A premiere episode is usually a good way to see if a show will be suitable for teens or not. As Watson gets into the swing of things, we take a look at whether this is good for your family.
Watson will air its second episode on Sunday, Feb. 16. It gets a 9 p.m. ET/PT timeslot, which is when a lot of teens are still awake. If you want to watch this show live, you’ll need to know if it’s something they can be around for.
The show is Sherlock Holmes adjacent. It’s set in a world where Sherlock is dead, and John Watson has returned home to run a medical center dedicated to rare disorders. Watson has to put his detective skills to the test as well as his medical ones. Of course, there’s a team of intriguing individuals and a personal storyline that involves Watson and his ex-wife, Mary.
Watson age rating: This series is officially TV-14
While the series is more for the adults with its heavy medical jargon, it is a broadcast show. That means it’s TV-14, so it is written in a way that is suitable for the teenagers in the house. If your teens love the Sherlock Holmes universe, this is going to be for them.
Let’s break down the components that make up the age rating, though. This will give you an idea of whether it’s suitable for your teens in particular. After all, all teens are different!
Sex & nudity: There was nothing of either in the first episode, and we don’t expect to see much in the coming episodes. There may be moments where men and women are topless, although women tend to keep their bras on in network TV. A lot of the sex and relationship intimacy is kept for the imagination, implied by characters waking up in bed together.
Violence & gore: As Watson has not avoided his detective ways, we’re sure to see a little bit of violence here and there. The first episode didn’t include any, but we did find out that Moriarty is still alive and he is a threat. Plus, we know Shinwell was known for dirty work, and he is certainly up to something as he’s working with Moriarty secretly.
The show isn’t going to go heavy on the violence, though. The first episode is usually a good idea of what to expect, and this is more medical than crime. Some of the medical conditions may be a bit gruesome to see. The show certainly did a good job with the makeup to show the fungal infection that the two patients in the premiere suffered from.
Language: The worst of the words we’ll hear is “son of a b***c”. The B-word is often used in broadcast TV now, but it’s rare that anything worse than that is considered. With the time the episode airs, the networks know that there’s a chance children are around. Let’s leave the strong language for the cable networks!
Alcohol & drugs: Watson does take medication for his brain injury. He does this secretly, as he prescribes the medication to Shinwell and gets Shinwell to pass the medications onto him. We know that there’s a storyline coming where Shinwell switches out the medication for something Moriarty has given him. The question is what.
There’s clearly going to be the topic of switching our drugs, and how dangerous this is. Also, as a medical drama, we could see addicts show up. It’s worth keeping in mind as we go into the show.
Overall verdict: Who is Watson appropriate for?
This series is one for the teens to watch. It’s intriguing, and it’s set in the world of Sherlock Holmes. The content isn’t going to be too disturbing, but there will be plenty of discussions that could be had as the mysteries unfold.
While it’s not too much for younger children, they just probably won’t be interested in the storytelling. They’re not at an age where they want deep mysteries or complex medical dramas.
Watson airs on Sundays at 9/8c on CBS.