Watson Season 1 Image Reveals First Look At Detective Lestrade

Hit CBS show Watson has dropped the first-look photos of Detective Lestrade. The show, which is adapted from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, follows Dr. John Watson, who opens a clinic in Pittsburgh a year after Sherlock Holmes’s apparent death, to treat patients with strange issues. Following strong ratings, Watson season 2 was renewed in March 2025, and could heavily feature Lestrade, who is set to debut in an upcoming episode.

Per TV Insider, the first-look photos of Lestrade have dropped, revealing that the familiar character from the Sherlock Holmes stories will not be male. Instead, Lestrade is a female detective with the Pittsburgh Police and is portrayed by Rachel Hayward. One image shows Lestrade casually sitting at her desk, looking pensive, while the other shows her standing with Morris Chestnut’s Watson. The character will debut in season 1’s upcoming 10th episode, titled ‘The Man With the Alien Hand.’ Check out the images below:

What This Means For Lestrade’s Watson Introduction

The Character Could Clash With Watson Before Working Closely With Him

The images present Lestrade as a strong, world-weary detective who seems to have plenty of experience in her role, and who is set to have at least one encounter with Watson in her debut episode. She is clearly a well-dressed professional who takes her job seriously, and it seems like she will be by-the-book, which is bound to run her into conflict with Watson and his theories.

How prominent a role Lestrade will play in the show remains to be seen, but her addition as a detective helps to add another dimension to the series.

Watson is a show that has tried to do something different from other Sherlock Holmes projects, and the show’s high-concept of a medical drama combined with a detective show has already drawn strong viewership. The character of Lestrade is a key part of the Holmes stories and is likely to be a prominent part of Watson as a show too. Casting the detective as a woman brings a fresh dynamic to the show and gives Watson an ally in the police force to develop a strong rapport with.

Our Take On Watson’s Lestrade

Gender-Swapping The Character Presents A More Unique Dynamic

How prominent a role Lestrade will play in the show remains to be seen, but her addition as a detective helps to add another dimension to the series. It could be that she and Watson will have a Mulder-Scully-type dynamic, where she is skeptical of his far-fetched theories but is eventually brought around to his way of thinking, and she could end up being one of the best characters in Watson. It feels very likely that the duo will form an alliance that will improve their ability to both solve crimes and help patients, and Lestrade will no doubt be a pivotal addition to Watson.

Source: TV Insider