Watson’s Ritchie Coster Shares The Storyline That He ‘Resisted’ For Season 2, But He’s ‘Loving’ It Ahead Of Shinwell’s Big Episode

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Season 2 of Watson, set to air in 2025, began with a lot happening, even bringing back Sherlock Holmes after a time jump. Shinwell has shifted from using his criminal contacts to help the team and is now training to be a nurse at the hospital. He’ll face challenges in the November 3 episode, and actor Ritchie Coster recently told TopMob that he initially didn’t like the storyline for his character, feeling his character needed to atone for past mistakes.

As you’d expect from a Watson episode, “Happy When It Rains” features a gripping medical mystery. Patients are admitted to UHOP with what appears to be a dangerous flesh-eating infection. Meanwhile, Shinwell is trying to find his footing as a new nursing student and grappling with the emotional toll of the profession. He’ll need to balance his personal challenges with helping to solve the complex case, raising the stakes even higher.

Before the recent Shinwell episode aired, I spoke with Ritchie Coster and was surprised to learn his character had become a nurse – something I wouldn’t have expected after his storyline in Season 1. Now that Season 1 is available on Paramount+ and Season 2 is underway, the actor shared:

I was surprised too! The showrunner, Craig Sweeny, mentioned during our first meeting that he wanted to turn my character, Shinwell, into a nurse if we got a second season. I honestly thought he was kidding, but it actually happened. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea at first, but now I’m embracing it and really enjoying the direction it’s taken.

Shinwell was a helpful addition to John’s team during the first season, aside from his involvement with the Moriarty plot, though he wasn’t directly involved in medical work. After Shinwell’s betrayals – even though he felt bad about being blackmailed – it seemed unlikely Watson would want to keep him around. However, the storyline about Shinwell becoming a nursing student has worked well, and Coster says he’s happy with how it’s developed. Coster then explained his thoughts on Shinwell’s behavior in the first season.

Playing the character Shinwell meant I had to understand his motivations, even when he did questionable things. While he hurt people and sabotaged their efforts, I saw him as someone trying to protect the people he cared about – he was in a difficult situation. His actions weren’t admirable, but I approached the role by imagining a life filled with hardship and wrongdoing, a life that required a lot of making amends. The idea of him seeking redemption is what really drew me to the part – it’s a complex and fascinating journey to explore as an actor.

Looking back, Shinwell definitely got a slightly longer leash than Ingrid did – his actions weren’t immediately condemned for the whole of season two. He did manage to step back early on, which meant he wasn’t involved in the mess that almost killed Stephens. And honestly, messing with John’s medication was a brilliant move, even if it was awful! It led to some really compelling scenes with John hallucinating Sherlock, and Matt Berry’s voice work was just chef’s kiss. Now, it feels like Shinwell’s really grappling with guilt, stuck in a no-win situation from the start of the series.

Just because Shinwell frequently assists Watson on the team doesn’t give him authority as a nursing student. The story, “Happy When It Rains,” shows how Shinwell finds his footing in the hospital and deals with the challenges of being a nurse, as previewed by Ritchie Coster.

Shinwell quickly realized this situation required someone with more expertise, so he went to get help. He was good at noticing the problem, but beyond that, he wasn’t equipped to handle it. Professionals who understood medical issues needed to take over, leaving Shinwell to observe the messy, oozing wounds – which wasn’t a pleasant experience.

CBS’s Watson isn’t shying away from showing graphic injuries and serious medical conditions! After the show surprisingly allowed its main character to swear on TV last week, it seems like no topic is off-limits. Here’s a preview of the next episode, which will focus on the character Shinwell:

Don’t miss the new episode of Watson Season 2, “Happy When It Rains,” airing on CBS Monday, November 3rd at 10 p.m. Eastern. You can also watch it the next day on Paramount+. We’ll see how Shinwell is coping with recent events, and Sherlock Holmes (played by Robert Carlyle) will be back soon. Expect some surprises in the evolving relationship between Mary and John.

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2025-11-04 03:09