Instinct Pilot Review


I've been looking forward to Instinct for a while. I like the concept of catching a serial killer in the busiest city in the country. I like how the lead is a teacher who comes back to the NYPD because of his book. I also think that this show has a great cast with Alan Cumming, who is an amazing actor, and Whoopi Goldberg, who is both talented and funny. I hope that this show doesn't disappoint me because I am really excited for it.

This episode starts with a late teen boy being killed with drugs by a man who called the boy, Dino, a sinner. The killer left the Jack of Diamonds card next to Dino's body. We then meet Dr. Dylan Reinhart, who is currently teaching a class on abnormal behavior at UPENN. After his class is over, he sees a woman standing by, and he automatically knows that she is a detective. She introduces herself as Detective Lizzie Needham, and they go have lunch. She then introduces the case, and it is revealed that Dr. Reinhart's book was sent to the homesite division before the killing. We see how the King of Clubs was sent the day before Dino's murder. The killer seems to be using cards with the murders. 

He then meets with his editor, played by Whoopi Goldberg, who told him that his newest book was flat and heartless. She suggests that he brings his old self back and takes a break from teaching. At the meeting with Dino's father, Dr. Reinhart gets yelled at by Detective Needham for saying a possible theory to the dad.  The next victim was stabbed many times by the serial killer, and Dr. Reinhart and Detective Needham tie this murder to the Jack of Diamonds card, since two diamonds which form the shape of an hourglass, which could mean truth and money. Also, the victims friends called him by the name of Jack.

When Reinhart and Needham were meeting with the mayor, who was very disapproving of the serial killers existence in NYC, Reinhart thought that the murders were because of revenge. Also, we find out that the number of stabs on one of the victims is equal to the number of cards in a deck, which relates to the cards next to the body. Then, they meet with the judge of the case of one of the victims. He says that he thought that the man was guilty, but his opinion didn't matter, since he had to follow the book. All of the potential connections between murders go away.

The third murder is a couple who was having an affair in a hotel. The Queen of Hearts is the card that is left on the bodies. It is then revealed that Dino was dealing drugs, but there is still no connection to the other murders. The serial killer then aims to shoot Reinhart and Needham, but he gets away before they could catch him. One connection that it formed between all of the victims is that they all committed crimes, and they all were not convicted. Judge Brooks presided over all of these cases, and the dealer knows that they were guilty and wants justice.

The next piece to the puzzle is figuring out who the Queen of Hearts is. While Reinhart and Needham were sitting, she says that her fiance was shot in the line of duty a year ago. Gary is her dog. After, they realize that the Queen of Hearts is a doctor charged with vehicular manslaughter, and she was found not guilty in Brook's court. The victim barely survived, and the card that is left is Joker. They think he's going after the judge next, but it's actually Elliot. The killer is there, and Reinhart tries to convince him to stop, since his message is out already. Needham gets shot, but she manages to survive, while the killer is taken out.

I really enjoyed the premiere. Cumming was really good, and the case was very interesting and unpredictable. I liked how the show went deep into the characters lives, and I also enjoyed the symbolism use with cards. The two leads fit well together, and I also enjoyed both of their backgrounds. I look forward to watching the rest of this series, as the pilot got it off to a really strong start.

Score: 10/10

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