User reviews

I like it better the first time when it was called House M. D. I mean it's not that it has some resemblance, it is an outright copy. It's as if someone decided he wanted to make a 2020 version of House, and when he couldn't get permission to do it he figured he could do it without anyone noticing by making it a conglomerated kludge by taking on the Sherlock Holmes mystique. Well, you ain't fooling anybody. As every moment passes while I write this (on my IPad, a tedious job that it is) I see more and more moments of House. I even expect they'll start using old scripts from that show.

It's a good thing you're not ripping off Harlan Ellison - you'd be in a heap of trouble (just ask James Cameron about The Terminator). Wait - come to think about it he passed away a while back. Never mind. Oh, and talk about plagiarism, I did shamelessly ripped off David Spade's schtick. I'm sure he doesn't mind.

The ending, though, does offer some intrigue about the future. And that guy - wasn't he the one who played the FBI Agent in the MCU?

**"Watson" is a show that seems to have a bit of an identity crisis**. It doesn't seem to know if it wants to be a "House" clone, a Sherlock Holmes reimagining, or its own thing. If you are a fan of medical procedural dramas you may want to check this show out, but if you're looking for something with more of a Sherlock Holmes theme, you might want to wait and see if it finds its footing.

Watched first ep with a lot of curiosity, especially with the Sherlock Holmes connection, and while it wasn't exactly what I expected, there were some things to appreciate.

First off, if you're tuning in expecting a classic Holmesian mystery, you might be surprised. It definitely takes a turn towards a medical procedural, with more than a few echoes of "House M. D." - the show is trying to be "House" with a bit of a Sherlock Holmes theme thrown in.

The pilot episode was a bit of a mixed bag, I have to say. **Some of the dialogue felt a little clunky and unnatural, like something out of a soap opera parody**.

The acting was okay. Morris Chestnut's delivery-his voice is low, and he speaks fast, making some of his lines a little hard to understand. The cast overall had a unique set of backgrounds, which was a nice touch. The cinematography was also nicely done, which helped with the overall viewing experience.

For a show that's got Sherlock Holmes in its DNA, it felt a little bit formulaic at times, almost like it was checking boxes rather than trying to deliver something unique. One of the more interesting bits was the character of Moriarty.

**The cases themselves were engaging enough, and I thought that the medical issues were actually quite interesting.**

Show was a bit flat, and maybe didn't really pull me in initially as much as it should have. Some parts, felt dull.

The attempts at a deep, dark mythology felt a bit convoluted and didn't quite land. The show is quite heavy and brooding, which might be off-putting if you're looking for something light-hearted or fun.

It seems like they were trying to go for a dark, gritty vibe, but without the humour of "House," it didn't quite resonate as it could have.

Some of the premise was promising. It's possible that as a procedural, this show might work. Or not!

. . . . . . . . . .

I prefer to watch an entire season before giving a review but as I won't be watching any more of this, I figured I'd just go ahead and fire away.

I'm not exactly sure what happened in the pilot but I'm sure I didn't like it. I'm a Sherlock Holmes maniac, which is largely irrelevant here because if the premise and execution of this show has anything to do with Holmes then I missed it.

There are a lot of problems here; not the least of which is that it's not a Sherlock Holmes detective show. It's a medical show that borrows heavily from, as I'm sure you've read from all the other reviews, House.

It's incredibly disappointing. The idea of the solid, discreet companion that is Watson having his own show is intriguing, to say the least. Too bad it's not that Watson. It's an arrogant, overbearing, rude, and cruel Watson. Almost every character trait the antithesis of the stories and novels. Sigh.

They throw in a nod to Sherlock Holmes here and there with deductive reasoning, at which Watson was never very good in the original stories and novels.

Let me talk about the other characters. They sure are pretty. Do I believe any one of them as top physicians in their fields? Not for a second. There is just no way. My immersion is gone every time one of the models opens her or his mouth to fast talk medical terms.

