Instinct (2018–2019)

TV ShowEndedCBSDrama, Crime, Mystery2 seasons, 24 episodes
Instinct posterReview score: 66%

Plot

Instinct follows a former CIA operative who is lured back to his old life when the NYPD needs his help to stop a serial killer. Dr. Dylan Reinhart is a gifted author and university professor living a quiet life teaching psychopathic behavior to packed classes of adoring students. But when tenacious top NYPD detective Lizzie Needham appeals to him to help her catch a serial murderer who is using Dylan's first book as a tutorial, Dylan is compelled by the case and comes out of retirement. Helping them is Julian Cousins, Dylan's invaluable CIA comrade who rivals Dylan in brilliance and wit, and can get top-secret dirt on anyone, anywhere, anytime. Lizzie's boss, Lt. Jasmine Gooden, is glad to see her best detective finally agree to work with someone on a case, since Lizzie has refused any partner since a tragic event one year ago. But as Dylan feels reenergized tapping into his old skill set, his husband, Andy, is concerned that Dylan's breaking their pact about putting away his cloak and dagger for good. Though Dylan and Lizzie initially clash, when it comes to catching killers, they realize they will make an ideal team if they both trust their instincts.

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Highest-rated episodes all ranked

  1. 01Instinct S02E01Stay GoldS02E01 · 9.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of a successful businesswoman who attempted to prolong the lifespan of humans. Also, Dylan and Andy look to continue their adoption search, and Detective Ryan Stock from Nebraska arrives to hunt for a potential serial killer.
  2. 02Instinct S02E02Broken RecordS02E02 · 9.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of an aspiring musician who was gunned down on a roller coaster at an amusement park. Also, Lizzie exhausts herself trying to keep up with a newly single friend, and Andy and Dylan look to broaden their options for adoption.
  3. 03Instinct S02E03Finders KeepersS02E03 · 9.0Lizzie and Dylan work a case that provokes deep emotions for them when a 9-year-old boy goes missing on the eve of a judge's decision in a bitter custody battle. Also, with Dylan's help, Lizzie confronts some of her past childhood demons, and a major advancement presents itself in Dylan and Andy's adoption search.

Episodes by season

Season01Episode ratings across the season — the gold bar is its best episode13Episodes2018Aired 6.9Season avg
  1. S01E01Instinct S01E01PilotMarch 18, 2018 6.3Former CIA operative Dr. Dylan Reinhart is lured back to his old life when NYPD Detective Lizzie Needham needs his help to stop a serial kil
  2. S01E02Instinct S01E02Wild GameMarch 25, 2018 6.7Dylan, having returned to teaching after helping the NYPD catch a serial killer, is called upon again to aid Detective Needham on a complex
  3. S01E03Instinct S01E03Secrets and LiesApril 1, 2018 7.6The murder of a young man who recently left his family's religious community leads Dylan and Lizzie to a series of possible suspects, includ
  4. S01E04Instinct S01E04I Heart New YorkApril 8, 2018 7.2Dr. Dylan Reinhart and Det. Lizzie Needham are reassigned to a murder case in Central Park when their investigation into a chemical attack o
  5. S01E05Instinct S01E05HeartlessApril 22, 2018 7.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of a Jane Doe, but when they realize that the victim was killed by mistake, they must identify the k
  6. S01E06Instinct S01E06Flat LineApril 29, 2018 6.6Dylan and Julian go undercover in a hospital when they suspect an "angel of death" is killing people with non-life-threatening ailments. Als
  7. S01E07Instinct S01E07OwnedMay 6, 2018 6.5Dylan and Lizzie are under pressure to deliver results when they investigate the death of Jasmine's friend, the owner of a professional bask
  8. S01E08Instinct S01E08Long ShotMay 27, 2018 6.0When 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 que
  9. S01E09Instinct S01E09Bad ActorsMay 27, 2018 7.0Two members of an acting troupe are killed using sophisticated poisons; Andy worries that Dylan isn't fitting in, so he encourages Dylan to
  10. S01E10Instinct S01E10Bye Bye BirdieJune 3, 2018 7.0When Celia Baxter, a successful author, is almost killed in her home, Dylan and Lizzie's suspect list includes several people who may have h
  11. S01E11Instinct S01E11Season's bestBlast from the PastJune 17, 2018 8.0Dylan and Lizzie are unable to identify a motive or connection when several average people blow themselves up using suicide bombs. Also, Jul
  12. S01E12Instinct S01E12LiveJune 24, 2018 7.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of a film student whose death was broadcast for the world to see. Also, Andy and Dylan realize that
  13. S01E13Instinct S01E13TribalJuly 1, 2018 7.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of Joan's protégé, Kristy, uncovering long-buried secrets worth killing over. Also, Dylan and Andy a

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season02Best seasonEpisode ratings across the season — the gold bar is its best episode11Episodes2019Aired 9.0Season avg
  1. S02E01Instinct S02E01Season's bestStay GoldJune 30, 2019 9.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of a successful businesswoman who attempted to prolong the lifespan of humans. Also, Dylan and Andy
  2. S02E02Instinct S02E02Broken RecordJuly 7, 2019 9.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the murder of an aspiring musician who was gunned down on a roller coaster at an amusement park. Also, Lizzie e
  3. S02E03Instinct S02E03Finders KeepersJuly 14, 2019 9.0Lizzie and Dylan work a case that provokes deep emotions for them when a 9-year-old boy goes missing on the eve of a judge's decision in a b
  4. S02E04Instinct S02E04Big SplashJuly 21, 2019—A Sweet 16 celebration turns into a crime scene when the birthday girl's stepmother falls to her death and the guests and staff are put unde
  5. S02E05Instinct S02E05Ancient HistoryJuly 28, 2019 9.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate the case of a prominent divorce lawyer who is found murdered in a bizarre ritual. Dylan and Andy hit a bump in
  6. S02E06Instinct S02E06One-of-a-KindAugust 4, 2019 9.0Dylan and Lizzie investigate when a street artist's work is found with a victim's body in the middle of it. Also, Ryan catches a suspect in
  7. S02E07Instinct S02E07After HoursAugust 11, 2019 9.0Dylan and Lizzie go undercover in New York's erotic underworld when they investigate the murder of a high-powered public relations rep. Also
  8. S02E08Instinct S02E08Go FigureAugust 11, 2019 9.0Dylan and Lizzie work to uncover why an Olympic-hopeful figure skater is killed while on the ice. Also, Ryan's case heats up and lands him a
  9. S02E09Instinct S02E09ManhuntAugust 18, 2019 9.0It's all hands on deck to track down the Sleeping Beauty Killer when Ryan and Dylan's biggest lead in the case takes them to a faceoff aboar
  10. S02E10Instinct S02E10Trust IssuesAugust 18, 2019—Dylan and Lizzie investigate deaths of three family members who were also business partners in a craft brewery. Also, Andy's legal expertise
  11. S02E11Grey MatterAugust 25, 2019 9.0A gruesome discovery in a city pond leads Dylan and Lizzie to investigate a young man's murder, while Andy rescues one of Dylan's students f

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

Cast

Alan CummingAlan CummingDylan ReinhartBojana NovakovićBojana NovakovićElizabeth 'Lizzie' NeedhamDaniel IngsDaniel IngsAndyNaveen AndrewsNaveen AndrewsJulian CousinsSharon LealSharon LealJasmine Gooden

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