Watson Renewed for Season 2, But Trouble Ahead for Cast

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In the early lineup of 2025 television broadcasts, Watson successfully reintroduced Morris Chesnut to prime time in a fresh, innovative manner. This was followed by an airing after NFL games to draw the largest CBS audience. The strategy proved effective for the doctor/detective series with a Sherlock Holmes spinoff, as the network has already confirmed its return rather than leaving fans in suspense about its renewal or cancellation, unlike the fate of shows such as FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted.

Indeed, it’s confirmed that Watson was brought back for Season 2 ahead of schedule, and Eve Harlow and Rochelle Aytes shared their excitement about this development with TopMob… However, indications suggest that the final episodes of Season 1 may be fraught with difficulties.

The Stars Weigh In

In late March, CBS decided to bring back the series “Watson” for a second season, which is set to air during the 2025-2026 television season. Since it wasn’t renewed alongside Justin Hartley’s “Tracker”, its companion in the Sunday primetime slot, there was some apprehension about its continuation. However, any concerns proved unwarranted as the show’s renewal also disclosed that “Watson” attracts an average of 6.79 million viewers per week, according to the latest season-to-date data from Nielsen at that time.

The strong average viewing figures can be attributed to the 18.7 million viewers who watched the post-AFC Championship premiere, as well as those with Paramount+ subscriptions. Notably, this first episode has become the most-streamed scripted CBS Original of the 2024-2025 season thus far, amassing 7 million streams.

As I sat down for a chat with Eve Harlow and Rochelle Aytes prior to the April 13 episode titled “Take a Family History”, I couldn’t help but ask about the potential renewal of Watson, given that we were still weeks away from the May finale. Eve Harlow, who brings an intriguing mix of unconventional and sometimes unsettling portrayal to her character, Dr. Ingrid Derian, expressed her thoughts:

“I’m really excited about the possibility of Watson being renewed. It’s been such a rewarding experience working on this show, and I feel like there’s so much more we can explore with Ingrid. The characters are complex, and there’s a lot of depth to delve into.

Wow, that was quite amusing! Let me recount the story. I distinctly recall hearing my phone ring, and it was none other than Craig [Sweeny], our showrunner. I picked up the call and said, “Craig, you’re calling – it must be some news, either good or bad.” [laughs] He replied, “The news is under wraps for a couple more hours, but we’ve been given the green light.” [laughs] The irony is, when he called me, I was actually en route to have lunch with one of our show writers, Anna [Mackey]. Talk about perfect timing! And when I met her, I exclaimed, “Second season! Woo!” It’s incredibly exciting.

When a showrunner initiates phone calls during the spring season, it often signals that the future of the show has been determined! Luckily for Watson, this year brought positive news, and the actor from Star Trek: Discovery could rejoice with one of the writers. It seems like perfect timing on multiple levels, don’t you think?

Actress Rochelle Aytes, who’s been occupied with other projects on CBS for multiple seasons within the “S.W.A.T.” ensemble, expressed her thoughts. As the portrayer of Dr. Mary Morstan in a medical role, Aytes mentioned:

Oh, what a sense of release! Each week, we were anxiously awaiting the figures, which brought stress along with them. Trying to push those worries aside and not think about them was challenging, but when we received the news, it felt like a gift. It’s such a relief to finally know that we can begin planning and focusing on what comes next.

Given that the TV series S.W.A.T. has been cancelled thrice (with the latest cancellation seemingly permanent), it’s hardly surprising that Rochelle Aytes views the early renewal of Watson as a “relief.” When I mentioned to the actress that I wasn’t aware of how high the ratings averages were until CBS announced the renewal, she replied:

It took me by surprise as well since they include views from streaming platforms, which I hadn’t been aware of. Wow, it seems there’s quite a large audience!

For Eve Harlow, appearing in “Watson” marks her return to network television since the conclusion of Fox’s brief-run drama “Next,” which also featured “Mad Men’s” John Slattery. Regarding this series gaining popularity among audiences, she offers her unique perspective.

Indeed, it seems accurate. It’s thrilling to know that people are engaged and taking notice. The crew working on this project genuinely cares and pours their hearts into it, which makes it all the more satisfying to witness that interest is reciprocated. I can’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie when I realize that others share my enthusiasm for what we’ve created. It’s truly rewarding to see our efforts resonate with audiences.

The show’s future looks promising on CBS, as it has been confirmed for at least one more complete season. Whether it will air during the fall schedule this year or be postponed for a midseason slot is yet undecided. Nevertheless, viewers can anticipate the final episode without excessive concern.

Trouble Is On The Way For The Team

As a die-hard film enthusiast, I can’t help but ponder over the uncertainties that always seem to shadow the final episodes of my favorite shows. Just because we know “Watson” is coming back doesn’t mean every character or situation will return intact. The upcoming episode on April 13, titled “Take a Family History,” promises to bring Ingrid’s past deceptions back to haunt her, while she and her ex forge an unexpected bond over shared grief.

According to CBS, an upcoming episode set to air a week later will offer a delight for fans who have been following the unique take on Sherlock Holmes stories by Watson, as Rachel Hayward is set to make her debut as Detective Lestrade in “The Man with the Alien Hand”, which is scheduled for April 20. The synopsis goes:

In a turn of events, Watson finds himself delving into a detective case, as he grapples with doubt about the innocence of the person he’s caring for, who is suffering from an extremely rare condition called alien hand syndrome, regarding their involvement in pushing their brother under a bus and causing their death.

In the upcoming episode, Watson and their team will encounter mysteries that are usually hidden within the body of the patient for the week. The intrigue will undoubtedly challenge them as they grapple with the enigma of whether or not their current patient is also a potential killer. An unusual case like “Alien Hand Syndrome” fits perfectly within their usual investigations, but a criminal case is less common and could certainly stir up some trouble!

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If you haven’t, we might encounter some issues stemming from an upcoming episode titled “The Dark Day Deduction,” set to air on April 27th. The character of Randall Part reprises his role as Moriarty, a development I’m excited about as a fan of the series, but it seems likely that this character will be met with less enthusiasm by Watson’s team according to CBS’ episode synopsis. In other words, there’s a good chance that Moriarty won’t be well-received by most members of Watson’s team.

The Haunting Past – Watson Faces an Old Trauma

In this tale, Watson encounters a troubling flashback from his military past as he tries to aid an Army veteran friend’s distressed wife, who pleads for help when her husband appears to be experiencing a psychotic episode. At the same time, Shinwell is approached by Moriarty with one final request.

Is it safe to assume that asking “one more favor” from Shinwell regarding his precarious dealings with Moriarty will turn out well? Frankly, I won’t presume anything where that character is concerned, and there remains the mystery of what Moriarty has in store for Ingrid before the series finale on May 11.

Tune in to CBS every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET for the fresh installments of Watson Season 1, as there’s plenty more to look forward to than what the previews hinted at. Don’t forget to visit TopMob regularly for updates from Rochelle Aytes and Eve Harlow about the April 13 episode and future developments.

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2025-04-14 02:38