# Instinct (2018)

> A gifted author and former CIA operative is pulled back into investigations by a tenacious NYPD detective to hunt killers.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/63402

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 24
- Episode runtime: 40 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Michael Rauch
- Network: CBS
- Cast: Alan Cumming, Bojana Novaković, Daniel Ings, Naveen Andrews, Sharon Leal, John Doman, Sutton Foster, Peter Hermann
- TMDB rating: 6.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4124758/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: intense, brisk, moody, suspenseful, urban

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed, with a solid second season rated well above the first, and praise centering on Alan Cumming's lead performance and the odd-couple partnership.

## Synopsis

Instinct (2018-2019) is an American crime drama created by Michael Rauch for CBS. Alan Cumming plays Dylan Reinhart, a gifted author, university professor and former CIA operative who is lured back into his old life by Bojana Novaković as tenacious NYPD detective Lizzie Needham. The two initially clash, but when it comes to catching killers they prove an ideal team. Daniel Ings and Sharon Leal appear among the principal cast as the wider investigative circle, and Naveen Andrews plays Julian Cousins. Across two seasons and twenty-four episodes, the show moves through New York City murder investigations, with each case built around the psychology of a killer and the friction between Dylan's unconventional methods and Lizzie's procedural discipline. The tone is brisk and intense, with a moody, urban atmosphere and occasional dark, unsettling imagery. Fans of Bones, The Mentalist and Dexter will find resonance in its blend of forensic puzzle solving, a brilliant outsider and a sharp, character-driven procedural engine set against the New York skyline.

## Shows like Instinct

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