Summary
Watson hits its stride in Episode 6 by focusing on everyone other than Watson, who remains the least interesting character in his own show.
I’ve figured out what Watson needs to do to be interesting, which is to focus on everyone other than Watson himself. This was obvious in the previous episode which had several interesting ideas but filtered them through Watson’s boring perspective, sidelining his much more interesting fellows. Episode 6 also has some interesting ideas but spreads them out across all of the supporting cast, leading to a much more balanced and engaging installment.
The title gives things away somewhat, but “The Camgirl Inquiry” isn’t just about Stephens’ relationship with Porsche (Sofie Kane giving a surprisingly warm performance), which was teased back in Episode 4. It’s really about the need for connection among all the fellows, all of whom are brilliant but, as a consequence of that, are prickly and lonely. Almost all of them, anyway – Adam, who is now dating his twin’s ex-fiancé, is doing pretty well, which is a large part of Stephens’ problem.
Porsche becomes the patient of the week after Stephens notices that she’s sweating and woozy, and not in the $5-a-minute sense. Porsche continuously attempts to steer the conversation into frisky territory because she doesn’t buy how earnestly Stephens is into her, which makes diagnosing her illness a problem. But through snippets of information he has managed to glean – she lives in Pittsburgh and grew up on a rabbit farm in New Mexico – the fellows have a starting point when Porsche collapses on cam and begins to rapidly expire.
The best part of the episode is how everyone reacts to Stephens’ admission that he’s seeing a cam girl. For him, it isn’t a creepy thing, just an effort to form a connection with someone in the midst of his loneliness, and everyone else sees that. Watson is unequivocally supportive. Sasha immediately springs into action to showcase her obscure sex toy knowledge. And while Eve is characteristically a bit snooty about the whole ordeal, she does pitch in to help (while also developing her oddly flirtatious relationship with Sasha.)
Watson Episode 6 takes on the structure of a mystery, with everyone trying to piece together Porsche’s location using a series of clues, first through her cam stream and then her apartment. When it turns out Porsche – whose real name is Annie Wilson – took out a restraining order against her ex, Adam suggests asking Lauren, Stephens’ ex-fiancé, for help.
Peter Mark Kendall in Watson | Image via CBS
This is an important step for Stephens since, as has been established earlier, he has been deliberately putting off spending any time with Adam and Lauren together because he remains unsure about his ability to deal with their relationship. But this, too, has a positive outcome. Lauren isn’t remotely judgemental about Stephens’ “relationship” with Porsche and seems genuinely happy to see him again, which she doesn’t keep a secret. This is part of an ongoing arc with Stephens where he recognizes not only that his relationship with Porsche is okay but also that he’s ready to pursue something that isn’t secretive and “shameful”. It’s hard to tell whether this means we will openly enter a relationship with Porsche or if, through her, he will be able to develop a more meaningful connection with someone outside of the internet. Perhaps someone he works with…
I’m talking about Sasha, obviously, but Watson Episode 6 implies Sasha might have more of a connection with Eve. Eve’s still performatively frosty with her and is especially sensitive to Sasha making a big deal of her impending birthday, which Eve determinedly “celebrates” in complete isolation. I actually like that Eve sticks to this. When Sasha keeps repeatedly interfering, Eve is eventually forced to tell her that she’s going too far and that she can’t mold the world into a shape that most accommodates her. It’s a telling-off, but it’s a gentle one, bookended by reassurances that Eve does, in fact, like Sasha and appreciate her efforts. She just doesn’t need them.
Sasha takes this to heart; she goes home and breaks up with her boyfriend. This isn’t an overreaction; her wearing the engagement ring was a denial of reality in the first place, an effort, like giving Eve a birthday cake, to arrange the world to suit her desires for it. Eve has taught Sasha that you sometimes have to accept things the way they are, which is confirmed when Sasha calls Eve with a final request to spend some time with her on her birthday, and Eve once again lets her down gently. Tomorrow, she’s all Sasha’s. But tonight is about Eve and Eve alone. Sasha smilingly accepts the explanation.
On a final note, Watson Episode 6 reminds us that Shinwell is still reluctantly working for Moriarty and has once again switched Watson’s medications. We just so happen to learn this right as Watson decides to earnestly thank Shinwell for his unswerving loyalty – oops. It’s all obviously going to blow up at some point, and Shinwell’s betrayal will sting all the more for how much Watson is coming to rely on him. I just hope that by then the fellows still have plenty to do.
