‘Einstein’ Series In The Works At CBS With ‘Monk’ Creators

CBS is always on the lookout for TV procedurals, and the new addition to their roster reveals that the network is not one to give up easily on its projects. Deadline announced today that a new series called Einstein is currently in the works, and the story follows the great-grandson of the esteemed physicist using his wits to help solve cases. Adapted from a German series, Einstein is being developed by Andy Breckman and Randy Zisk — the duo responsible for bringing long-running series Monk to life.

Much like investigative procedurals, there’s a twist to the story of this new series. This is the third time that American television tried to adapt the German show. The Monk duo first tried to adapt the series for CBS in 2019, but the project ended up not moving forward at the network. Then, CBS invited Lauren Gussis (Insatiable) and Corinne Brinkerhoff (American Gothic) to try their hand at the adaptation with a gender-swapped protagonist and police brutality as a big element. Once again, the project never saw the light of day.

Now, it seems that CBS is confident that Breckman and Zisk found the formula that’s finally going to make Einstein a show that viewers will want to tune in every week to check out. Breckman is attached to write the series while Zisk will take on directing duties. The story will be similar to the German series: the title character is a bad boy who decides to start collaborating with police investigations once he gets in trouble with the law. CBS is yet to announce additional information, including additional screenwriters and cast members.

Where Is The Original ‘Einstein’ From?

The original Einstein was created by Martin Ritzenhoff and Matthias Dinter. The duo adapted the series from their own 2015 movie and the series starred Tom Beck (You Are Wanted) as the title character and Annika Ernst (Beck is Back!) as the police officer who solves cases with him. The German show ran for three seasons and was a pretty popular find of Sat.1 network, which sold the series to over a hundred territories.

CBS is known for finding and championing procedurals that lead its programming schedule for many years. From understated dramas like The Good Wife to series that became extremely popular within a few weeks like Fire Country, the network prides itself on having a keen eye for these types of programs. On the network’s official website, CBS CEO George Cheeks wrote that his team “has incredible creative instincts for how to lean into existing franchises, create new ones, and build audiences across platforms and all around the world.”

CBS is yet to reveal further information about Einstein, including its expected release window. Monk is streaming on Netflix.

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