Fast talking. Oh boy, if you like fast talking, this is your show. It's rapid fire big medical terms from everyone. I'm not a doctor but I'm reasonably intelligent, and I could not keep up. I lost the thread mid-sentence multiple times.

The sets. Over The Top. That medical facility looks like something from a James Bond evil villain hideout.

The costumes. Over The Top. The Gucci lab coats. The scoop tops showing off impressive decolletage, not that I'm complaining mind you.

Then there is the exposition. Lots of it. How did you figure that out? I did things off screen.

Watson's sidekick? Maybe that was explained at some point, but I sure missed it. Who is he? Why is he? What is he?

Finally, the ending. Sigh. No build-up, no foreshadowing, just, hey, look who's here.

I'm incredibly disappointed in this mess. What a shame with what is clearly a big budget.

Oh well.

If you're watching this thinking you're getting anything even remotely to do Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, don't waste your time.

This is a basic formulaic med/md show. If you like that sort of thing, this may be for you. I don't care for them, but my partner usually does, but not this one.

Whose dumb idea was it to throw the Holmes/Watson angle in there? Did they need filler material to make it 40 minute episodes. There is such an utter disconnect between the two concepts. They could have called it Doctor Johnson and His Team Interesting Medical People.

I could tell it was not what it was billed about 20 minutes in and will not watch another episode.

CBS's "Watson" feels like it was created by an algorithm that watched "House, M. D." and "Rosewood" but failed to understand what made those shows compelling. Following Dr. John Watson (Morris Chestnut) after his partnership with Sherlock Holmes, the series attempts to blend medical mysteries with detective work, but the result is a tepid, by-the-numbers procedural that lacks both shows' distinctive charms.

Where "House" thrived on Hugh Laurie's caustic wit and brilliant characterization, and "Rosewood" succeeded through Morris Chestnut's charismatic portrayal of an optimistic pathologist, "Watson" provides neither. Despite Chestnut's proven talent, his Watson feels constrained by flat writing and predictable storylines. The show seems afraid to let him be either abrasive like House or charming like Rosewood, leaving the character in a bland middle ground.

The medical mysteries themselves lack the intellectual complexity that made "House" engaging or the local flavor that gave "Rosewood" its Miami pulse. Each case follows such a formulaic pattern that you can practically set your watch by when the first wrong diagnosis will occur or when the obligatory personal connection to the patient will be revealed.

While Morris Chestnut remains as charismatic as ever, both his Watson and the supporting cast just aren't clicking. The ensemble lacks the spark that made shows like "Rosewood" so engaging, and it's particularly frustrating knowing that the entire "Rosewood" cast is currently available - making one wish CBS had opted to revive that superior show instead. The show tries to create tension through Watson's past connection to Holmes, but these references feel more like name-dropping than substantial plot elements. The chemistry between characters is virtually non-existent, making their interactions feel forced and professional to a fault.

Production values are adequate but uninspired. The hospital setting looks like every other medical show's set, and the visual style lacks distinction. Even the music seems pulled from a stock "tense medical moment" library.

The biggest disappointment is how "Watson" wastes its unique premise. The idea of exploring Holmes's former partner as a medical professional could have been fascinating, but instead of diving deep into Watson's psychology or how his time with Holmes shaped his medical approach, we get surface-level procedural fare.

In trying to appeal to fans of both "House" and "Rosewood," "Watson" ends up satisfying neither. It's not unwatchable, but in today's crowded TV landscape, being merely adequate isn't enough. This is especially frustrating given Morris Chestnut's proven ability to carry a medical show, as demonstrated in "Rosewood."

If you're craving medical mysteries, you're better off rewatching "House." If you want Morris Chestnut solving cases with style, return to "Rosewood." "Watson" proves that sometimes, the best elements of two successful shows don't add up to a compelling new one.

