The Best Episodes of Instinct
Every episode of Instinct ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Instinct!
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.
Top Episode Ratings Summary
The best episode of "Instinct" is "Bye Bye Birdie", rated 7.9/10 from 361 user votes. It was directed by Douglas Aarniokoski and written by Connie Burge. "Bye Bye Birdie" aired on 6/3/2018 and is rated 0.1 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Blast From the Past".
7.9/10 361 votes#1 - Bye Bye Birdie
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 6/3/2018
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.
Director: Douglas Aarniokoski
Writer: Connie Burge
7.8/10 342 votes#2 - Blast From the Past
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 6/17/2018
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.
Director: Cherie Nowlan
Writer: Lee Ellenberg
7.8/10 313 votes#3 - Tribal
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 7/1/2018
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.
Director: Michael Rauch
Writer: Michael Rauch
7.8/10 276 votes#4 - Ancient History
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 7/28/2019
Dylan 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 their adoption process. Lizzie and Julian reach a tough point in their relationship. Ryan’s serial killer case escalates.
Director: Randall Zisk
Writer: Jill Abbinanti, Constance M. Burge
7.8/10 274 votes#5 - After Hours
Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 8/11/2019
Dylan and Lizzie go undercover in New York’s erotic underworld when they investigate the murder of a high-powered public relations rep. Also, a glamorous love from Julian’s comes back into his life with a proposal he can’t resist.
Director: Joe Collins
Writer: Erica Saleh
7.8/10 252 votes#6 - Grey Matter
Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 8/25/2019
A 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 from a legal bind.
Director: Michael Rauch
Writer: Michael Rauch
7.7/10 362 votes#7 - Long Shot
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 5/27/2018
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.
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Writer: Carl Flint
7.7/10 343 votes#8 - Bad Actors
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 5/27/2018
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.
Director: Jim McKay
Writer: Dan E. Fesman
7.7/10 282 votes#9 - Finders Keepers
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 7/14/2019
Lizzie 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.
Director: Lee Rose
Writer: Carol Flint
7.7/10 258 votes#10 - One-of-a-Kind
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 8/4/2019
Dylan 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 the Sleeping Beauty Killer investigation and Dylan’s new book editor, Harry Kassabian, pays him a visit.
Director: Janice Cooke
Writer: Thomas Aguilar, Michael J. Ballin
7.7/10 261 votes#11 - Go Figure
Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 8/11/2019
Dylan 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 and Dylan in unusual circumstances and Julian comes to understand why an old acquaintance has returned to New York.
Director: Cherie Nowlan
Writer: Anthony Johnston
7.7/10 220 votes#12 - Trust Issues
Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 8/18/2019
Dylan and Lizzie investigate deaths of three family members who were also business partners in a craft brewery. Also, Andy’s legal expertise is needed when he and Dylan confront an issue in their adoption process, and Lizzie learns some hard truths about Julian’s past.
Director: N/A
Writer: Connie Burge, Carol Flint
7.6/10 311 votes#13 - Stay Gold
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 6/30/2019
Dylan 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.
Director: Stephen Surjik
Writer: Michael Rauch
7.6/10 271 votes#14 - Big Splash
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 7/21/2019
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 under a microscope by the NYPD. Also, Ryan finds a new lead in his investigation, and Lizzie receives some positive news at the precinct.
Director: John Behring
Writer: Marc Dube
7.6/10 223 votes#15 - Manhunt
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 8/18/2019
It’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 aboard a ship. Also, Dylan receives troubling news from his father.
Director: Gus Makris
Writer: John Cockrell
7.5/10 365 votes#16 - Flat Line
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 4/29/2018
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.
Director: Laura Belsey
Writer: Tanya Barfield
7.5/10 279 votes#17 - Broken Record
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 7/7/2019
Dylan 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.
Director: Alex Pillai
Writer: Keith Foglesong
7.4/10 372 votes#18 - Heartless
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 4/22/2018
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.
Director: Don Scardino
Writer: Michael Rauch
7.4/10 352 votes#19 - Owned
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 5/6/2018
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
Director: Douglas Aarniokoski
Writer: Jill Abbinanti
7.4/10 311 votes#20 - Live
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 6/24/2018
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.
Director: Douglas Aarniokoski, Edward Ornelas
Writer: Thomas Aguilar, Michael J. Ballin
7.3/10 398 votes#21 - I Heart New York
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 4/8/2018
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.
Director: Constantine Makris
Writer: Michael Rauch
7.2/10 635 votes#22 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 3/18/2018
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.
Director: Marc Webb
Writer: Michael Rauch
7.2/10 500 votes#23 - Wild Game
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 3/25/2018
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.
Director: Douglas Aarniokoski
Writer: Carol Flint, Constance M. Burge
7.1/10 466 votes#24 - Secrets and Lies
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 4/1/2018
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.
Director: Peter Werner
Writer: Christopher Ambrose