Will Sherlock Holmes finally return to Watson season 2 after being presumed dead? Explained

The medical thriller drama Watson, which reimagines the character of Dr. John Hamish Watson created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in modern times, was created by Craig Sweeny for CBS. The first season premiered on January 26, 2025, with the second season slated for October 13, 2025. According to Variety, the show has finalized its casting for the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes, who is set to debut in the show in the upcoming installment.   

Watson follows the titular character six months after the apparent death of Sherlock, following a confrontation with his arch-nemesis, Moriarty. The medical practitioner goes back to his career and opens a clinic in Pittsburgh that is dedicated to treating rare disorders. While solving medical mysteries, Watson realizes that the people he thought were gone forever may somehow be alive. 

The first episode of Watson season 2 will premiere in the United States on CBS on Monday, October 13, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET. It will be made available for streaming on the following day on Paramount+. Morris Chestnut stars in the lead role of the series and also serves as an executive producer along with Sweeney, Larry Teng, Shäron Moalem MD, PhD, Aaron Kaplan, and Brian Morewitz. Watson is being produced by CBS Studios. 

All about Robert Carlyle, who plays Sherlock Holmes in Watson season 2

In July 2025, Variety revealed that veteran actor Robert Carlyle has been cast as Sherlock Holmes in the CBS series, Watson. He will star opposite Morris Chestnut’s Dr. John Watson, and will join the ensemble cast, which includes the likes of Eve Harlow, Peter Mark Kendall, Ritchie Coster, Inga Schlingmann, Rochelle Aytes, and Randall Park.

Represented by Link Entertainment, Gersh, and Hamilton Hodell, Robert is the second actor to play Sherlock Holmes for CBS over the last couple of decades. The first is Johnny Lee Miller, in the crime procedural show, Elementary, which ran for seven season, and also placed the beloved characters out of London and into modern day United States. 

Sharing his take on Robert joining the cast, showrunner Craig Sweeny said in a statement:

“We are thrilled to have the mighty Robert Carlyle join the cast of ‘Watson’ in Season 2. The man has played iconic roles in projects like ‘Trainspotting,’ ‘The Full Monty,’ and ’28 Weeks Later’… and now he steps into the shoes of the most iconic detective of all, Sherlock Holmes. When Watson’s best friend and former partner makes a shocking reappearance in his life, Watson is forced to confront their shared past - and a secret that may lie buried within Watson’s own body.”

Prior to this, Robert has been known for his work on both big and small screens. Projects featuring him include films like The World Is Not Enough, Angela’s Ashes, and The 51st State, and shows such as Once Upon a Time, Stargate Universe, The War of the Worlds, and The Full Monty.

The official synopsis for Watson season 2 reads: 

“With his eyes fixed on the future, Watson faces an unexpected twist when Sherlock Holmes, who was presumed dead, resurfaces, forcing him to confront a buried secret from his past - one that lies hidden within his own body."

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