I love, love, love Morris Chestnut but this show is overly dramatic and boring. I'm not sure who this show is for. As a medical professional it's just a silly show trying to be smart. Watson is a halfway interesting character, but the rest of his physician crew are stereotypical smarties with bad attitudes. I really wish they had made the series more like Bones. With smart people really wanting to find the answer to a medical problem to benefit normal people or to help people who don't have access to such care.

Of course, at the conclusion they had to throw in their overarching mystery. By that time, I didn't care.

If you are watching this solely because you like Sherlock Holmes, you will probably be disappointed. This is a medical show, pure and simple. The closest thing to it is House MD, which funilly enough was also based on Sherlock (House/Holmes Watson/Wilson).

So yeah it is a lot like House, except Dr Watson isn't an ass and actually cares about his patients. Is this a bad thing? To me, certainly not! I loved House, and I love medical shows in general. So this is just candy to me.

I was never into Sherlock Holmes before and knew basically nothing about it, in fact that was a reason to turn me off the show initially, so I guess maybe that helps in liking the show.

Morris Chestnut puts on a fantastic performance, and I am also liking the other cast as they come into their roles a bit more. Particularly Peter Mark Kendall, who actually plays both Stephens and Adam (twin brothers in the show).

Compared to other medical shows currently on the market, this is right up there. The medical genre has been a bit lacking since the end of The Resident, The Good Doctor and New Amsterdam, which we lost all in quick succession.

So overall, I love the show and I really hope it doesn't get cancelled as I believe the show is one of those ones that will get better an better as it goes on, it's already getting better and better each episode so definitely give it a chance even if the first few episodes don't quite grab you. Finally, if you have never been into Sherlock and that is a put-off for you, forget it; this hasn't anything to do with that really; it's in name only as far as I'm concerned; this is a medical show.

I'm rolling my eyes at all the reviews that reference House MD. Stop comparing the shows! This is a show about Watson without Sherlock, what else was he supposed to do? He's a doctor! Personally, I really enjoyed that Watson is moving into solving medical mysteries and there will be some external Sherlock and Moriarty drama coming. There are so many places to go with this show! If I had stopped watching a show at the first episode, I would have missed out on many good shows as they developed.

Morris Chestnut does a great job capturing the brilliance of the character without seeming arrogant while battling with regrets, his own demons, and health issues. The cast ... well, they are a bit young to be the most brilliant in their field but what the hell, it's TV. Somehow they still manage to pull off the needed arrogance of the top of the class student while also being humbled when they fall short.

I'm not giving up on this show just yet. I'm intrigued enough to want to see where it goes next.

Many have mentioned that this is a clone of House M. D. But but it's not. House was a d!ck... Watson is more of a caring and less blunt type person.

But yes, this is very formulaic and how they proceed to diagnose and investigate does give you House vides, along with another half dozen doctor shows over the years, including Trapper John, MD, Dr. Kildaire, Diagnosis Murder, and of course the king of this genre, Quincy MD.

The supporting casts are ok characters, but again, formulaic. Nothing stands out, nothing original.

It's an ok show, I'm a fan of Chestnut, but this show is just not doing anything different. Maybe that in of itself something many may like.... familiarity.

What in the world were the writers of this complete hogwash of a show thinking? "Hmm, we're too lazy and strung out to have an original thought. Let's just rewrite House MD and go back to our meth addiction." The show Watson is House MD's pimple faced, younger brother who wants to be just like him but, instead, comes across as just plain creepy. I mean, for the love of God, the writers even stole the team diagnostic session idea, the 'going to the patient's home' idea and the 'complex disease' idea within the first 15 minutes of the pilot episode. Even the bloody patient's room is designed exactly like the ones in House!

Didn't anyone in the production team know that House MD is itself based on Sherlock Holmes; that the character of Sherlock Holmes was inspired by a real life doctor?

I've only ever reviewed shows I love. I'm pissed off that Watson made me write this one!

