Watson Showrunner Reveals A Different Character Almost Died In The Season 1 Finale

Watson showrunner Craig Sweeny reveals there were almost plans for a different character to die in the season 1 finale. Based on the Sherlock Holmes stories, the cast of Watson is led by Morris Chestnut’s titular character, who treats patients in Pittsburgh with his unorthodox methods. In a shocking move, the Watson season 1 finale killed off legendary nemesis and principal antagonist James Moriarty (Randall Park). He was ostensibly killed by Watson, via a custom genetic illness, adding to the shock factor of the scene. However, another character could actually have died instead, and was considered in an earlier draft of the episode.

In an interview with ScreenRant, Sweeny revealed that there was a plan to have one of the twins, Adam or Stephens, not make it through their procedure. The finale sees both twins dying from an illness Moriarty created specifically for them and their genes, with the team only having the ability to save one. They choose to save Adam, whilst Stephens is saved when a sick Moriarty delivers the cultures to Watson. However, Sweeny states there was a time when it was unclear if both would make it, and, for practical concerns, this was considered, but that he wasn’t done exploring those characters yet. Check out the full quotes below:

ScreenRant: When you were crafting the season, did you always plan on Adam and Stephens both surviving? Was there a time when you thought one might not make it?

Craig Sweeny: That’s a great question. 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.

And Peter Kendall has done such a good job with those roles that many audience members don’t even realize that’s the same person. The open question for us was would that strain our resources so much that we wanted to only have one of those characters going forward?

And as we wrote the season and developed our production capacity to film Peter in both roles, I felt strongly that we weren’t done with those characters. We were really only starting to get to know them. It felt like it would’ve been a choice driven by the practical rather than the creative, and so we decided to keep them both.

What This Means For Watson Moving Forward

The Twins Could Feature Heavily In Season 2

Watson season 2 has the greenlight, so Sweeny and his team will be planning the story directions for that season, and there is a good chance that the twins will feature heavily. Sweeny’s reveal that he is not yet done with the characters suggests he has some pretty definitive storylines planned that could impact both of them. There might be a fallout from their treatment, and the implications of their illnesses as part of Moriarty’s plan in the Watson season 1 finale, as well as the pair working on rebuilding their relationship after things became fractured between them when Adam began dating Stephens’ ex-fianceé.

There was plenty to unpack in the Watson season 1 finale, and the shock of killing off Moriarty now means the show will need to evolve in a new direction.

Having a talented actor in Peter Mark Kendall playing both characters also gives scope for how far the show can push their stories and arcs. As viewers are just starting to find out more about the twin doctors, it seems that the decision was made to keep them around in order to uncover more about them. But, especially given the nature of one actor in a dual role, there is, of course, the chance that one of the two might be killed off in Watson season 2.

Our Take On How Watson’s Finale Will Shape The Show’s Future

Killing Off Moriarty Was A BIg Shock & Suggests The Show Will Have An Evolution

There was plenty to unpack in the Watson season 1 finale, and the shock of killing off Moriarty now means the show will need to evolve in a new direction. It seems that Ingrid could be set to replace Moriarty as the show’s principal antagonist, and there is also the chance that the mystery of Holmes’ disappearance could move to the forefront next season. Whichever direction Watson takes as a show, Adam and Stephens seem like they will be key to the future growth of the series moving forward.