Popular CBS Crime Show Just Switched Sherlock Holmes Actors

The super-popular CBS crime drama, Watson, is very much coming back for a Season 2. And, when the show does return, one character, who was only heard and not seen, will suddenly be played by a new actor. As a spinoff and reimagining of the Sherlock Holmes mythos, the TV series, Watson, focused on the titular doctor (Morris Chestnut) solving medical mysteries in the U.S., following the apparent death of Sherlock Holmes in the U.K. And, throughout Season 1, the voice of Holmes — at least in Watson's head — was played by Matt Berry, famous for What We Do in the Shadows, among other incredible projects.

But now, in Watson Season 2, Holmes will appear in the flesh, and this time, he'll be played by Robert Carlyle. This news comes from TVLine, in which showrunner Craig Sweeney was quoted as saying: "We are thrilled to have the mighty Robert Carlyle join the cast of Watson in Season 2."

Who is Robert Carlyle? (Original Caption) Pierce Brosnan and Robert Carlyle on the set of ' The World is not Enough' by Michael Apted. (Photo by Keith Hamshere/Sygma via Getty Images)

Keith Hamshere/Getty Images

James Bond fans will surely remember Carlyle from the 1999 movie The World is Not Enough, in which the actor played the villainous Renard. But Carlyle is perhaps equally as famous for his work in Trainspotting and The Full Monty. More recently, Carlyle played an alternate version of John Lennon in the 2019 film Yesterday.

When Does Watson Season 2 Debut?

Related: 'Watson' Just Quietly Turned One Classic Character Into a James Bond Villain

While Watson Season 1 just had its season finale on May 11, 2025, the second season was announced very quickly. But, this new twist about Sherlock Holmes returning is brand new. As of this writing, Watson Season 2 is expected, at the earliest, sometime in 2026.

Watson streams on Paramount+.

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