The new CBS series Watson is a dismal effort that fails to innovate or entertain. Despite Morris Chestnut's undeniable charm, the show is a tired rehash of tired TV tropes, borrowing heavily from House without capturing its wit or character depth.

The writing is painfully uninspired, with characters that feel like mere archetypes rather than fully realized individuals. The plot, which revolves around Watson's medical clinic, lacks any real intrigue and drags through formulaic cases. Why in the world even use the Sherlock Holmes myth & narrative here?

Ultimately, Watson feels like a hollow out imitation, leaving viewers yearning for the cleverness of its predecessors rather than the drudgery it actually delivers.

OMG... the dialog in this first episode and in the previews online play like a soap opera parody from SNL or the old Carol Burnett show! Is this what you get when you use AI-generated scripts? While I like the a number of the actors in this series and have enjoyed them in other productions, I cringe watching them deliver the lines in this show. It's like watching a public access channel show on local cable. Compare this show to others like "The Pitt", "Elementary", "ER", "Grey's Anatomy"... even "House" - the difference in the believability and realism of the lines delivered by the actors is like day vs night!

I don't understand the negative reviews. The acting by Morris Chestnut is solid and leads the rest of the cast who have unique backgrounds. The cinematography is first rate and the plot interesting. I grew up watching Nigel Bruce playing Watson and was sceptical of Morrison Chestnut playing a black Dr Watson but his acting is solid and carries the cast.

The medical issues prove of interest and the good Professor Moriatory gives a good side scope that will hopefully be on a level of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's battles he had with Sherlock Holmes. Time will tell but don't write this serial off just yet.

I watched this - what ever it was - last night and stayed with the whole episode because I like Morris Chestnut - but he never had a chance - the premise is ridiculous , the name is ludicrous and the writing worse - I will be surprised if this show lasts a whole season - Why the name "Watson" and reference to Sherlock Holmes is 120 years out of phase - Fans of Sherlock Holmes are probably still throwing up - and a medical drama that solves Medical cases - really - if you want to do good you treat a large population not one disease that happens once a century with 5 doctors devoting full time to solve the mystery - the Show is basically Stupid and I will watch repeats of Garage Sale mysteries instead - Oh - I gave it a 2 because of Morris Chestnut - he deserves better .

On one hand, this isn't bad. But, on the other hand, I'm not necessarily impressed. I only gave it four stars because although it is a good show, it is only average, hence five stars. Since it isn't really breaking new ground, it loses a star, down to four. So much of this show was ripped straight from House that if I didn't know any better, I'd think I was watching an actual reboot or a some sort of sequel to House. The only thing this show has to do with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, wait, I mean Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are the names of the main character and his best friend. They could've just as well have called this Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and named the characters as such without it changing much the plot or the storyline. There is one of two reasons why they title the show and the characters as they did. One, this is from the same producers as House and they didn't want to have an actual reboot. Don't want to risk following House with a mediocre reboot. Or, two, they couldn't get the green light for a House reboot so they simply changed the name of the show and the main character and hope that no one will notice.

I loved the first episode of Watson. Watched it 3 times and picked up subtle details each time. I'm hoping that other viewers can resist comparisons and simply enjoy the ride. This medical mystery drama unfolds in a way that allowed me to speculate possibilities, along with the story line. This show is refreshing, easy viewing, and an alternative to complicated shows that leave us over-stimulated and exhausted. The characters are interesting with a good balance of unique and slightly quirky. There seems to be natural chemistry in their interactions; and not forced. I give Watson a big thumbs up! Can't wait to see episode two.

I started watching because of Morris Chestnut, who is a delight to watch, and I've continued watching just to see what all the hate is coming from in the user reviews. I have yet to figure that out, since the reviews devote more words to spewing contempt than to explaining themselves. I'll just keep watching until I figure out what the problem is.

