'Instinct' Is Sure To Have A *Killer* Twist For All Crime Drama Lovers

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there is nothing so entertaining as a good crime drama, which is why a new murder mystery pops up on the screen about once a week. It is also true that the real fun in these shows is trying to find the culprit. So if you're wondering who is the killer on Instinct, the new CBS police procedural, I'm sorry to tell you that you're just going to have to wait and find out for yourself. In any case, because the show has yet to premiere, the killer must be a character that hasn't been introduced yet.

Instinct is based on the James Patterson novel Murder Games. Patterson, of course, is famous for his murder mystery and thriller novels, of which there are millions of die-hard fans all over the world. For those of you who have read Murder Games, you may have an idea of how things will play out, however, I would also point out that it's possible the series will stray from the written material upon which it is based, if for no other reason than to throw you off the scent. Because if you already know the who in a whodunnit series, then what's the point of watching?

Instinct is about Dr. Dylan Reinhart, a retired CIA operative and talented author who now spends his days teaching at a university. When a killer starts using his book — a look at criminal psychology — as a blueprint for his crimes, Dylan is persuaded to team up with Detective Lizzie Needham of the NYPD in order to find and stop the killer. This murderer's calling card is a literal card — a playing card. He leaves one at the foot of each victim and the detectives use these cards as clues to figure out who is committing all of these heinous crimes.

The show does not follow a "monster-of-the-week" formula like Law and Order, in which the detectives chase a different criminal every week. Instead, Dylan and Lizzie work together over the course of the season to find out who this tricky serial killer is, who seems to be using Dylan's own work as a playbook. Of course, this show, like any good detective show, is more about the detectives themselves than it is about the actual murderer. Lizzie and Dylan don't get along perfectly at first but they soon grow to be great partners.

And if you're thinking that perhaps they get together at the end, trust me they do not. Dylan is openly gay, a circumstance that is not really a big deal for the character but it certainly is for network television. In fact, Dylan is the first openly gay lead on a CBS crime show, which definitely makes a progressive statement, and one that I am here for. Dylan has a husband named Andy on the show, who isn't exactly thrilled that Dylan is getting back into detective work. Does this mean Andy is the killer? Honestly, I have no idea, I'm just spit-balling.

Basically what I'm telling you is that you should absolutely check out this show starring Alan Cumming, the Tony-nominated actor and star of The Good Wife simply because Cumming is an incredible talent and I would watch him narrate the process of paint drying. And if you're a fan of detective shows and mysteries, don't ruin it by trying to find out who the killer is ahead of time. And if you're not a fan of murder shows, well then I'm not sure why you want to watch this one in the first place.

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