‘Watson’: Rochelle Aytes on ‘Emotional’ Season 2 Premiere and Mary’s Surprising Family Twist (Exclusive)

Spoilers ahead for the Season 2 premiere of Watson (“A Son in the Oven”).

Monday’s Season 2 premiere of Watson brought the waterworks, and star Rochelle Aytes broke it down with PopCulture.com.

In “A Son in the Oven,” the mother of Aytes’ Dr. Mary Morstan is brought in after accidentally poisoning herself, which leads to a bigger discovery of either dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

The episode was an emotional roller coaster and a big way to kick off the second season of the CBS medical drama. On top of the introduction of Robert Carlyle’s Sherlock Holmes, fans were surprised with a twist that included the introduction of Mary’s long-lost brother. Take a look at what Aytes had to say about the premiere and more below. (Interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

PopCulture: In the episode, it’s discovered that [Mary’s mom] Elizabeth might have dementia. She’s forgetting things, and she’s not even recognizing Mary, and it was heartbreaking to see. Was it challenging at all to get into that mindset and channel those feelings? Mary goes on quite a roller coaster throughout the episode, and she’s very close to her mother.

Rochelle Aytes: It was very challenging and very emotional. My mother was sick. She didn’t have dementia, but she had a lot of physical issues. She had kidney failure. She had a blockage. She almost died. And so I couldn’t help but to bring myself back to that part of my life. And Juanita Jennings, who plays my mother, she is so good. And just looking at her can bring me where I need to be. And so between the two of them, I was just an emotional wreck for about two weeks, and then I had to shake it off. But it also felt really good to go there.

PC: It’s found out that Elizabeth may not have dementia or Alzheimer’s, but her liver is failing. Mary wants to donate part of her liver, but it’s discovered that she’s a borderline candidate, and Watson says it’s too much of a risk. She makes a point that he’s always taking risks. What was it like playing off that dynamic with Morris [Chestnut] and going back and forth with him?

Aytes: It was so intense because we had this entire previous season to go off of, all of this material where Mary is constantly saying to him, “This is not legal. This is not ethical. What are you doing? You can’t do this.” And she’s like this on top of him. And now, all of a sudden, he’s telling me what he cannot do. And so that was Mary was able to draw and Rochelle was also able to draw on all of that previous information to just explode with it because she wants him to do what he does all the time with other patients. Do something that’s a little more ethical, and he does it. So they kind of go head-to-head on that. And it was interesting. It was a lot of tension, but it was great.

PC: For a brief time, Elizabeth knows where she is, and she’s asking for Mary, but it’s terminal lucidity. By the time Mary gets to her room, she doesn’t recognize her again. At this point, she believes that she doesn’t have a lot of time left with her mother. How do you think she felt when Elizabeth ended up not knowing who she was after being given this small piece of hope that she might be able to have a proper goodbye with her if it came to that?

Aytes: I think Mary was definitely devastated and heartbroken because she knew what that meant when she was lucid. She knew that meant the end was even nearer. But like Watson said, you don’t know if this could be the last week. “Okay. So let me go see her.” And seeing her, having that little bit of hope that she knows me, and then I miss that opportunity, is just very sad and heartbreaking.

PC: There is a big twist in the episode, and it’s revealed that Mary’s parents actually had another kid that they gave up for adoption before she came into the picture. What was your reaction when you read that in the script?

Aytes: Oh my goodness. That was so cool. I was really going along with it, but I was like, “Wow. Oh, this is good. This is a good twist.” Craig [Sweeny, creator] is great. The writers, they come up with these things. And I just thought that it was great to have more for Mary to work off of and to look forward to having some family that she didn’t know she had. So I was very excited.

PC: Watson didn’t give Mary a lot of time when he gave her the news because they were actually at the bakery that her brother works at. What do you think was going through her mind when she not only was told that she has a brother, but that she just met him with no warning whatsoever?

Aytes: Oh, I mean, pure shock is going through the mind. Maybe afterwards, there’s confusion and even some anger and resentment. “Why did my mother not tell me? Oh, we’re so close. How could she not have told me?” And then there’s hope. “Oh, wait. This person could potentially save my mother’s life.” So I think she just goes through this range of emotions within a few minutes.

PC: Mary tries to convince Miles to donate part of his liver, even though he doesn’t really know her at all, but then he does end up donating and even reveals that Elizabeth visited the bakery every morning. After the surgery, there’s a sweet moment where he brings his family to visit. Can we assume that this is not the end of Miles, that we will learn more about him and see his relationship with Mary?

Aytes: I would love for them to explore Miles’ character more and bring him into the fold. Maybe it’s just on a level of just connecting relationships, or maybe even… I’m making it up myself. Maybe one of his kids gets sick, and then he has to come to the hospital, and that brings him back into the story. We don’t know yet. That’s up to the writers, but I hope so.

PC: The episode ends with the surprising return of Sherlock Holmes. What can you tease about that aftermath?

Aytes: No one knows. No one has seen him except at the end of Episode 1. Watson says, “Sherlock?” Sherlock is in his home. That’s all we know. And then there’s more to him. And he’s kind of helping Watson with cases, but no one else sees him, at least not yet.

PC: Is it safe to assume that you haven’t had the chance to work with Robert yet?

Aytes: I haven’t worked with him, but I’ve been in close proximity. Because in another episode, we’re talking, and Mary knocks at the door, and then he tells him to get out. “Go.” So, no, I don’t act opposite him, but we’re kind of in a scene together. So I’ve gotten to meet him and talk with him. Super cool guy.

PC: What have you been most excited to explore with Mary this season?

Aytes: I love flashbacks. I love when they write those in because Mary gets to be an attending again. Mary and Watson are together in the past, and I think that the audience loves to see that relationship. So I think, hopefully, we’ll get to see more of that. I’m also excited for the audience to see the dynamics between Mary and some other relationships, other characters in the show. It’s gonna be very interesting.

New episodes of Watson air on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day on Paramount+.