Episode 1
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.
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TV series
Instinct
2018TV-142 seasons6.8 / 10
You can't catch a killer without a little madness.
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.
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Where to watch in United States
Checked Jul 22, 2026
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Synopsis
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.
Season 1 episodes
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Episode 2
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.
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Episode 3
Secrets and Lies
The murder of a young man who recently left his family's religious community leads Dylan and Lizzie to a series of possible suspects, including a short-tempered photographer and a mysterious girl with amnesia. Also, Lizzie's younger sister, Katie, unexpectedly drops by for a visit.
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Episode 4
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.
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Episode 5
Heartless
Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of a Jane Doe, but when they realize that the victim was killed by mistake, they must identify the killer's motive and intended target before she suffers the same fate.
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Episode 6
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.
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Episode 7
Owned
Dylan and Lizzie are under pressure to deliver results when they investigate the death of Jasmine's friend, the owner of a professional basketball team who died when her car went off a bridge
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Episode 8
Long Shot
When a woman is shot outside a community center, Dylan and Lizzie are challenged by the mayor to solve the case in less than 24 hours to quell pressure from the media and special interest groups.
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Episode 9
Bad Actors
Two members of an acting troupe are killed using sophisticated poisons; Andy worries that Dylan isn't fitting in, so he encourages Dylan to attend a barbecue being thrown by Detective Fucci.
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Episode 10
Bye Bye Birdie
When Celia Baxter, a successful author, is almost killed in her home, Dylan and Lizzie's suspect list includes several people who may have held a grudge as she rose in stature in the publishing world. Also, Lizzie gets closer to learning the truth about the death of her fiancé, who was killed while undercover.
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Episode 11
Blast from the Past
Dylan and Lizzie are unable to identify a motive or connection when several average people blow themselves up using suicide bombs. Also, Julian, concerned that Dylan could be exposing himself to past enemies, enlists Lizzie to talk him out of hiring Ashely, a publicist.
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Episode 12
Live
Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of a film student whose death was broadcast for the world to see. Also, Andy and Dylan realize that parenting is tougher than they thought when they agree to look after Madison, a friend's 12-year-old daughter.
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Episode 13
Tribal
Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of Joan's protégé, Kristy, uncovering long-buried secrets worth killing over. Also, Dylan and Andy apply to adopt a child, and Lizzie's reliance on Julian's illicitly obtained information puts a promotion in jeopardy, on the first season finale.
Where to watch InstinctEpisode information updated Jul 22, 2026
More about Instinct
Cast
Alan CummingDylan Reinhart
Bojana NovakovićElizabeth 'Lizzie' Needham
Daniel IngsAndy
Naveen AndrewsJulian Cousins
Sharon LealJasmine Gooden
John DomanRoger Reinhart
Sutton FosterCelia Baxter
Peter HermannRussell WrightCredits
- Created by
- Michael Rauch
- Written by
- Michael Rauch, Constance M. Burge, Carol Flint, Jill Abbinanti, Thomas Aguilar, Michael J. Ballin, Lee Ellenberg, Marc Dube, Dan E. Fesman, Keith Foglesong
Production details
- Status
- Canceled
- Series type
- Scripted
- Episodes
- 24
- Original language
- English
Networks & production
CBSUnited States- 34 FilmsUnited States
Secret HideoutUnited States- James Patterson EntertainmentUnited States
- Black LambUnited States
CBS StudiosUnited States
Themes
based on novel or bookcriminal consultantmurder investigationnew york citynypd
