Watson Season 2: Renewal status, potential release date, and everything we know so far

CBS's Watson has garnered a huge amount of attention following its premiere, as the fresh re-imagining of Dr. John Watson has audiences engaged in a blend of medical suspense and psychological intrigue. Morris Chestnut leads the series centred around the beloved sidekick of Sherlock Holmes. The focal point of the show is the titular character, not the iconic detective.

Since the dramatic Season 1 finale hit in May of 2025, viewers can't wait for the next installment. There are two major question on all minds: Will Watson return for a Season 2, and where are the other characters headed?

Luckily, CBS has confirmed that Watson has been renewed for Season 2! The success of the debut season has led to this confirmation, though there are some vital facts about the upcoming season that must be shared with fans. From the air date to returning actors and plot expectations, below is everything we know about Watson Season 2.

Watson Season 2 renewal status and air date

The series was renewed before the release of the two-part Season 1 finale on May 4 and May 11, 2025. Even though the series did well in its first season, it should be noted that Watson is not part of the fall 2025 primetime schedule. Instead, the series will return on CBS's 2026 midseason. The program will begin in February or March of 2026 and will air at 10 p.m. ET every Sunday evening, following the widely promoted Yellowstone spinoff show Y: Marshals.

The midseason position has become a standard choice with most of the networks now trying to recapture the post-holiday viewership boost.

What happened at the end of Watson Season 1?

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The Season 1 finale of Watson was a cliffhanger. In a two-parter that was action-filled and telecast on May 4 and May 11, 2025, Dr. Watson finally clashed with his arch-enemy, James Moriarty.

Watson and Moriarty's animosity at last boiled over into a suspenseful showdown, closing the season-long story arc. While the season finale did wrap up the Moriarty arc, it did leave some room for further exploration of Watson's character as well as those of his team and how they interact amongst themselves.

Unlike all the soap-opera histrionics, the show did not leave its viewers dazed in stupor with enormous cliffhangers. Instead, the series finale was set to segue into Season 2, and broach the consequences of the climactic confrontation, new dangers, and characters' evolution to follow.

Cast of Watson Season 2: Who will be back for Season 2?

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Morris Chestnut is said to be coming back to reprise the character of Dr. John Watson for Season 2, and while CBS has not officially confirmed the full cast, the majority of Season 1's recurring cast members will likely come back. Some of them include Eve Harlow, Peter Mark Kendall, Inga Schlingmann, Ritchie Coster, Rochelle Aytes, Riley Orr, and Randall Park.

Randall Park's performance as James Moriarty propelled much of the first season, but his destiny concluded in the season finale. Although Watson can forever keep bringing up the character through flashbacks or other forms of storytelling, Moriarty will no longer be showing up as the primary villain from here on out. Instead, the show will be focusing on new characters or players that will challenge Watson, or explore further the dynamic of the existing team.

Will Sherlock Holmes reappear in Season 2 of Watson?

Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts are likely to ask whether the iconic detective will make a more prominent appearance in Watson Season 2. While Holmes has been featured in the Watson universe, he has made only a background appearance. Craig Sweeny has already guaranteed that the show will remain true to Watson's character growth and not revisit Sherlock Holmes in any major way.

In the first season, Holmes' presence was not disruptive to the full-fledged focus on Watson's arc, and that is what is most likely to continue. This way, Watson will have room to establish its niche, free of the shadow of Holmes, and explore Watson's professional and personal conflicts without banking too much on the image of the great detective.

Ratings and reception of Watson

Watson has been profitable for CBS, with decent ratings in Season 1. Up through late April 2025, the program was attracting around 4.5 million viewers per week, a decent number for a scripted drama.

While it didn't come close to the record-breaking figures of some of CBS's all-time largest shows, such as Tracker, Watson was still one of the network's highest-rated dramas every week. This outstanding performance was a major factor in CBS's decision to grant the show a second season.

The show's longevity in sustaining a faithful fan base is an indication of better things to come, and Season 2 will surely see that continue with new medical enigmas and character development.

Where can you watch Watson?

For those waiting to catch up on Season 1 or watch their most-loved episodes before Season 2 comes out, Watson is available across multiple platforms. The series can be streamed on Paramount+ and Pluto TV, along with its regular broadcasts on CBS.

Those fans looking to keep up to date with the series can continue streaming on these sites as Season 2 will likely have the same release schedule.

What to watch out for in Watson Season 2?

Even though there are no plot hints available officially, fans can expect Season 2 to deal with the implications of the Season 1 finale's highlights. Since Moriarty's storyline has been wrapped up, the series will then bring in fresh medical cases, cases against Watson's unit, and richer explorations of the characters' personal lives.

With Season 1 blending medical drama and interpersonal conflict, it would be no surprise that Season 2 does the same, underplaying the diagnosis/disease, but also underplaying the interpersonal conflict, in favor of highlighting more of Watson's development as a doctor and as a leader.

Season 2 of Watson promises to be an interesting follow-up to the adventures of Dr. John Watson. With Morris Chestnut returning as lead, new medical enigmas, and new character journeys, there is much to anticipate when the show returns in midseason 2026. Although details about some of the storylines are not known, fans can anticipate the show to keep up its combination of drama, suspense, and personal character evolution.