Brilliant Minds on NBC: Release Date, Cast, Trailer, and Everything to Know About the New Series

Zachary Quinto is coming back to NBC. Fourteen years after the end of Heroes — where the actor starred as serial killer Sylar — Quinto is returning to the network as the lead of Brilliant Minds. "Heroes was the job that changed my life, so it really does feel like coming home," Quinto said about NBC at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in July. 

Only in this show, the actor is saving lives instead of ending them. Quinto stars as Dr. Oliver Wolf, a character based on real-life neurologist Dr. Oliver Wolf Sacks. Brilliant Minds follows Wolf and his group of interns as they treat neurology patients. NBC has said that cases in the series are based on Sacks' brain disorder research.

"He is ultimately our North Star," Quinto said of Sacks at the press tour. He called playing his character a "unique alchemy" of being inspired by the doctor, but not being tethered to his behavior or the period he lived in. "I get to take all of the rich tapestry of who Oliver Sacks was and inform the creation of Oliver Wolf, but Oliver Wolf exists in his own world," Quinto added. "So, it's an experience that I've never had before and it's been so fulfilling to use him as inspiration, to honor him hopefully in the work that we're doing, but to forge new territory and to tell new stories at the same time."

This is also an important role to Quinto for another reason. "To play an openly gay character on a primetime network show is an incredibly significant honor for me," said the actor, who came out as gay in 2011. "Oliver Sacks was somebody who was deeply influenced by the time in which he came of age and the social restrictions on people being able to live fully who they were. So he didn't come out until very much later in life... But to play a character who is embracing that aspect of himself in the modern world and in a way that is vital and contemporary and forward looking is really special."

Here's everything we know so far about NBC's Brilliant Minds, including what the series will be about, when it premieres, and the cast.

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What is Brilliant Minds about?

NBC has described Brilliant Minds as following "the work of Dr. Oliver Wolf, a revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist, and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier — the human mind — while grappling with their own relationships and mental health." Cases in the series were inspired by Sacks' books, including The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (1985) and An Anthropologist on Mars (1995). 

When Brilliant Minds was first greenlit in the fall of 2023, it was titled Dr. Wolf. Showrunner Michael Grassi talked about how the new title more accurately encapsulates the show. "Brilliant Minds feels like it's about our doctors, but also about our patients and how great and special they are," he said at the Television Critics Association press tour. There was another reason for the name change. "There were a lot of titles coming out at a certain time that were wolf-centric, and we really wanted to stand out and represent what the show was," Grassi added.

Brilliant Minds release date 

Brilliant Minds premieres on NBC on Sept. 23 at 10/9c. It will follow The Voice on Mondays. Head here for NBC's complete fall schedule.

How many episodes will there be in Brilliant Minds? 

Grassi said at the press tour that Brilliant Minds Season 1 contains 13 episodes. 

Brilliant Minds cast

Zachary Quinto stars as Dr. Oliver Wolf in Brilliant Minds. The actor shared more about what audiences can expect from his portrayal of Dr. Wolf at the press tour. "He's someone who's committed to helping other people, and through helping other people he often learns how to help himself and how to dig deeper within himself," he said.

Quinto is joined by Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Teddy Sears, and Donna Murphy. NBC has not announced details about their roles just yet. 

At the Television Critics Association press tour, Grassi also revealed three guest stars who will appear in this season of Brilliant Minds: André De Shields, Steve Howey, and Mandy Patinkin. 

According to the showrunner, De Shields appears in the pilot and plays an Alzhemier's patient. As for Howey and Patinkin, they will each guest star in two episodes. Howey portrays a member of a biker gang, while Patinkin stars as a family doctor who is on call 24/7 for his patients. 

Where can I watch Brilliant Minds?

Brilliant Minds airs on NBC and will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.