Morris Chestnut's Watson: Blending Sherlock Holmes Lore with Cutting-Edge CBS Medical Mystery
- 11 oct
- 6 Min. de lectura
Since the 19th century, Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson, have remained enduring figures across global literature and media. While recent successful television adaptations like the BBC's "Sherlock" and CBS's "Elementary" have put new spins on the duo, a new series from CBS and Paramount boldly shifts the spotlight entirely to the doctor. This is the premise of Watson, a new medical drama starring veteran actor Morris Chestnut as the titular Dr. John Watson.
Set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the show picks up six months after the shocking death of Sherlock Holmes, who perished at the hands of the malicious Professor James Moriarty. Far from simply being a standard hospital drama, Watson blends the intensity of a CBS medical mystery with the high stakes of a detective show, demanding that its team look beyond the obvious.
Dr. Watson, Post-Holmes: A New Era in Pittsburgh
The series immediately throws viewers into the aftermath of tragedy: 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 establish the Holmes Clinic within the city’s largest hospital. This clinic becomes the hub for Watson, who is forced to use his detective hat as he and his team investigate unique and distinct cases, often battling his own alarming TBI symptoms.
Veteran actor Morris Chestnut, described as endlessly charismatic, is clearly more than up to the task of leading the series. However, the early critical consensus highlights a primary flaw: the show’s strained connection to the broader Sherlock Holmes Universe. Though created by "Elementary" producer Craig Sweeny, the pilot is described as jumbled, with the forced Sherlock lore creating an "unsteady opening". The series awkwardly integrates elements, such as Watson suddenly using the word "Eureka!" and his driver, Shinwell Johnson (Ritchie Coster), who constantly mentions ties to Scotland Yard despite being in Pittsburgh, transforming into his closest confidante and fixer. Critics argue that the show "could’ve easily worked as a cut-and-dry medical mystery drama" without attempting to force a "square peg in a round hole" by haphazardly bridging these two worlds. The confusing beginning and unnecessary Sherlock Holmes influences make for a shaky start in the first few episodes.
The Holmes Clinic Cohort and Hospital Tensions
Despite the initial narrative stumbles, the character dynamics within the Holmes Clinic provide significant intrigue. The clinic squad includes Dr. Stephens Croft and Dr. Adam Croft (identical twins with a fractured relationship), Dr. Sasha Lubbock (a rheumatology and immunologist specialist), and Dr. Ingrid Derian, who serves as Watson’s personal neurologist and is described as cold, calculating, and potentially a sociopath.
Adding to the tension is Dr. Mary Morstan (Rochelle Aytes), Watson’s estranged wife and the director of the hospital housing the clinic. Chestnut and Aytes share "fantastic chemistry" despite their differing philosophies on patient care. The complexity of their past—which Mary is eager to close and Watson is desperate to revisit—fuels the drama throughout the first season.
Beyond the White Coat: Visual Storytelling through Costume Design
One crucial element that helps Watson stand out amid the "overwhelming landscape of hospital dramas" is its distinctive approach to visual storytelling, particularly through costume design. Costume designer Kerry Weinrauch sought to make the series visually different from other content in the medical genre, noting that many medical procedurals rely on "just white lab coats and scrubs," which can be drab. Since Watson spans genres—functioning as a medical procedural and a mystery/detective show—the costumes are vital communication tools.
Weinrauch’s strategy was to immediately separate Morris Chestnut's Watson and his team from the rest of the medical practitioners at the UHOP medical facility. The Holmes Clinic team wears shades of gray, with Watson’s being a slightly darker gray to emphasize his separation and leadership. Furthermore, the designer intentionally decided that the team would never wear their lab coats outside of the actual lab, avoiding the visual clichés associated with the genre.
Dressing the Detective Doctor and His Cohort
Watson’s personal style reflects his aspirational and self-assured nature. The design team opted for Italian-cut suits, steering away from the typical doctor look. Weinrauch was fortunate that Chestnut is comfortable with "colors or patterns or bold style choices," allowing the character to "pop" through bright colors, interesting plaids, and unique color combinations.
The Foils and the Director
The attention to costume detail extends throughout the ensemble cast:
• Dr. Mary Morstan: Her attire is designed to convey strength and power, utilizing soft, drapey fabrications alongside masculine elements, keeping her "strong, but feminine at the same time". Interestingly, the colors she wears are intentionally chosen to be opposite Watson’s when they are in conflict, and closer together when they find commonality.
• Shinwell Johnson: The costume choices for Watson’s fixer are deeply rooted in history, influenced by East End gangsters dating back to the 1700s through the 1960s. His style employs classic tweeds and British cuts, subtly connecting him to Britain and the recently deceased Sherlock Holmes.
• Dr. Sasha Lubbock: In stark contrast to the rest of the dark palette, Sasha is the only character dressed in bright spring colors, prints, and florals, reflecting her optimistic, feminine, Southern debutante style.
• The Croft Twins (Stephens and Adam): To differentiate the twin brothers played by the same actor (Peter Mark Kendall), their clothing embodies their personalities. Adam exhibits a "hipper street style" and a laid-back, indie music vibe, while Stephens’ look is "uptight, closed off, more clinical and a practical way of dressing," enhancing his stoic nature.
The costume designer emphasizes that these detailed choices are crucial because the audience begins judging a character by what they are wearing even before they speak, helping to make the characters believable and enhancing the fantasy and escapism of the mystery genre.
The Heart of the Mystery: Ethical Medicine and Procedural Excellence
While the series experienced a shaky start due to the unnecessary need to shoehorn in Sherlock Holmes influences, Watson eventually finds its more solid ground by concentrating on its medical mysteries and the people enduring them.
The series shines when it moves beyond typical medical crisis scenarios to examine ethical questions surrounding the modern healthcare system. For example, the show dedicates an episode to caring for a woman in a challenging sickle cell crisis. This focus allows Watson to delve into complex societal issues, specifically asking why certain treatments and cures are withheld unless they can be purchased. Similar ethical explorations are utilized when the show examines genetic markers for cancer. This combination of tackling severe medical issues while simultaneously engaging in crime-solving ensures that the CBS Medical Mystery offers a fresh perspective on the procedural format.
🔖 Key Takeaways
The new series Watson distinguishes itself through a captivating central performance by Morris Chestnut and an elevated visual aesthetic provided by unique costume design.
🗝️ A Shift in Focus: Watson successfully refocuses the Sherlock Holmes Universe, placing Dr. John Watson at the center of a medical detective drama in Pittsburgh following Sherlock’s death by Moriarty.
🗝️ Narrative Tension: The initial forced integration of Holmes lore created an unsteady start, but the series stabilizes when it leans into the medical procedural elements and the internal drama between Watson and his team, especially his estranged wife, Dr. Mary Morstan.
🗝️ Visual Distinction: Costume design plays a key role in making Watson unlike other hospital dramas. Through specific color palettes (grays for the clinic team), aspirational suit cuts for Watson, and historically informed attire for figures like Shinwell Johnson, the characters are visually differentiated and brought to life.
🗝️ Procedural Depth: The show excels in its core mission of blending crime-solving with medical mysteries, moving beyond standard cases to examine profound ethical questions about access to healthcare and treatment accessibility.
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