'Watson' Season 2 Ending Explained: Dr. Watson faces life-or-death moment in an emotional finale
Contains spoilers for 'Watson' Season 2 Episode 20
Making headlines was the Season 2 finale of 'Watson', CBS's reimagination of Dr. John Watson from Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books. The investigative medical drama focuses on the iconic detective's loyal confidant, who treats patients with rather strange symptoms. The debut season began with Holmes' death, but the detective surprisingly showed up in the second season. Over the course of the series, it is revealed that Holmes was a hallucination brought on by the tumor in Watson's brain. The penultimate episode had a major twist when the real Holmes shows up with amnesia. It set the tone for an emotional finale and a farewell to 'Watson' as CBS canceled the show earlier this year.
Titled 'Cobalt Fissure', the finale starts with Watson prepared for surgery for his glioblastoma. But he runs to tend to Holmes, who appears in Pittsburgh with amnesia symptoms — memory loss, dehydration, and hypotension, stumping Watson and his team of doctors. It is later revealed that his conditions are related to the duo's previous case. They talk about it, reliving the three-day relentless chase of an adversary that leads them to a radioactive weapons test. Their current conditions are due to their exposure to the chemicals on the site. While the reminiscing makes Holmes better, Watson's condition deteriorates. Meanwhile, the finale also focused on Sebastian Moran (Eddie Izzard). He's foiled with the help of Holmes and Shinwell Johnson (Ritchie Coster).
'Watson' Season 2 ending explained: Does Watson die?
It is a rather ambiguous ending to the finale of 'Watson'. While the titular character saves the life of his mentor, he suffers multiple seizures due to his tumor. An emotional sequence sees his colleagues thank him as he goes into surgery with the possibility of not surviving. Dr. Mary Morstan (Rochelle Aytes), Watson's ex-wife, shares a moment with him: "I am in that operating room with you, John. Every room you walk into ever, I'm there." The moment sees another flashback from the start of the season when Watson walks in on Mortsan kissing her new boyfriend, Josh (C.J. Lindsey). "I was there to say I love you," he croaks. "I have this picture of you and me, and we're living on Baker Street in London, and we're having breakfast, but we're not talking because we don't need to talk. We have everything we need." It is followed by the title card, and the epilogue sees the series move to 221B Baker Street in London. The rainy setting sees Watson arrive home and check the mail, when Morstan greets him with a smile.
While the finale ends on a bittersweet note, the interpretation is left to the audience. The final snippet sees his dream come true as he lives out a life of peace and contentment with Morstan, though it might not necessarily be the case. It could be Watson dying with a wholesome image in his mind, or the possibility that he indeed survived and is now living with Morstan. Either way, CBS caps off a solid series that's now streaming on Paramount+.
