Watson Season 2 Episode 20 Review: The Cobalt Fissure

On Watson Season 2 Episode 20, “The Cobalt Fissure,” we do get basic answers for nearly all the questions we had before the end. It’s still very clear the end was not supposed to come so soon.

John is prepping for his surgery when he learns of Sherlock and immediately heads home. He handles the reunion relatively well, especially considering his friend doesn’t know his own identity. But over the hour, we nearly loose both Watson and Holmes.

Eventually, they realize their sicknesses started at the same time, following radiation exposure during the cobalt fissure case. Sherlock’s treatment proves successful, but John has two devastating seizures that leave him on death’s door.

The sniper plot thrown into this episode is the likeliest sight it wasn’t meant to be a series finale. Sebastian Moran’s role, “interrogation” at Shinwell’s hands, and eventual arrest should otherwise be just the start of a longer storyline.

Yes, he is at least brought to justice. Ingrid at least gets to go free, though not without question. With the exception of Sasha breaking up with Stephens, everyone at least winds up at a relatively hopeful point. Sherlock even gets his memory back.

But otherwise? By the time Watson’s doctor flies in to finally perform the surgery, there are only moments left. It’s enough time for everyone to wish him luck. We close later, with him and Mary living together in London and 221.

I’m under the impression that the final scene is tacked on for a semblance of closure. Given Mary’s previous plans, moving overseas and getting back together with John is just a bit too random to make sense for any other reason.

It’s so random that we might even question whether it’s real. Is it possible that Watson does end with its main characters death, and this is a glimpse of his afterlife? Anything is possible, but I still can’t imagine it as the original plan.

Had we gotten a third season, we’d obviously need Watson there, and probably Holmes, too. The Sebastian Moran arc could have been carried out over the course of several episodes (which I again expect it was meant to).

There’s more that feels incomplete. Sasha needing time away from Stephens to process her feelings, Shinwell’s guilt over his past with Moran, the long arc ahead for Watson’s healing and relationships—it all deserves resolution it’ll never have.

But by the same token, nearly everything negative to say about this ending is tied to what we don’t see. There’s only so much that can be done here, and what we do get is a powerful and emotional hour that at least gives its characters some justice.

I’m glad Watson really does get his best friend back and that his own worst fears (probably) aren’t coming to light. I’m even glad for the health scares that give everyone the opportunity to almost say how much they love each other.

Watson deserves better than it will ever get now. At least we’re left seeing its heart. That’s enough to be hopeful that the broken bonds can mend and that the glimpses of happiness we see can grow, even it won’t be on our screens.

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Watson aired Sundays at 10/9c on CBS.

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