"Yes, there was": Watson showrunner opens up about initial plans to kill off a different character while concluding the first season

The Watson season 1 finale ended with a cliffhanger twist—just not the one writers had initially thought of. Showrunner Craig Sweeny sat down for a recent interview with Screen Rant and discussed that there was a point when the writing team actually debated killing off one of the twin brothers.

When he was asked whether, when crafting the season, he had always planned for both Adam and Stephens to survive, or if there was ever a point when he thought one of them might not make it, he replied,

"Yes, there was. That's another example of discovering what you like about your show as you go and writing to that. Obviously, the idea of one performer playing twins has been done before, but one of the things that this show is attempting to innovate is doing that on a week-to-week basis on a network procedural."

This other version was one of the initial ideas in the writers' room, showing how much had been considered before the team arrived at the ending of the finale that they did. Instead of ending the season on the death of one of the twins, the writers decided to have the season finish on Watson's showdown with Moriarty, which ends in the death of the villain, with both Adam and Stephens remaining alive thanks to Watson's actions.

One of the twins came close to being killed off in Watson

Sweeny revealed that in the course of writing, the option of killing off either Adam or Stephens was not a fleeting consideration—it was considered seriously. Such internal debates are indicative of how TV writing tends to be flexible until very close to production time. The choice to keep both twins alive wasn't an easy one, but boiled down to holding on to narrative potential for later seasons.

According to Screen Rant, he said,

"I was finding out as we went. I think the shooting schedule for these shows is so demanding, and so tough, and so much comes down right to the wire. So, shooting an episode, and then while we're at work all getting the script for the next episode, and very, very quickly scrolling through your phone, you're like, "

He continued,

"What happens? What happens? What happens?," because we're finding out just as we're getting these scripts. So, it's like reading the best novel of the world, because it's being written as you're reading it."

Killing off either of the twins would have created a much more disparate emotional path for Watson and the broader ensemble of the show. But Sweeny and his crew chose that both Adam and Stephens still had storylines that could unfold in richer ways.

Creative thinking behind the final decision

The decision to abandon such a soap opera-esque character death had everything to do with strategy in the long run. As Sweeny noted, the writers recognized greater potential in continuing to play with the special dynamic between the twin brothers, particularly in light of their strong connections to the core plot and Watson himself.

Instead of killing off a character in the name of shock value, the finale made a turn that was still dramatically significant: Moriarty's death. This allowed narrative tension without ending characters that still had a story to tell.

What actually happened in the finale

In the season finale that was broadcast, both Adam and Stephens escape a high-stakes situation engineered by Moriarty. Watson intervenes, thwarting Moriarty's scheme and saving the twins from what might have been a death sentence. The twist redirects attention to Moriarty's collapse, providing a significant emotional payoff without ruining active character development.

This conclusion took a judicious middle path—it provided resolution to one plot while leaving plenty of room for further development of others. And for viewers who cared about the show's multi-dimensional characters, that was perhaps the more satisfying route.

What does it mean for season 2 of Watson

That either Adam or Stephens could have been killed off brings an extra element of tension that may carry over to subsequent episodes. The knowledge that the writers were considering such a drastic move means that no one is safe, and that the stakes are high.

As Watson goes into season 2, viewers may be observing more closely than ever before, trying to discern which decisions were cemented long ago and which are still taking shape behind the scenes. Such transparency from the showrunner can only serve to build fan engagement, encouraging fans to re-watch with fresh eyes.

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

Watson Season 1 ending explained: Moriarty’s death and Holmes’ fate

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