Watson: CBS Orders Sherlock Holmes Spin-off Series

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Watson: CBS Orders Sherlock Holmes Spin-off Series

CBS has given a straight-to-series order for Watson, a Sherlock Holmes spin-off series starring Morris Chestnut (Boyz n The Hood, The Best Man, Rosewood) in the titular role of Dr. John Watson.

What is Watson about, and when will it premiere?

According to Variety, Watson is a contemporary story. It’s set one year after the death of Holmes at the hands of archnemesis Moriarty. The show will follow Dr. John Watson as he resumes his medical career as the head of a clinic that’s dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life catches up with him, however, as the official logline teases: “Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.”

Although an exact premiere date has not been set, Watson is expected to debut in the upcoming air during the 2024-2025 broadcast season.

The series is produced by CBS Studios. Craig Sweeny (Elementary, Star Trek: Section 31) wrote the pilot. He will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Morris Chestnut, Shäron Moalem MD, PhD, and Aaron Kaplan and Brian Morewitz for Kapital Entertainment. Larry Teng will executive produce and direct the first episode. Chestnut, also known for his roles on Nurse Jackie and The Resident, is the only cast member announced so far.

Watson is not the first Sherlock adaptation to find a home at CBS. Elementary debuted in 2012, running for seven seasons and a total of 154 episodes. It starred Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as Holmes and Watson, respectively.

“We are thrilled to feature such a beloved character from the world of Sherlock Holmes at the center of this series and have it brought to life by Morris Chestnut in a fresh and unexpected take on the immortal doctor,” shared Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment. “Craig Sweeny’s bold new vision for the complex Dr. Watson deftly interweaves rich character storytelling with edge-of-your-seat medical mysteries.”