Watson Team Must Decide Which to Sacrifice: Adams or Stephens Before the Finale

Watson clearly indicates that a key character won’t survive the season finale.

In the episode that aired on Sunday, May 3, the team, led by Watson (Morris Chestnut), faced a race against time to save Stephens and Adams (Peter Mark Kendall). They initially believed that a visit to a mold-infested basement led to concerning neurological symptoms for Adams and then Stephens. However, viewers were already aware that the real culprit was James Moriarty (Randall Park).

Moriarty even came to taunt Watson, who was oblivious to his identity, by targeting Ingrid (Eve Harlow). By the episode’s conclusion, Watson discovered that Moriarty had manipulated DNA from his lab to create a virus specifically affecting Adams. This not only impacted Adams but also compromised Stephens’ health, as they are twins with identical DNA.

Adams was the first to fall into a coma, quickly followed by Stephens. Watson eventually found a method to extract a virus from healthy brain cells—yet only enough for one individual. They can save either Stephens or Adams, but not both.

This twist comes just before the show’s inaugural season finale, which is inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle‘s Sherlock Holmes tales, set six months after Moriarty’s murder of the renowned detective.

“I didn’t reference any previous portrayals of Watson. I did read the original books and checked other adaptations. For me, this character is unique because past Watsons mostly take a backseat,” Chestnut, 56, told Us Weekly in January. “The narrative has always been from Sherlock’s viewpoint, but this one focuses on Watson’s perspective in a distinct manner. We’re part of the lore, yet the clinic and detective work doesn’t belong to it.”

Chestnut also hinted at the possibility of seeing the legendary detective on screen, stating, “I wish I knew if we would eventually encounter Holmes in any form.”

He added: “Once Robert Downey Jr. is done with the Marvel universe, he should come on down. I would love to see any of the phenomenal portrayals of Holmes that I’ve seen.”

While Watson, Holmes, and Moriarty are the quintessential names for literary fans, the spotlight currently shines on Watson’s team, featuring Harlow, 35, as a skilled neurologist, and Kendall, 38, portraying twin brothers specializing in infectious disease and functional medicine. The cast also includes Inga Schlingmann as a rheumatology and immunology expert, and Rochelle Aytes as Watson’s ex-wife, Mary.

“Watson can’t handle everything alone; he relies on his team,” Chestnut noted. “Throughout the season, certain events will create distance, but others will bring them together for a shared purpose.”

Watson airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, with new episodes streamable the following day on Paramount+.