7 Best Watsons In Sherlock Holmes Adaptations

Published Sep 27, 2026, 2:30 PM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. There are plenty of Sherlock Holmes movie and TV adaptations out there, but not all of them have had good versions of the Great Detective’s loyal friend and partner, Dr. John Watson. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson made their first appearance in 1887 in the novel A Study in Scarlet, which introduced the world to Holmes’ exceptional deduction and detective skills, his reputation, how he and Watson met, and their first case together. Dr. Watson is a key character in the stories of Sherlock Holmes, being the first-person narrator of Holmes’ cases and adventures, as well as the audience’s eyes through everything. Dr. Watson, like Holmes, is one of the most popular and beloved literary characters of all time, as well as one of the most influential ones, becoming the blueprint for the sidekick type of character in detective stories. As such, most adaptations of Sherlock Holmes have included Watson. However, the rights to the characters and stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have given creative freedom to artists, resulting in changes to Holmes and Watson. The latter has been the one who has gone through the most changes, and not always good ones, such as what happened with Nigel Bruce’s version, widely criticized for dumbing the character down. Still, with so many adaptations, there are some, both in film and TV, that have brought the best Watsons. Without A Clue’s Dr. Watson (Ben Kingsley) Without A Clue is a 1988 British comedy movie directed by Thom Eberhardt and starring Michael Caine as Sherlock Holmes and Ben Kingsley as Dr. John Watson. However, there’s a twist in this classic pair: the brilliant detective is actually Watson, and Caine’s Holmes is an actor Watson hired to pose as the talented detective so Watson can keep his reputation as a physician. Without a Clue is a different take on the Holmes/Watson dynamic, and features one of the most entertaining versions of Watson. Despite the huge difference of Watson being the genius detective, Kingsley’s character keeps some of the basic traits of Conan Doyle’s character, such as him constantly having to save his friend from trouble. Of course, Kingsley’s performance makes it even better, as he plays the character with brilliant comedic seriousness. The Return of Sherlock Holmes’ Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) In 1986, Edward Hardwicke arrived to play Dr. Watson in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, the second series in the adaptations made by Granada Television between 1984 and 1994. Accompanying Hardwicke was Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, and together they made one of the best TV Holmes/Watson pairs. Now, it’s important to note that there was a time when Watson was dumbed down and turned into a comical character, which negatively impacted the character. However, Hardwicke returned some dignity to Dr. Watson by portraying him as the calm, intelligent, and loyal friend and partner he is to the Great Detective. His performance was made even better by his chemistry with Brett, bringing balance to it as Brett was a more raw and eccentric Holmes, with Hardwicke’s Watson being an anchor to him. Murder by Decree’s Dr. Watson (James Mason) Murder by Decree is a 1979 mystery thriller movie directed by Bob Clark and based on Conan Doyle’s characters and the real-life Jack the Ripper murders. That said, Murder by Decree sees Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and Dr. Watson (James Mason) taking on the case of the Whitechapel murders by the mysterious but highly dangerous killer known as Jack the Ripper. With the help of medium Robert Lees (Donald Sutherland), Holmes and Watson uncover a series of dark secrets, including those of the British government. Murder by Decree is a fun “what if” story blending a real-life mystery and the greatest detective of all time, but with enough reveals and twists to keep the audience engaged from beginning to end. Mason’s performance as Watson was a key part of the movie’s success, relying on the character’s wisdom, moral compass, and compassion, and staying away from one-dimensional portrayals of the doctor. Thanks to this, Mason’s Watson was a perfect complement to Plummer’s Holmes, grounding the character and offering some warmth as opposed to the coldness of the detective. The Hound of the Baskervilles’ Dr. Watson (André Morell) The 1959 movie adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles was directed by Terence Fisher and starred Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, André Morell as Dr. Watson, and Christopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville. The Hound of the Baskervilles is widely considered one of the best adaptations of Conan Doyle’s novel and his characters, with Morell’s Watson receiving a lot of praise. Unlike other versions of Watson at the time, Morell stayed true to the character as written by Conan Doyle. Morell’s Watson was intelligent, skillful in his area, a man of action, and a talented writer, respected by his famous friend, who never looked down on him. Morell’s performance was especially popular as it went against the image of a dim-witted, buffoon-type of Watson that was popularized back then. Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes’ John Watson (Jude Law) Guy Ritchie brought Holmes and Watson to life in two movies: Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, with Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson. Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies took the audience back to the Victorian era to meet an already well-established Holmes and his loyal friend and companion Watson. What makes these adaptations stand out is their action scenes, in which both Holmes and Watson display their combat skills, which most adaptations usually leave out. Jude Law’s Watson was fully in on the action whenever needed, turning him from a passive companion who mostly helped Holmes through his knowledge into an equal to Holmes – surely, he doesn’t have the same incredible deduction abilities, but he’s intelligent enough to keep up with Holmes, add his own observations, and join him in combat. On top of that, Law’s chemistry and dynamic with Downey Jr. is one of the best in all Sherlock Holmes adaptations, and they can be as serious or as brilliantly funny as needed. Sherlock’s John Watson (Martin Freeman) Credit: MovieStillsDB One of the best modern Sherlock Holmes adaptations is the BBC’s Sherlock, created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as John Watson, Sherlock brought them and their accompanying characters to modern-day London, thus updating their cases and lifestyles. Sherlock follows Holmes and Watson from the moment they meet to the detective’s fake death, to his return and their efforts to fix their friendship. Freeman’s Watson was a perfect modern version of the classic character, who stayed true to his place as friend, partner, and documentarian, while also using his own knowledge to complement that of Holmes and learning some of his friend’s tricks. Freeman’s version was very loyal, but he also lived his life, even if he made some questionable decisions that impacted his relationship with Holmes. Elementary’s Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) Another great modern Sherlock Holmes adaptation, and one that directly competed with the BBC’s Sherlock, is Elementary, created by Robert Doherty. Elementary introduced the audience to a Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) who, after spending some time in rehab due to substance-use disorder, moves to New York to assist the New York City Police. However, as dictated by his father, Holmes is assigned a sober companion: Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu). Watson was once a successful surgeon, but the loss of a patient led her to make some career changes. As Holmes’ sober companion, Watson follows him while he works, and she soon becomes not only Holmes’ partner but also his mentee. Elementary’s Watson carried her own demons, which she had to face at some point, just like Holmes did. Watson and Holmes helped each other, and they grew together, without jeopardizing their friendship through unnecessary romantic interest. Lucy Liu’s Watson was given character development and growth, and she brought emotional depth and the balance that Miller’s Holmes needed.