Dr. Watson is stepping out of Sherlock Holmes' shadow for Watson, a new TV series from Kaplan Entertainment and CBS Studios. Described by Deadline as a medical drama with detective elements, Craig Sweeny is writing the show (yes, the same Craig Sweeny who spent five years working on CBS' Elementary) and set to serve as executive producer.
This show isn't related to Elementary, however, and will be a new take on the Arthur Conan Doyle creation.
In Watson, a year after the death of his friend and partner Sherlock Holmes at the hands of Moriarty, Dr. John Watson resumes 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.
Watson is a medical show with a strong investigative spine, featuring a modern version of one of history’s greatest detectives as he turns his attention from solving crimes to addressing the greatest mystery of all: illness, and the ways it disrupts our lives.
Sherlock did die during a battle with Moriarty in 1893 short story The Final Problem, but was quickly brought back to life after a huge outcry from readers at the time. These characters are part of the public domain, so this is just the latest in a long line of adaptations (Warner Bros. is also developing Sherlock Holmes 3 along with a slew of HBO Max spinoffs).
At this point, there's obviously no word on casting or whether this Dr. Watson will be a male or female, though the character is referred to as a "he" in the description above. We're assuming it will also feature a present-day setting, likely taking place in America rather than England.
Regardless, this sounds like House mixed with Elementary, and we're definitely intrigued. Hopefully, the project will start to take shape, and we'll have more to share with you about Watson soon.