Ritchie Coster’s Shinwell Johnson is one of Watson’s most fascinating characters.
Shinwell has grown from the somewhat shady man whose association with Moriarity left him divided in his loyalties toward Watson in Season 1 to a nursing student finding his purpose.
I was recently lucky enough to sit down with Coster to discuss all things Shinwell and share with you all right here on TV Fanatic.
“I’m Like a Kiddie in the Sandbox With All These New Toys, and I’m Loving It”
Coster is having a blast playing Shinwell, which comes through when Shinwell is on screen.
He shared that, throughout his long career, he’s often played villains, so a character as complex and multifaceted as Shinwell is something new.
Coster explained that he expected “the usual tropes” when he first got the role, so it’s been a lot of fun for him to explore the different types of trouble that Shinwell gets into as well as Shinwell’s softer side, which has been more prominent during Watson Season 2.
[Note: We talked extensively about Watson Season 2 Episode 4, so be aware that the rest of this article has spoilers for the Shinwell storyline in that episode].
Coster wholeheartedly agrees that Shinwell’s storyline with Ben was a redemption arc, adding that that type of arc is what he most likes to play.
“I had a brother, a very, very clever man, that once said to me that the only stories worth telling are the ones about redemption. Something we all have in common is to try and erase the mistakes of the past…
“That’s what it’s all about for Shinwell, and it’s engrossing, because I think that touches us all so close. Like, if I could go back and just take all that stuff away, right, that bad stuff that I did, you know?”
As an aside, he told me that he used to work in daytime television, and on the soaps he worked on, there was a list of crimes that the character could commit without becoming irredeemable. That was a cool bit of soap opera lore that I didn’t know about!
Coster Sees Shinwell’s Pain Over Ben’s Loss as Part of His Journey as a Medical Professional
A huge part of Shinwell’s story on Watson Season 2 Episode 4 revolved around his connection with his young patient and his pain over his inability to save Ben’s leg.
Coster had the same favorite scene I did: the one where Shinwell shares his guilt with Watson over his perceived failure, and Watson reassures him that there was nothing more he could have done.
He praised the scene for its “lovely writing” and added that he was glad he got to explore Shinwell’s belief that he could have done something differently and his empathy for Ben.
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“You know Shinwell, who’s very adept and very confident, like facing down a room full of thugs or something, now has the challenge of going into a room with a young man whose life has been changed and whose passion has been taken away from him.
“And you step into that room, and what do you say? You know, you can’t make it right. All you can do is be present and show up. I think that’s a huge moment. It must be for anyone that does it, and it certainly was for Shinwell.”
About Shinwell Finding His Purpose
Coster agreed with me that Shinwell seemed to have found his purpose as a nurse, tying it into his redemption arc in a beautiful manner.
“Why does he belong there? Because I think, like underneath all the toughness, he understands empathy, and he knows what it is to be kind, after a life spent doing the opposite, doing unspeakable things, he discovers in himself a basic empathy.”
He also sees this as why Shinwell stood up for Ingrid when no one else in the clinic wanted to give her a second chance. Shinwell, obviously, got that second chance, but he also knows what it’s like to have done terrible things and that there’s more than one side to the story.
Coster added that this was part of the human experience, saying, “We all learn in our lifetimes… that we’re all full of sh*t, and we all make mistakes, and if you judge people by their worst action or their worst day, then you won’t have conversation, you won’t have relations with anyone, right?”
He has a lot of empathy for Shinwell as well, despite Shinwell getting mixed up with Moriarty and betraying Watson.
“I always thought that the quandary that Shinwell was in in the first episode was to save someone he loved, he had to destroy the other person that he loved, right? You know, which is a tough place to be in,” he said, adding that when you play the bad guy, it’s important to keep in mind that in the character’s opinion, he is the hero — no one thinks they’re doing the wrong thing.”
Coster’s Thoughts About the Connection to the Sherlock Holmes Lore
Sorry, folks, but Coster wasn’t allowed to share any spoilers about Sherlock’s upcoming storyline or what he is doing while he is away.
He did have some fantastic insights into the Watson/Sherlock Holmes connection, though. He’s a big fan of the original stories, noting that it’s “lovely that Sherlock Holmes’ superpower is being smart.”
Do you watch Watson for its Sherlock Holmes elements, its medical mysteries, or something else?
Hit the comments with your thoughts, and don’t forget to share this interview with your friends so they can join in.
As far as this show goes, Coster enjoys the fact that it’s told from Watson’s point of view.
He sees the way Watson is written in the source material as an “‘Everyman figure.’ He’s basically decent and he wants to do the right thing and uphold the law, but he’s a very plain man, and I find him fascinating next to Sherlock Holmes.”
On the Watson show, of course, Watson is the main character, so we get to follow him as he solves medical mysteries of his own, though the series does also try to follow the original Sherlock Holmes somewhat.
Coster finds Watson’s point of view fascinating, though he added that he’s “especially interested to see the stuff between our Watson and our Sherlock.”
Sadly, he couldn’t expand on that, but his comments do suggest that Sherlock will be back later in the season, and there are already photos of Sherlock on Watson Season 2 Episode 5, so it won’t be long before we find out!
Coster’s Biggest Challenge: “In Season 1, I Felt Something Was Missing”
Coster has always enjoyed playing Shinwell, of course, but he explained that in Season 1, he felt something was missing from the way he was portraying the character.
He corrected this in Watson Season 2 by changing his mindset. Instead of thinking of Shinwell as a separate entity, he has done his best to put more of himself into Shinwell and react on screen as if he and Shinwell are one and the same.
“I wanted to be loose and see where that took me, but to be loose and see where it takes me. I can’t be working from behind a mask… So the challenge for me as an actor in this season is to just stop acting, and to stop thinking of Shinwell as somebody else, and think and start behaving as if Shinwell and I are the same. So hopefully that gets me to a more spontaneous place.”
I think he’s done a fabulous job, and I can’t wait to find out where the rest of Watson Season 2 takes us.
Alright, Watson fans. Let’s hear your thoughts.
What do you agree or disagree with? Where do you hope the season goes? What is your opinion of Shinwell?
Sound off in the comments, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends.
If you enjoyed this article, check out our many other interviews with actors and writers from various shows. You might also enjoy our coverage of other mystery shows like Elsbeth.
Watson airs on CBS on Mondays at 10/9c and streams on Paramount+ on Tuesdays.
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Watson’s Ritchie Coster Reflects on Shinwell’s Humanity and His Redemption
It was so much fun chatting with Watson’s Ritchie Coster. Check out his take on Shinwell’s redemption arc (and more).
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Watson Season 2 Episode 4 Made a Surprising Hero Out of Shinwell
Shinwell being the MVP on Watson Season 2 Episode 4 was a pleasant surprise during a bona fide medical mystery. Our review!
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Watson Season 2 Episode 3’s Focus on Ingrid Bordered on Annoying During a Fascinating Case
Sasha’s problems with Ingrid was a distraction from an otherwise fascinating case on Watson Season 2 Episode 3. Our review!
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