CBS Is Premiering Its New Watson Series This Weekend And Star Morris Chestnut’s ‘Doc-Tectives’ Description Has Me Sold

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Over a year since CBS initially greenlit a fresh adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, titled “Watson,” is now slated to debut in the 2025 television lineup. Given its title, it’s not difficult for fans of Holmes’ stories to surmise that this time, the narrative revolves around Dr. John Watson instead of the detective himself. The series falls under the medical drama genre and Morris Chestnut, known for his roles in “Rosewood” and “The Resident,” portrays the titular character. His description of the upcoming series has convinced me to tune in.

Watson, set to air on CBS, marks the broadcaster’s initial foray into medical dramas since the cancellation of Sophia Bush’s Good Sam in 2022. The series uniquely blends the realms of medicine and mystery. The protagonist oversees a clinic specializing in treating extremely uncommon disorders, a task that demands a unique approach. As Morris Chestnut explained to TV Insider, this approach represents a genre fusion not seen anywhere else on network television.

In our series, we don’t limit ourselves to being only doctors or detectives. Instead, we embrace the role of ‘medical investigators,’ which sets us apart from many traditional medical or detective shows. Our unique blend offers a mix of both worlds.

Week after week, the mysteries might be primarily medical in nature, but the focus on John Watson doesn’t diminish the presence of traditional Sherlock Holmes elements seen in shows like CBS’ “Elementary” prior to its 2019 conclusion. Notably, the showrunner and creator of this series, Craig Sweeny, was also behind “Elementary.” Although six months have passed since the famous detective met his end, there’s always room for more intrigue within the world of Sherlock Holmes.

As a cinephile, I’m thrilled to reveal that the enigmatic adversary, Moriarty, will grace our screens once more in this upcoming production. In intriguing terms, he possesses an uncanny knack for appearing and affecting individuals close to Watson without necessarily being physically present. As of now, the casting for Moriarty remains a mystery, adding another layer of anticipation to the unveiling of the fresh interpretation of this iconic character. It will certainly be intriguing to see how swiftly Watson integrates the new portrayal into the narrative.

From the sneak peek, it appears that Watson is maintaining the duality of John being both a storyteller and a physician. Only when we watch the movie will we truly understand this dynamic. Here’s a glance: (Note: This is written in first person as a movie enthusiast)

“Given the trailer, it seems Watson is preserving the double identity of John, who is both a skilled storyteller and a dedicated physician. We’ll only be able to grasp this fully once we watch the movie.

CBS is definitely giving “Watson” an aggressive kickoff; even though its time slot debut isn’t until mid-February, the network plans to unveil the pilot on Sunday, January 26, immediately following the AFC Championship game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. While this isn’t as advantageous as Justin Hartley’s “Tracker” securing the post-Super Bowl slot for 2024, broadcasting right after a significant NFL matchup should attract a massive viewership.

Indeed, the AFC championship game represents the most significant NFL matchup that CBS will broadcast this year, since the Super Bowl in 2025 will be on Fox and features Kendrick Lamar as the headliner for the halftime show. Therefore, this coming Sunday could offer the maximum audience boost for the debut of Morris Chestnut’s new “doc-tective” series. What a remarkable vote of confidence for his show!

Besides Morris Chesnut, Watson is also joined by Eve Harlow portraying Ingrid Derian, Peter Mark Kendell taking on two roles as Dr. Stephens Croft and Dr. Adam Croft, Ritchie Coster playing Shinwell Johnson, Inga Schlingmann as Sasha Lubbock, Rochelle Aytes as Dr. Mary Morstan, and an as-yet-unnamed actor as Moriarty! I’m intrigued to find out if Sherlock will appear through flashbacks before his demise, possibly making an appearance too.

The TV show called “Watson” makes its first appearance on Sunday, January 26th at 10:00 PM Eastern Time on CBS after the AFC Championship, and later in its regular time slot of 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, February 26th. You can also stream episodes with a subscription to Paramount+.

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2025-01-26 03:07