CBS Orders New Medical Drama Starring 'Boyz n the Hood' Actor

Morris Chestnut is coming to CBS. TV Insider reports that the Boyz n the Hood star has been tapped as the lead in a new medical drama. The network has given a straight-to-series order for Watson. Chestnut will also serve as executive producer in the series, which takes place a year after the death of famous detective Sherlock Holmes. As Dr. John Watson gets back to his medical career, he is the head of a clinic that is dedicated to treating rare disorders. It's not so easy to resume, as his old life catches up with him.

"We are thrilled to feature such a beloved character from the world of Sherlock Holmes at the center of this series and have it brought to life by Morris Chestnut in a fresh and unexpected take on the immortal doctor," President of CBS Entertainment Amy Reisenbach shared in a statement. "Craig Sweeny's bold new vision for the complex Dr. Watson deftly interweaves rich character storytelling with edge-of-your-seat medical mysteries."

Produced by CBS Studios, Watson is being described as "a medical show with a strong investigative spine, featuring a modern version of one of history's greatest detectives as he turns his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries." Craig Sweeny penned the pilot and will also serve as showrunner and executive producer. Shäron Moalem MD, PhD,  and Aaron Kaplan and Brian Morewtiz for Kapital Entertainment also serve as executive producers. Larry Teng, who previously worked on Nancy Drew, Walker: Independence, NCIS: Hawai'i, Supergirl, and more, will direct and executive produce the first episode.

Watson will be part of CBS' 2024-25 season. The series joins Matlock and Poppa's House, both of which were supposed to debut during the 2023-24 season. They got pushed back due to the strikes and will instead be premiering next season. It already seems like CBS will be filled with new shows and definitely some returning. As one of the most recognizable characters in both literature and on the big and small screens, Dr. John Watson is coming back in a different way, and it's going to be exciting to watch.

Morris Chestnut is the latest to take on the role of Watson, following Martin Freeman's portrayal in BBC's Sherlock and Lucy Liu's female take as Joan Watson on Elementary in 2012 on CBS. There have been many other portrayals of the character, and now Chestnut will be able to add his name to the list. Other casting announcements have yet to be revealed but will likely be announced in the coming months.