Since Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes first appeared in print in the 19th century, the forensic detective and his comrade, Dr. John H. Watson, have been enduring figures in global literature and other media, including television. Recently, the BBC’s “Sherlock” and CBS‘ “Elementary” both put successful spins on the beloved Holmes and Watson characters. Now, “Elementary” scribe and producer Craig Sweeny is delivering a new (and wholly unrelated) take on Dr. John Watson. While Lucy Liu portrayed Dr. Watson on “Elementary,” on “Watson,” veteran actor Morris Chestnut stars as the titular character. Set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the series follows the self-assured and brilliant doctor six months after the death of his best friend, Sherlock Holmes. Holmes died at the hands of the malicious Professor James Moriarty (a rather shocking guest star). While Chestnut is more than up to the task, a jumbled pilot and forced Sherlock lore make for an unsteady opening.
“Watson” opens with the death of Sherlock Holmes. After a desperate attempt to save his friend, Dr. Watson awakens from a coma, suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). At the behest of Holmes’ will, Watson returns to Pittsburgh to open the Holmes Clinic in the city’s largest hospital. He and a team of young doctors dig into unique and distinct cases, which enables him to use his detective hat. Undeterred by his alarming TBI symptoms, Watson and his fellows take on a growing roster of patients, requiring them to look beyond the obvious.
In addition to Dr. Watson, the Holmes Clinic squad consists of Dr. Stephens Croft and Dr. Adam Croft (Peter Mark Kendall), identical twins with a fractured relationship. While Stephens is stuffy and stoic, Adam is outgoing but has a sordid past. Joining the Crofts is Dr. Sasha Lubbock (Inga Schlingmann), a rheumatology and immunologist specialist whose sweet Southern demeanor (thick Texas drawl included) keeps her locked in an unfulfilling romance. Still, the most intriguing physician in the cohort is Dr. Ingrid Derian (Eve Harlow), who also acts as Dr. Watson’s personal neurologist. Cold, calculating and Watson’s clear favorite, Ingrid just might be a sociopath.
Though Ingrid stands out in the clinic, Watson and his estranged wife, Dr. Mary Morstan (Rochelle Aytes), are a highlight of the show. Mary is the director at the hospital where the Holmes Clinic is housed, and Chestnut and Aytes have fantastic chemistry despite their characters’ differing patient care tactics. Additionally, the former couple’s past, which Mary readily wants to bookend and Watson is desperate to keep open, aids in the tension running through this first season.
The glaring issue with “Watson” is it’s being forced under the Sherlock Holmes tentpole. In the pilot alone, Chestnut awkwardly uses the word “Eureka!” and suddenly Watson’s driver, Shinwell Johnson (Ritchie Coster), whose ties to Scotland Yard are constantly mentioned (though this is Pittsburgh), transforms into his fixer and closest confidante. It’s bizarre and meandering, forcing viewers to work harder to get grounded in the story.
“Watson” could’ve easily worked as a cut-and-dry medical mystery drama instead of trying to force a square peg in a round hole. The series’ opening scene thrusts viewers into a Sherlock Holmes-type adventure, but then, in a flash, the audience finds itself in Pittsburgh. Renaming the characters would have worked without haphazardly trying to bridge these two worlds together.
Still, there is one main thing “Watson” excels at. In an almost overwhelming landscape of hospital dramas from ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” to the Max newcomer “The Pitt,” “Watson” manages to examine “typical” medical crisis using fresh eyes. In Episode 5, the strongest of the five that critics screened for review, Dr. Watson cares for a twenty-something woman amid her increasingly challenging sickle cell crisis. Moving beyond medicine, the series examines ethical questions about our healthcare system and why specific treatments and cures are withheld unless purchased. “Watson” does something similar when examining genetic markers for cancer in Episode 4.
A baffling beginning and the unnecessary Sherlock Holmes influences make for a shaky start, especially in the first few episodes. However, with an endlessly charismatic Chestnut leading the charge, the addition of some much-needed backstories and a focus on medical mysteries and the people enduring them, “Watson” eventually finds more solid ground. However, amid countless other procedurals, audiences might jump ship well before it steadies itself.
“Watson” premieres Jan. 26 on CBS, with new episodes dropping weekly on Sundays.
