The world premiere of Paramount Global’s ‘Watson’ raised the curtain at the Mipcom in Cannes this year. The series, which premieres Jan. 26 on the CBS Television Network, stars “Reasonable Doubt” star Morris Chestnut as the iconic Dr. John Watson in a Sherlock Holmes version that focuses on Watson’s medical career.
‘Watson’ follows the titular character after Holmes’ death as he resumes his medical career as the head of a clinic specializing in rare conditions. The series is described as “a medical show with a strong investigative backbone, featuring a modern take on one of history’s greatest detectives as he shifts his focus from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries.”
“Watson” is produced by CBS Studios and distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Craig Sweeny (who returns to the world of Sherlock after serving as writer and executive producer on CBS’s “Elementary”) wrote the premiere episode and serves as showrunner and executive producer, with Chestnut also serving as executive producer. Other executive producers include Sallie Patrick; Larry Teng; Sharon Moalem; Aaron Kaplan for Kapital Entertainment; and Brian Morewitz. Larry Teng also directed the first two episodes.
In terms of cast, Chestnut is joined by Eve Harlow (“The Night Agent”), Rochelle Aytes (“Mistresses”), Peter Mark Kendall (“Kaleidoscope”), Ritchie Coster (“Tulsa King”) and Inga Schlingmann (“So Help me Todd”).
“It’s a huge responsibility, but I’m very excited about this opportunity because this is an iconic mythology,” Chestnut said. Variety prior to the MIPCOM premiere. “I knew I was in good hands after meeting Craig because he respects mythology with every ounce of his being. He writes some great storylines and the approach has been with great respect.
Chestnut first came to prominence in 1991 in John Singleton’s ‘Boyz in the Hood’ and went on to appear in films such as ‘GI Jane’, ‘The Game Plan’, ‘The Call’ and ‘The Best Man’. On television, Morris had roles in “Rosewood” and “Goliath” and earned four NAACP Image Awards, including one win for his role as yet another doctor, Dr. Ike Prentiss, in Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie.”
While preparing to take on the role of the Doctor, Chestnut read some of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original books and also watched some other screen versions of the character, but what attracted him to ‘Watson’ is the fact that the focus is on ‘it wasn’t entirely about Holmes, something he’d ‘never seen before’.
“He doesn’t break the rules, but he takes risks and it could go either way,” he added about his Watson. “In the second episode he is already called in by HR. But the one thing I like about the character is that [what he does] never for himself, always for the patients and with their well-being in mind.”
The most intimidating aspect of Chestnut’s role wasn’t the heaviness of the legacy, but the medical procedural element of the show. The actor is no stranger to playing doctors, having done so in both ‘The Resident’ and ‘Nurse Jackie’, but emphasizes the intensity of such roles.
“The medical and scientific aspects of it have to be very precise. When you play the titular character on a network television show, you really don’t have the time to process and understand everything and have to rattle off medical terms like it’s second nature. That’s the difficult thing about this role.”
“As an actor, we take our experiences and put them in a toolbox. For me, this role is the highlight of my career,” the actor continued as he reflected on his career so far. “Five years ago I did a show for Fox [“Rosewood”] and it was my first time playing the titular character and taking on the challenges that brings. Now I have that experience. As an actor, I feel like I’m getting better every time. That’s what fascinates me.”
As for what die-hard Sherlock Holmes fans can expect from the series, Chestnut highlights how “Watson” is a “new take” but also retains some of the most familiar elements of the original detective story. “It’s set in Pittsburgh, so we don’t really have a foggy London, but it can be dark and rainy at times. We still have the trench coats, but they have a bit of color now.”
In Cannes for the world premiere of the series, the actor is looking forward to sharing “Watson” with audiences. “I believe in everything Craig has written and all the actors we have on the show who have done a great job. Obviously it’s a little nerve-wracking to see how people will react to it, but we have a great team with Craig, Larry, CBS and Paramount. We are on their hands and I have 100% confidence in what they are doing. They’ve got it down to a science and I’m happy to be part of the team.”
Following its January premiere, “Watson” will air at its regular time on Sunday, February 16 (10:00 AM-11:00 PM ET/PT).