CBS Making a Sherlock Spinoff Series on Race-Swapped ‘Watson’ Medical Drama
A new exciting Sherlock Holmes drama is on the horizon and it has already made a stir. CBS has given a straight-to-series order for the medical drama Watson, which will feature a race-swapped version of the popular character.
Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series has been translated onto screens many times before. The most recent iteration includes the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes and its 2011 sequel, A Game of Shadows, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson. There is also the uber-popular BBC Sherlock, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson. Now it is time for Morris Chestnut to shine a spotlight on the character in the upcoming race-swapped Sherlock spin-off.
Morris Chestnut to star as Dr. Watson in new CBS medical drama
CBS promises to bring a fresh take on Sherlock Holmes to the small screen. From the former Elementary writer Craig Sweeney comes yet another tantalizing new take on Sherlock Holmes, with Morris Chestnut taking on the titular role of Watson in the eponymous medical drama. Morris Chestnut has already played medical professionals in The Resident and Nurse Jackie, which makes him the ideal candidate for the new venture.
The show will be called Watson and the official logline, according to Variety, is as follows:
“Dr. John Watson (Chestnut) resume his medical career as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him, though—Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.”
The show will pay tribute to Arthur Conan Doyle by respecting his original decision to end the Sherlock Holmes saga at the hands of Moriarty. Morris Chestnut will also be the executive producer of the show. Shäron Moalem, MD, PhD, and Aaron Kaplan and Brian Morewitz for Kapital Entertainment will serve as executive producers beside Morris. The first episode will be directed and executive-produced by Larry Teng. CBS Studios will serve as the producer.
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Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, announced to Variety how CBS is getting pumped for this upcoming show and gave the following statement:
“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. Craig Sweeny’s bold new vision for the complex Dr. Watson deftly interweaves rich character storytelling with edge-of-your-seat medical mysteries.”
The show is conceptualized as a medical drama but with a strong investigative tone for medical mysteries. However, with the teased return of Moriarty, the investigations might take an unexpected turn.
Dr Watson and his race in literature and TV
This is the second time CBS will be making changes to the character of Watson. In the previous show, Elementary, Watson was played by actress Lucy Liu. Throughout the series, it was an Asian woman as opposed to a white man.
Now the question arises: does one really know what the race of Watson is? Arthur Conan Doyle had been very vague while portraying the character in the pages of Sherlock Holmes. In The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton, his physical attributes are described as “square jaw, thick neck, [and] moustache” without any mention of his race or skin color. However, in A Study In Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes comments that Watson’s skin has darkened due to the time served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War, a comment that would be unlikely to be made towards someone who already has a darker skin tone.
The show is expected to air in the 2024–2025 broadcast season.
