Watson Creator Confirms Another Classic Sherlock Holmes Character Is Coming & How They’ll Be Changed: “Very Much Going To Be An Ongoing Relationship”
Watson creator Craig Sweeny has confirmed when another familiar Sherlock Holmes character will debut in the detective-inspired medical drama. The new CBS series sees its titular Dr. John Watson (Morris Chestnut) opening up the Holmes Clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, following Sherlock's supposed death at the hands of Moriarty (Randall Park). The cast of Watsonconsists of multiple characters pulled from the pages of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work. This includes the clinic's medical director and Watson's ex-wife, Mary Morstan (Rochelle Aytes) and administrative aide Shinwell Johnson (Ritchie Coster).
Speaking with TV Insider, however, Sweeny confirmed when Inspector Lestrade, another Sherlock Holmes character, will debut in Watson. The series creator confirmed the familiar character would arrive in episode 10, reimagined as a detective in Pittsburgh who winds up working on a case with the titular protagonist. While not much is known about his debut, it's described as an "ongoing relationship," meaning his first appearance will not be his last. Check out what Sweeny had to say below:
Lestrade, in our universe, is a detective in Pittsburgh. They meet in Episode 10 and collaborate on a case. That’s very much going to be an ongoing relationship.
What Inspector Lestrade's Confirmation Means For Watson
How Will The Detective Character Show Up?
Lestrade has appeared in multiple recentadaptations of the famous detective's stories, typically in a recurring capacity. This included in the BBC's Sherlock, where he was portrayed by Rupert Graves, and in CBS' previous Sherlock Holmes show Elementary, portrayed by Sean Pertwee. While not much is known about how he'll be portrayed in Watson, the character is often displayed as a down-to-earth detective and frequent collaborator of the main duo. This same repertoire is likely to be reflected in his newest iteration.
There's also no indication as to who will portray the character, despite other famous figures from the novels already having actors attached. Given the critical praise aimed at Chestnut's portrayal of Watson, however, it's likely the show has found a suitable actor whose presence will be perfect for the role. While it's a lot to live up to, given the many memorable performances of the detective that have come before, his inclusion overall is a promising indicator of how prevalent his role is going to be.
Our Take On Lestrade's Debut In Watson
The Case Could Pull From One Of His Original Appearances
Since Lestrade is a detective, his enlisting the show's lead character for help could signal their investigation won't be of the medical variety. This means his debut episode could pull from one of the original murder cases he was involved with in Doyle's writing, like A Study in Scarlet or The Hound of the Baskervilles. Whatever his debut will bring, it's clear Watson will honor the legacy of his character while putting a renewed twist on his detective skills and investigations.
New episodes of Watson begin Sunday, February 16 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
Source: TV Insider
Watson
- Release Date
- January 26, 2025
- Network
- CBS
- Showrunner
- Craig Sweeny
- Directors
- Larry Teng, Bille Woodruff, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jennifer Lynch, Kristin Lehman, Mario Van Peebles, Ron Underwood, Tara Nicole Weyr, Christine Moore, Clara Aranovich
- Writers
- Craig Sweeny, Jason Inman, Charly Evon Simpson, Shardé Miller, Anna Mackey
Cast
Morris ChestnutDr. John Watson
Eve HarlowDr. Ingrid Derian
- Creator(s)
- Craig Sweeny
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