(Photo: Colin Bentley/CBS)
John will be out of work for the 2026-27 TV season. CBS has cancelled Watson so it’s not returning for a third season. The network show’s second season of 20 episodes is currently airing.
A medical mystery drama series, the Watson TV show was created by Craig Sweeny and is based on characters from the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. The series stars Morris Chestnut, Eve Harlow, Peter Mark Kendall, Inga Schlingmann, Ritchie Coster, and Rochelle Aytes. Kacey Rohl, Bethany Brown, Tika Sumpter, Ashleigh Burke, Robert Carlyle, Matt Berry, and Noah Mills recur. The story takes place in modern times, six months after Holmes died fighting his archenemy, Moriarty. Holmes’ friend, Dr. John Watson (Chestnut), resumes his medical career as the head of the Holmes Clinic in Pittsburgh, a clinic dedicated to uncovering and treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him however as evidence surfaces that Moriarty is still alive. Other characters include enigmatic neurologist Ingrid Derian (Harlow); infectious disease and functional medicine specialists Stephens Croft and Adam Croft (Kendall); rheumatology and immunology specialist Sasha Lubbock (Schlingmann); former criminal and administrative aide Shinwell Johnson (Coster); and Mary Morstan (Aytes), the clinic’s medical director and Watson’s ex-wife.
The second season of Watson averages a 0.17 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.86 million viewers (includes some Fast Affiliates data). Compared to season one, that’s down by 57% in the demo and down by 44% in viewership.
The cancellation comes as little surprise considering it was the network’s second-lowest-rated scripted series with massive season-to-season ratings declines. It was also one of the few series that hadn’t already been renewed for 2026-27. The series finale airs on May 3rd.
What do you think? Have you kept up with the Watson TV series? Are you disappointed this CBS drama hasn’t been renewed for a third season?
All week my wife was telling me that Watson was over tonight. I figured it was the season finale since it is that time of the year. I was beyond pissed when I found out it was the series finale. I really enjoyed the show, especially it’s modern twist on Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Why is it that when a show comes along that actually makes people use their brain to understand some of the dialog in the script it gets canceled very quickly? Don’t get me wrong, I love a show that doesn’t always make me think but… Read more »
I liked it. I did not like the Moriarity stuff in S1 but that is over. It was imo an interesting medical drama.
I wonder how much it would cost to gather enough talent to do an AI series of Watson. Still pay the actors well but cut out the network’s involvement altogether. I look forward to the days when the customers can order from a cafeteria style menu listing cancelled series that need a finish to their stories.
Watson is an excellent show; but, this is a thinking person’s show, that is why it was cancelled; in addition, the show’s scheduling–last show on Sunday night, worst spot in all TV schedules–when you put the show “RJ Decker” in a slot (with two popular shows) that guaranteed its ratings to do well. Very let down by the obvious.