Scripted series · CBS
Instinct
You can't catch a killer without a little madness.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Alan Cumming
Dylan Reinhart
24 eps
Bojana Novaković
Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Needham
24 eps
Daniel Ings
Andy
24 eps
Naveen Andrews
Julian Cousins
24 eps
Sharon Leal
Jasmine Gooden
24 eps
John Doman
Roger Reinhart
1 eps
Sutton Foster
Celia Baxter
1 eps
Peter Hermann
Russell Wright
1 eps
Shiloh Fernandez
Troy
1 eps
Lauren E. Banks
Dierde
2 eps
Telly Leung
Sam
1 eps
David A. Gregory
Jeff Johnson
1 eps
Michael Kostroff
John Raymond
1 eps
Cody Kostro
Seth
1 eps
Aria Shahghasemi
Vet Tech
1 eps
Casey Cott
Dino Moretti
1 eps
Samuel H. Levine
Ross Dirkson
1 eps
Lizzy DeClement
Annie Emerson
1 eps
Kathryn Erbe
Caitlyn Gerich
1 eps
Travis Van Winkle
Det. Ryan Stock
7 eps
Michael B. Silver
Sgt. Kanter Harris
7 eps
Andrew Polk
Doug the Medical Examiner
3 eps
Eric Bogosian
Harry Kassabian
1 eps
Myles Clohessy
Sasha
1 eps
Lynn Marocola
NYPD Officer (uncredited)
3 eps
Nicole Kang
Stephanie
1 eps
Rebecca Watson
Eleanor
1 eps
Laura Sohn
Millennial
1 eps
Elijah Richardson
Kid
1 eps
Lucca De Oliveira
Fucci's Nephew
1 eps
Joshua De Jesus
Kev
1 eps
Alicia Crowder
Jenny
1 eps
David Corenswet
Spencer Baymoore
1 eps
Nick D'Ambrosio
Boy in Crowd (uncredited)
1 eps
Elliott Fullam
Young Dylan
1 eps
Michael Rady
Cormac Rego
1 eps
Reshma Shetty
Maya
1 eps
Stephen Rider
Zack Clark
1 eps
Danny Burstein
Brent
1 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Instinct actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Instinct reads strongest on Character Depth, Serialized and Tension.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
Dr. Dylan Reinhart, a gifted author, university professor and former CIA operative is lured back to his old life by tenacious top NYPD Detective Lizzie Needham. Though Dylan and Lizzie initially clash, when it comes to catching killers, they make an ideal team.
The run
Seasons
2 seasons · 24 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
201813 episodes
7.1IMDbBest episode · S01E03 Secrets and Lies
Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
201911 episodes
9.0IMDbAfter being put on leave by the NYPD, Dylan Reinhart is reinstated in time to join detective Lizzie Needham on their newest case. Lizzie's boss, Lt. Jasmine Gooden, is relieved to reinstate Dylan but also lets him know that he now plays by her rules. But as Dylan feels reenergized returning to his work life, his husband, Andy, is busy fielding the adoption process in the hopes that they can finally become parents. With Dylan and Lizzie back as partners, a "Sleeping Beauty Killer" case comes their way, and they realize they need to continue to both trust their instincts.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E04
I Heart New York
Dr. Dylan Reinhart and Det. Lizzie Needham are reassigned to a murder case in Central Park when their investigation into a chemical attack on the subway is taken over by an FBI team led by Dylan's estranged father, Roger. However, Dylan can't shake the feeling that the cases are related.
- Directed by Constantine Makris
- Written by Michael Rauch
S01E02
Wild Game
Dylan, having returned to teaching after helping the NYPD catch a serial killer, is called upon again to aid Detective Needham on a complex case involving the murder of a venture capitalist.
- Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski
- Written by Constance M. Burge, Carol Flint
S01E06
Flat Line
Dylan and Julian go undercover in a hospital when they suspect an "angel of death" is killing people with non-life-threatening ailments. Also, Lizzie asks Andy for his legal expertise when a personal trainer sues her for accidentally injuring him.
- Directed by Laura Belsey
- Written by Tanya Barfield
S01E01
Pilot
Former CIA operative Dr. Dylan Reinhart is lured back to his old life when NYPD Detective Lizzie Needham needs his help to stop a serial killer.
- Directed by Marc Webb
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S02E09
Manhunt
- Directed by Constantine Makris, Gus Makris
- Written by John Cockrell
S02E06
One-of-a-Kind
- Directed by Janice Cooke
- Written by Thomas Aguilar, Michael J. Ballin
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Michael Rauch
Showrunner
Marc Webb
Executive producer
Alex Kurtzman
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Bill Robinson
Executive producer
Leopoldo Gout
Executive producer
Heather Kadin
Executive producer
Alan Cumming
Executive producer
James Patterson
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Thomas Aguilar
Writer
Keith Foglesong
Writer
Anthony Johnston
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Dan E. Fesman
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Christopher Ambrose
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Michael J. Ballin
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jill Abbinanti
Writer
- Photo unavailable
John Cockrell
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Marc Dube
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Lee Ellenberg
Writer
Constance M. Burge
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Tanya Barfield
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Carol Flint
Writer
Erica Saleh
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Marc WebbExecutive Producer
- Alex KurtzmanExecutive Producer
- Bill RobinsonExecutive Producer
- Leopoldo GoutExecutive Producer
- Michael RauchExecutive Producer
- Heather KadinExecutive Producer
Writing
- Thomas AguilarWriter
- Keith FoglesongWriter
- Anthony JohnstonWriter
- Dan E. FesmanWriter
- Christopher AmbroseWriter
- Michael J. BallinWriter
Direction
- Marc WebbDirector
- Constantine MakrisDirector
- John BehringDirector
- Douglas AarniokoskiDirector
- Don ScardinoDirector
- Edward OrnelasDirector
Cinematography
- Joe CollinsDirector of Photography
- Jimmy LindseyDirector of Photography
- Christopher LaVasseurDirector of Photography
Music
- James S. LevineOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
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Never stop watching
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