I Am Shocked At The Odd Change That CBS’ Watson Did To This Classic Sherlock Holmes Character

Warning: SPOILERS for Watson season 1, episode 6, “The Camgirl Inquiry.”

Watson episode 6 includes a reference to a previously unmentioned character from the original Sherlock Holmes stories, but with a shocking twist. “The Camgirl Inquiry” follows Stephens Croft, firmly established as the shyest and grumpiest in Watson’s cast of characters, as he tries to save a webcam model from a potentially fatal bacterial infection after she collapses during a stream. The episode already feels like a love letter to the original Holmes stories, as the team has to deduce where the young woman lives based on nothing but the items they can see in her screen’s background.

The episode also contains a number of references to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories. Not only is classic character Irene Adler mentioned by name, but Watson’s shown writing The Sign of The Four on his typewriter. Subtleties in Ingrid’s storyline further suggest how she might get wrapped up in Moriarty’s ultimate scheme. While Watson season 2 remains unconfirmed, one of the most interesting twists in the story regards a classic Doyle character who could very easily appear in the future.

Watson Episode 6 Mentions Sherlock Holmes’ Landlady Mrs. Hudson

Hudson Has Been Referenced In A Number Of Holmes Adaptations

The latest character referenced in Watson is Mrs. Hudson — Sherlock’s landlady at 221B Baker Street. This officially makes her the most long-established character referenced besides Holmes and Watson, since Mrs. Hudson has been a part of Doyle’s Holmes mythos since Sherlock’s first appearance in A Study in Scarlet (albeit unnamed at the time). She’s generally characterized as caring about Holmes as a person and respecting him as a detective, but she also considers him her worst tenant due to his eccentric behavior. His opium addiction likely doesn’t help much, either.

Since Watson creator Craig Sweeney previously worked on Elementary, it follows that her mention in episode 6 alters the character drastically.

Given her long tenure in Doyle’s stories and her ever-present proximity to Sherlock’s home life, Mrs. Hudson has appeared frequently in adaptations prior to Watson. In most cases, such as Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes or the anime Moriarty the Patriot, her personality and feelings toward Holmes remain largely faithful to the source material. In other cases, such as BBC’s Sherlock, her role and backstory are significantly expanded. The series Elementary changes her perhaps the most. Since Watson creator Craig Sweeney previously worked on Elementary, it follows that her mention in episode 6 alters the character drastically.

Mrs. Hudson Is Implied To Be A Sex Worker In Watson Episode 6

Watson Only Mentions Her To Make Stephens Feel Better About His Webcam Use

Episode 6 actually introduces the existence of Mrs. Hudson in reference to another character entirely. While Inspector Lestrade’s appearance on Watson has been confirmed for some time, the only other unseen character whose future appearance on the show has been confirmed is Irene Adler. When trying to make Stephens feel less ashamed of his need to use webcam models as a source of connection, Watson references Irene as the only true romance in Sherlock’s life, and suggests that her life as a con artist meant that she came and went frequently.

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However, Watson then explains that Sherlock had an entirely different relationship with another woman at the same time. Referring to Sherlock’s meetings with Hudson as “a standing appointment,” Watson suggests that “Mrs. Hudson” was an alias and that she only pretended to be his friend’s landlady when others were around. His concluding remark that “the walls are very thin on Baker Street” further cements the implication that Sherlock’s relationship with Hudson was assuredly sexual, with his references to Hudson’s duplicity and Stephens’ webcam use suggesting the relationship was likely transactional as well.

How Can Mrs. Hudson Impact Watson’s Story Moving Forward?

The Series Might Continue Making Big Changes To Classic Characters

Moriarty (Randall Park) in Watson season 1, episode 1, smiling menacingly and pointing

Given Watson’s changes to Moriarty, such as his syndactyly and his preference for blending in as an everyman, it’s clear the series has no qualms about making significant alterations to recognizable characters. Watson has also established that this version of Moriarty enjoys manipulating those closest to Watson, blackmailing Shinwell into working for him and teasing a future in which he does the same with Ingrid. If he uses Hudson in the same way Guy Ritchie’s Moriarty used Irene, we could find out she had something to do with setting up their standoff at Reichenbach Falls.

A composite image of Watson looking on sternly in front of a smiling Moriarty as he points to his chest in Watson season 1

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Regardless of whether this happens, the series may eventually show Hudson in the flesh. Matt Berry’s Sherlock Holmes is only confirmed as a voice role, but Sherlock doesn’t need to physically appear for Watson to feature more London flashbacks. Hudson could feature in any number of surprising ways, from acting as one of Moriarty’s spies to sharing a dalliance with Watson and Holmes. The latter may sound like a stretch, but episode 6’s sex toy subplot shows the series certainly isn’t too repressed to go there. And it would undoubtedly add some interesting layers to Holmes and Watson’s friendship.

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