Throughout movie and television history, there have seemingly been endless examples of actors portraying different versions of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. As a result, it can seem like a monumental challenge for different onscreen depictions of those characters to stand out. However, when Watson premiered without Sherlock involved in any way, that certainly seemed remarkable.
It now turns out that Sherlock will be part of Watson's second season. While some observers may assume that the show will be forced to follow in the footsteps of other shows and movies about that character, it appears that isn't the case. Instead, the CBS show's boss has revealed that Watson's version of Sherlock will be something viewers haven't seen before.
Watson's Sherlock Holmes will be unique, according to the show's boss
Since Watson's first season ended, fans have wanted to know more about the plans for the show's future. For example, there was a lot of excitement when viewers learned that NCIS: Hawaiʻi's Noah Mills will be joining Watson's cast during the second season. As great as that news was, it was an even bigger deal when it was revealed that Watson would be returning earlier than expected, as a part of the fall 2025 television season.
In September, TVLine published a preview of the upcoming fall television season. For their coverage, the outlet spoke to Watson's creator and showrunner, Craig Sweeney. During that discussion, Craig stated that the show's version of Holmes and Watson will have a different relationship than they've ever been portrayed to have before.
"It’s gonna be a really cool, unique dynamic that honors the canon, but it’s not quite something that anybody’s seen before. [Holmes] has come back with a new dynamic to their relationship, and it’s a challenge to Watson."Watson showrunner Craig Sweeny
As a part of TVLine's article, it was stated that Watson's version of Sherlock will be portrayed by Robert Carlyle. The actor is best known for his roles in movies like Trainspotting, The Full Monty, and 28 Weeks Later, as well as the shows Stargate Universe and Once Upon a Time. While speaking to the outlet, Watson's boss also stated that Robert does an excellent job portraying Watson's unique version of the legendary detective character.
"Robert plays that really, really well.”
Based on Craig's description of Watson's version of Sherlock Holmes, it is easy for viewers to let their imagination run wild. After all, Robert Carlyle is a fantastic actor who could expertly portray wildly different versions of Sherlock. On top of that, there have been so many portrayals of the character that you'd have to be really creative to do something new with Sherlock Holmes. For both of those reasons, I can't wait to see Watson's version of Sherlock.