Yes, some of the dialog and acting is stiff. On the other hand, there are 100% professional production values, 100% unpredictable plot twists, and Morris Chestnut, who is a joy to see in a role that for nearly a century has for attracted some of the finest talent, even though here the role itself is twisted beyond recognition.

It was called Rosewood. Minus the beauty woman detective and the badass classic car. Only other difference is he's working with live people instead of working with the dead. Both shows he goes against what everyone else thinks. He physically and mentally has issues that he doesn't want others to know about. And he's surrounded by young people whom he sees potentially in but wants them to dig deeper. As far as the Sherlock Holmes theme goes we will have to see how that unfolds. If it wasn't for the ending of the first episode I probably wouldn't continue watching but it has me a little bit curious.

We might not have needed another "House"-like hospital drama/detective series, but we have one anyway, and it's not bad. This time, the brilliant doctor solving cases that no one else can handle is a contemporary version of John Watson, friend and confidant of the late Sherlock Holmes, who has been murdered by the evil Moriarity (who also nearly killed Watson in the process; yes, the show owes a lot to Conan Doyle). So far, the puzzling cases the good doctor has had to tackle have involved a pair of sisters, one of whom may have been suffering from a potentially fatal bout of insomnia; a man who believed he was someone else after taking a bullet to the head; and a patient's inability to remember who she was just talking to--or even what she was talking about--every three minutes. Naturally, Watson zeroes in on the underlying cause of the various maladies in record time, always with the help of his crack team of brainy young assistants. That's just one of the similarities between "Watson" and "House"; even though he's clearly the brains of the outfit, he doesn't work alone. Also echoing the old Hugh Laurie hit are the head injuries Watson suffered during his run-in with Moriarity (House himself, you may recall, walked with a limp), and Watson's resulting reliance on pills. (Watson also has a boss who used to be his wife; House's boss eventually became his love interest.) In fact, it's precisely these story elements--along with a handful of others related to the rest of the team--that may be the show's biggest flaw; enough time has been spent on them that I can't help thinking they're little more than distractions--an unnecessary series of complications--when all I really want to do is see sick people made well by Watson's gentle and expert ministrations. Still, Chestnut's Dr. Watson is fine (even if he isn't as quirky as the acerbic, temperamental Dr. House), and the med-speak is (usually) kept to a minimum. Not a great series, but certainly a watchable one. Now if only the writers devoted all their time to the business of saving lives...and left everything else alone.

It is impossible not to compare to House since it is basically same story, only with less interesting characters and a Sherlock premise that quickly becomes irrelevant to the series.

I readily admit i only watched to half way of 1st episode, and normally i would say at least watch 2-3 episodes before jumping to conclusions, however half an episode in my case at least was enough to know i am not going to be interested in the characters,the storylines, or any half baked Sherlock references they may dream up.

If house had never existed as a series am pretty sure i would give this one 2-3 episodes, or may even have stuckk with it a series or more, but fact is House series does exist, and the same premise of super smart diagnostic medicine solving problems that should never in reality exist within the lifetime of one person let alone weekly, assisted by teenesque helpers who find clues same way Houses team used to, is not going to be interesting enough to keep me interested when have already watched all series of House doing it much better and with more interesting characters and plots. (I would guess some of the plots will be identical to House ones, there are only so many rare symptoms and deseases after all) Make up your own minds of course,but if liked House, i would be surprised if decided to watch a worse version of it with more boring characters.

I've always been a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, so I am curious what this series is going to do and where it's going to go. The first thing I said to my husband about 15 minutes in, is this reminds me of House MD. I also find it interesting that other characters from the Sherlock Holmes books were already introduced so quickly...ie. Shinwell and Moriarty. I was entertained, but it wasn't a seat gripping or heart thumping kind of episode, but I'm hopeful.

I think they need to delve more into Watson's character as a detective, showing things he learned through the years from Holmes as well as developing the doctor side. Morris Chestnut can do it, but will the writers/director give it to him?