Watson filming locations: Revisiting key spots where cameras rolled for the CBS drama

Watson (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)
Watson (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)

Watson sure might've taken us fans into the streets of Pittsburgh, but most of its filming was actually done thousands of miles away in Canada. The CBS drama plays on medical tension with detective plot, following Dr. John Watson's life after the death of Sherlock Holmes.

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While the show makes you feel like you're in Pennsylvania, the cameras are often being rolled in Vancouver's streets and studios. From city bridges to heritage houses, here's a deep dive into the filming locations that shaped the CBS show's beautiful visuals.


Watson filming locations: Revisiting key spots where cameras rolled for the CBS drama

#1. The Bridge Studios – The heartbeat on set

Even though Pittsburgh is the one place that actually sets the scene, Watson's core comes alive inside The Bridge Studios located in Burnaby, somewhere close to Vancouver.

This production hub becomes home to Watson's Holmes Clinic and some of the other interior locations that have been seen throughout the series. The sets here are built with detail, letting the show's medical drama aspect take place without limits.

A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)
A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)

For Holmes, this space meant creating a believable hospital while staying flexible for detective scenes too. This is also the place where the cast and crew spent most of their working hours, shaping the tone and mood of the CBS drama.


#2. University of British Columbia – The face of Holmes Clinic

For exterior shots, the Holmes Clinic isn't a Pittsburgh hospital at all. It's the University of British Columbia's Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. With its modern glass and stone face, it gives the CBS drama a clean and modern look.

A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)
A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)

UBC's campus has long been a location for film crews, previously appearing in movies including the Fantastic Four. In Watson, it becomes the public face of the clinic where Dr. Watson leads his team through the most difficult cases.

The location's academic fame and architectural beauty blend easily with the show's tone, adding genuineness to the medical side of the storyline.


#3. Cecil Green Park House – Drama on the edge of the sea

If the final scenes of the debut episode have been hammered into your head then there's a reason for that. That scene featuring a gunshot and a wounded man takes place in Cecil Green Park House.

A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)
A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)

Located above the Georgia Strait with views of the North Shore Mountains, this Tudor-style heritage building adds a touch of elegance and suspense to the drama. It's not just another set but it's actually a real world location often used for various events.

The contrast between its calm setting and the urgent, dangerous events on screen makes it one of the most visually arresting the filming spots.


#4. Roberto Clemente Bridge – A nod to Pittsburgh pride

While Vancouver handled most of the production, the CBS drama didn't forget its Pittsburgh roots. The Roberto Clemente Bridge also called the Sixth Street Bridge does appear in one of the important sequences.

A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)
A still from the TRAILER | (Image Via: CBS, YouTube)

Stretching across the Allegheny River, it's part of the city's famous "Three Sisters" bridges. Shooting here wasn't just a quick shot because the crew reportedly spent hours getting hold of the right angles and atmosphere.

The bridge's golden arches and downtown backdrop give the series a true Pittsburgh stamp, grounding the fictional story in real-world authenticity.


The Watson filming locations are as much a character in the series as Dr. Watson himself.

By playing around with Pittsburgh's iconic places with Vancouver's adaptable spaces, the show creates a world that feels both grounded in reality as well as cinematic.

Whether inside a built set or a long standing on a famous bridge, every location and every choice adds to the depth of the storytelling, making the CBS drama not just a show to watch but a visual treat to visit.


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Edited by Zainab Shaikh