The actor stars as a version of the Arthur Conan Doyle character in a series set in the present day, following an American geneticist in the wake of Sherlock Holmes’s death.

Like “House,” it sees a genius doctor (in this case Morris Chestnut’s Dr. John Watson) diagnose medical mysteries with help from a team of photogenic sidekicks. And like “House,” it draws inspiration from Sherlock Holmes — this time more directly,

What’s going to be revealed throughout the course of the season is when Watson left [to work with Holmes in London], he left Mary in a very bad situation but didn’t realize it. He loves this woman and wants her back. What will it take to outwit the deadly Moriarty, who will soon show his face?

Of all the fictional characters in the public domain, Dr. John Watson never seemed to be crying out for a moment in the spotlight. Watson has mostly been defined by his relationship to Sherlock Holmes,

Dr. John Watson, one-time sidekick to the detective Holmes in old books and movies, is now the central character of "Watson," premiering Sunday night.