CBS’ Sleeper Sherlock Holmes Show Quietly Beat a 95% RT HBO Masterpiece at Its Own Game

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Most people have strong feelings about their hometown – either they’re eager to leave and start a new life somewhere else, or they maintain a lasting fondness for the place that shaped them. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it’s been surprisingly featured as the setting for two medical dramas debuting in 2025. While two isn’t a huge number, it’s still a bit unexpected. HBO’s The Pitt and CBS’s Watson both take place in the city, but they’re very different shows.

Craig Sweeny, the creator of the Watson series, is a Pittsburgh native, and that local flavor comes through in nearly every episode. During a recent media tour, star Noah Wylie shared that his parents actually met while students at Chatham and Carnegie Mellon Universities. While the HBO series excels as a realistic and medically accurate drama, as a Pittsburgher, I think Watson truly captures what makes this city feel so special and close to people’s hearts.

Medical Accuracy Is Integral to ‘The Pitt,’ but Watson Is Less About Medicine Than Mystery

I’ve always loved science fiction and fantasy. Interestingly, I don’t usually enjoy medical dramas. My mother, who was a nurse for over 40 years, always pointed out the unrealistic medical mistakes in those shows. So, when she highly recommended The Pitt, praising both its accurate portrayal of medicine and its compelling story, I knew it was something special.

She also enjoys watching Watson, and even if it occasionally gets medical details wrong, it’s easily overlooked. While the lead actor is handsome, the real star of the CBS show is Pittsburgh itself. Similar to The Pitt, Watson only films a few scenes on location in the city. However, unlike the HBO series, Watson includes beautiful, wide shots of Pittsburgh in every episode – not just the downtown area, but the surrounding neighborhoods as well.

To ensure medical realism in The Pitt, the show includes intense visual effects. These aren’t just meant to be shocking; they’re crucial to the storyline, especially for a first-time offering on this network. Watson, however, achieves its impact through a different method. While medical details are considered, the show prioritizes the overall narrative above absolute accuracy.

Why Pittsburgh, PA, Is Important to the Production of Both Medical Dramas

Pittsburgh’s varied landscapes make it a popular choice for filmmakers. Several major productions have filmed here, including parts of movies like Jack Reacher starring Tom Cruise and The Dark Knight Rises. Beyond these big films, Watson and The Pitt have a particularly strong connection to the city and its local identity.

The city was once famous for its steel industry, but it’s transformed significantly. Now, city leaders highlight the growing number of technology companies. Although still nicknamed “Steel town,” the city’s largest employers are actually two major health insurance companies. The area boasts a large healthcare presence, with dozens of hospitals, clinics, and specialized medical centers. The television show Watson is filmed in the Oakland neighborhood, which is known for its many hospitals and the University of Pittsburgh. Similarly, The Pitt is filmed on the city’s North Side, using Allegheny General Hospital as the setting for the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center.

Both The Pitt and Watson feel incredibly realistic, almost like they exist in the same world, thanks to changes in healthcare and the unique layout of Pittsburgh. Watson focuses on unusual illnesses, cutting-edge treatments, and university research. The show accurately portrays how Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) serves as the primary emergency room for many neighborhoods north of downtown, a detail creator R. Scott Gemmill highlighted for fans. While The Pitt prioritizes medical precision, Watson shines by maximizing the impact of its Pittsburgh setting.

Watson Changed Sherlock Holmes ‘Lore’ With a Move to Pittsburgh, PA, and Focus on Healthcare

Even simply being a medical show, Watson reimagines the familiar characters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. Instead of being Sherlock’s assistant, this series focuses on Dr. Watson and his unique methods for diagnosing and treating patients. Presenting him as a doctor who uses skills similar to Sherlock Holmes is a significant departure from the original stories.

The character of Watson has been updated to reflect a Pittsburgh local – a “Yinzer,” as people from the area are known – and is now also a geneticist. This change allows the show to prioritize storytelling over strict medical accuracy and expands the setting beyond the hospital to explore the surrounding Pittsburgh neighborhoods. While the show doesn’t always stick to perfect medical details, its portrayal of Pittsburgh is incredibly authentic, something only creator Tim Sweeny, a Pittsburgh native, could achieve.

In Season 2’s “Buying Time,” a wealthy and sick tech executive lives in Sewickley Heights, a small, affluent suburb of Pittsburgh. A recent episode also showed the British character Shinwell Johnson comically struggling to use the local Pittsburgh term “yinz.” This felt like a clever nod to how characters on The Pitt and in the show generally sound when saying it.

Even though the show is set in Pittsburgh, the main character is compelling. The show’s mysteries, whether they involve medicine or not, are reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes stories. However, while The Pitt focuses on the bravery of healthcare workers, Watson centers on the patients they’re trying to help. The medical details might not always be completely accurate, but they powerfully enhance the show’s emotional impact. Watson doesn’t just solve medical puzzles; he offers his patients a sense of hope even when facing seemingly insurmountable odds.

Even Though Watson Mostly Films Elsewhere, the Show Makes the Most of Its Setting and Its People

As a movie buff, I really appreciate how much effort went into Watson, and it’s not just the accurate medical stuff! It deserves credit for feeling like Pittsburgh. Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes is all about London, so making Watson an American from Pittsburgh was a brave move. Most viewers probably won’t pick up on all the little details, but the show really immerses you in that world – from the characters sporting Steelers and Penguins gear to the ‘Yinz Coffee’ cups they drink from. It’s a really deep commitment to the setting.

The show has always used storytelling to explore deeper themes. For example, Season 2’s “Expletive Deleted” episode included a character with a fictional genetic condition that caused her to appear as a child. While the condition wasn’t medically accurate, the story served as a powerful metaphor. It highlighted how some patients – particularly women and people of color – are often treated as if they’re childlike, spoken down to, and ultimately lose the will to continue seeking medical help.

While Pittsburgh isn’t as big or well-known as some other major US cities, its population represents a wide range of economic backgrounds – from the very wealthy to those struggling with poverty. This makes a storyline in Season 2, where Watson aims to provide free healthcare at his clinic, feel particularly relevant to the city’s realities. Pittsburgh is also a place where you’ll find passionate sports fans, and a character from Season 1 – played by Karen Robinson and sporting a Steelers jersey – reminded me of many people I encountered while riding the bus during my time at the University of Pittsburgh.

As a film and TV fan, when I heard about two medical dramas filming in Pittsburgh, my first thought was, ‘Which one will get it right when it comes to showing real hospital life?’ But honestly, there’s space for both The Pitt and Watson. My mom, who works in healthcare, is completely blown away by how accurately The Pitt portrays the gritty details, the skills doctors and nurses use, and the immense stress they face. Me? I’m more of a Watson person. It just feels like the Pittsburgh I know and love, and I’m glad it’s sharing that side of the city with the rest of the country.

New episodes of Watson premiere on Mondays at 10 PM and are available to stream on Paramount+. You can watch The Pitt on HBO Max, and they’re currently making the second season.

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2025-11-25 03:08