Morris Chestnut-Led ‘Watson’ Sets 2025 Premiere Date on CBS

Dr. John Watson is coming back to TV — without Sherlock Holmes — on Watson.

The new medical mystery drama will have its special premiere on Sunday, January 26, 2025, following the AFC Championship Game on CBS. Its premiere time will depend on the duration of post-game coverage. However, Watson will be available on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+. 

Morris Chestnut stars as the titular character in “a modern version of one of history’s greatest detectives as he turns his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries,” per the network’s synopsis. Watson will air in its regular time period beginning on Sunday, February 16, at 10/9c, on CBS.

The show picks up six months after Moriarty killed Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. John Watson returns to his medical career and his role as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. However, his past catches up with him.

“Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century,” per CBS’s synopsis. 

Watson also stars Eve Harlow, Peter Mark Kendall, Ritchie Coster, Inga Schlingmann, and Rochelle Aytes.

Craig Sweeny wrote the premiere episode and serves as showrunner and executive producer. Larry Teng directed the first two episodes.

As previously reported, CBS ordered Watson to series in January 2024. The network announced that the series would debut mid-season and air on Sundays at 10/9c when it shared its 2024-2025 primetime schedule in May 2024. 

“We are thrilled to feature such a beloved character from the world of Sherlock Holmes at the center of this series and have it brought to life by Morris Chestnut in a fresh and unexpected take on the immortal doctor,” Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, said at the time.

“Craig Sweeny’s bold new vision for the complex Dr. Watson deftly interweaves rich character storytelling with edge-of-your-seat medical mysteries,” Reisenbach added.

CBS Studios produces the series. Morris Chestnut; Sallie Patrick; Larry Teng; Shäron Moalem MD, PhD; Aaron Kaplan for Kapital Entertainment; and Brian Morewitz executive produce Watson. Paramount Global Content Distribution distributes the series.

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Watson premieres on Sunday, January 26, 2025, on CBS.

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