendall |
Stephens Croft and Adam Croft |
Inga Schlingmann |
Sasha Lubbock |
Ritchie Coster |
Shinwell Johnson |
Rochelle Aytes |
Mary Morstan |
Randall Park |
James Moriarty |
Matt Berry |
Sherlock Holmes (voice) |
Watson is still different from Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes films in a lot of ways. The TV show takes place in the present day; it's set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and the series features a medical aspect. However, in regards to the "Sherlock Holmes is dead" aspect of the plot, Watson is telling the story (a version of it) that Sherlock Holmes 3 never got the chance to.
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How Its Modern Watson & Moriarty Make The CBS Show More Interesting
Randall Park Plays Moriarty
Yes, the classic version of Moriarty is great. However, Watson's Moriarty modern changes make the villain much more intriguing, and Randall Park is the perfect casting for this interpretation of the infamous antagonist. In the CBS series, Moriarty is unassuming and restrained from his true self. No one would suspect he was a villain just by looking at him or briefly talking to him, which is why he is quite dangerous and menacing. Only time will tell how the rest of Moriarty's story plays out in Watson, but it's certainly one worth watching.
- Creator(s)
- Craig Sweeny
- Seasons
- 1
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