There is some disappointing news when it comes to Watson season 2. The show is on a break, and it’s a much longer one than we’d usually expect.
Watson is among the list of shows not returning in January 2026. While NBC, ABC, and FOX will all bring their shows back in January after their winter breaks, CBS has a different idea — and it’s one that could work well. However, there is other disappointing news for the struggling sophomore series.
Watson season 2 will return after most other CBS shows
Most of the CBS shows will be back in February, coming back after the Winter Olympics. However, due to the way the dates fall, we have to wait an extra month for Watson to return, although not too much into the next month.
Watson season 2 will return on Sunday, March 1. This is where there is some bad news, as you’ll notice that it’s changing nights. It will air at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Sundays from this point, with the Monday night time slot being given to CIA, the new FBI spinoff series.
Now, waiting until after the Winter Olympics could work well for the series — and for CBS as a whole. With the wait, it means that there are plenty of episodes to run until the May finales without the need for the on-off schedule that we usually have to deal with. However, the change of time slot could be to Watson’s detriment.
Watson is a struggling sophomore series
The TV linear ratings aren’t looking good for the Sherlock Holmes-based series. According to TV Series Finale, it sits at the bottom of the list of CBS shows, losing 61% of its demo and 52% of its total audience from the first season. Being at the bottom is bad enough, but losing such a large amount of its audience makes it even more likely to be in the cancellation line.
The move to the last slot on a Sunday is almost a sign that CBS knows that Watson season 3 isn’t going to happen. It’s now considered the “death slot” of TV, which used to be given to Friday night shows, but we’ve seen how great the Friday night lineup is for CBS! Those who want to see Watson succeed will need to keep tuning in on Sunday nights when the series returns.
There is a little bit of hope for the series. After all, CBS has a strong lineup just before it with the new Yellowstone spinoff, Y: Marshals and then new episodes of Tracker season 3. Could this be enough to keep people tuned in for a night of detective shows? After all, John Watson is a medical detective.
Watson will return on Sunday, March 1 at 10/9c on CBS.