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Season 1 – Perception

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Perception 2012 Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
42% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Dr. Daniel Pierce is a brilliant, eccentric neuroscience professor with a deep knowledge of human behavior and of the way the brain processes information. He's also a paranoid schizophrenic who struggles with hallucinations. But Daniel considers his condition a gift, the way the hallucinations sometimes allow him to see patterns and make connections that his mind has otherwise not yet formed. With that gift, Daniel helps his former student, FBI agent Kate Moretti, as a consultant on certain cases. He's happiest when given an intricate puzzle to solve or a message to decode, and for that Kate is more than willing to look past his disease. Helping keep Daniel on task is his teaching assistant and roommate, Max Lewicki, who provides for Daniel's domestic demands, and Natalie Vincent, Daniel's best friend, one-time romantic partner and definite intellectual equal.
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Perception — Season 1

Perception — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Perception's cast is game, but its implausible premise and thinly-sketched characters keep this police procedural from being truly memorable.

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Critics Reviews

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Matthew Gilbert Boston Globe I am inclined to root for McCormack... But no matter how much McCormack throws himself into his Perception role, balancing dramatic A Beautiful Mind-like heft with Monk-like humor, he's still driving a faulty vehicle. Oct 3, 2018 Full Review Will Harris AV Club Yes, the premise is a little gimmicky, but McCormack's presence and his refusal to take his performance over the top, something which a character like Pierce lends itself to, help it rise a bit higher than it might in another actor's hands. Oct 3, 2018 Full Review David Wiegand San Francisco Chronicle The story lines of the individual episodes are mildly interesting, in that TV-version-of-real-life way, but McCormack, who is also among the show's producers, is hard to take in the role. Oct 3, 2018 Full Review Randy Dankievitch Processed Media Perception is just another dull hour of television that will fit right in with the network that specializes in The Mentalist re-runs. Rated: F Feb 14, 2020 Full Review Mark Dawidziak Cleveland Plain Dealer McCormack is in search of a role that suits him, and Pierce, as written, isn't it. Oct 3, 2018 Full Review Melissa Camacho Common Sense Media Its focus on the challenges that come with living with a mental illness creates some sensitive moments. But the series also features plenty of sympathetic and lighthearted moments, too, thanks to Pierce's eccentric, but approachable, character. Rated: 3/5 Oct 3, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tanvi T Loved the concept, great acting, really good cases and story line. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/05/24 Full Review Thomas A There are worse ways of passing an hour - for example, with Criminal Minds. The script is lame (but not particularly cringe). Eric McCormack and Rachel Leigh Cook make this watchable (if neither enjoyable nor memorable). But the silly plot-driven dialogue and serial revelations drag this show down. And i had shuch high hopes. Surprised this lasted 3 seasons, but then isn't Criminal Minds in its 100th? Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/10/23 Full Review Audience Member The show is far from perfect, but in a universe of macho, violent and "enigmatic" cops, smartass, womaniser, emotionally detached FBI agents and the like, it is refreshing to watch a quirky, sensitive and somehow fragile man, and a female FBI agent that doesn't play hard just be "one of the guys". Plus, it carried a very relevant conversation about mental health, and somehow also about the exploitation of certain characters and their mental illness as a plot device. The show doesn't shy away its own limitations through some meta auto analysis. It is a crime, obviously, and it does not get into the matter too much, but it was much more aware of the complexity of mental health, where neurodivergent people are not simply "weirdos" and "freaks", but they're not superheroes either, and mental suffering is not a curse or a superpower. It might not be perfect, it has plenty of flaws, but it also attempts to offer a more honest and thoughtful approach to deep and complex issues. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review david b Entertaining series. Shame it ended. Very 'sherlock holmes" in style. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member aLTHO A ROTTEN WAS GIVEN THE AUDIENCE SCORE CLEARLY SAYS THEY LIKED IT. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Despite it being slightly ridiculously premised, and some of its characters being thinly-sketched, its a fun show. Eric McCormack is very talented, and the show has a strong supporting cast (even though LeVar Burton is criminally underused). Above all it is really fun to watch where the story goes. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Perception — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Ken Biller

Creator

Michael Sussman

Creator

Eric McCormack

Dr. Daniel Pierce

Rachael Leigh Cook

Kate Moretti

Arjay Smith

Max Lewicki

Kelly Rowan

Natalie Vincent

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jul 9, 2012 Pilot FBI Agent Kate Moretti recruits her former neuroscience professor to help out on a case involving the death of a pharmaceutical executive; Daniel's hallucinations threaten to derail the case. Details Episode 2 Aired Jul 16, 2012 Faces Moretti and Pierce investigate a murder in which the suspect has a condition that makes him unable to recognize faces; Moretti is attracted to a new professor. Details Episode 3 Aired Jul 23, 2012 86'd Pierce and Moretti search for clues when a serial killer from 1986 resurfaces; Moretti's father offers her advice on a case. Details Episode 4 Aired Jul 30, 2012 Cipher Pierce tries to crack a code left in a newspaper by someone who may be connected to a murder, but time is not on his side, as another victim's life may be in danger. Details Episode 5 Aired Aug 6, 2012 Messenger Pierce and Moretti investigate the murder of a young man who claimed to be hearing the word of God; the university gives Pierce an award for his research. Details Episode 6 Aired Aug 20, 2012 Lovesick Pierce is asked to help investigate the murder of a therapist; Moretti spends time with professor Hathaway; Dean Haley tries to get an alumnus' widow to fund a new building. Details Episode 7 Aired Aug 27, 2012 Nemesis Pierce must take a look at his own life when he is brought into a case involving a schizophrenic; Moretti tries to impress her boss. Details Episode 8 Aired Sep 3, 2012 Kilimanjaro Moretti and Pierce work on a case involving the murder of a college student; Pierce is forced to interact with one of his students; Moretti begins to re-evaluate her relationship with Dr. Hathaway. Details Episode 9 Aired Sep 10, 2012 Shadow A student tips off Pierce about a possible conspiracy to cover up the murder of a U.S. senator; the people Daniel should be able to trust may be working against him. Details Episode 10 Aired Sep 17, 2012 Light Moretti learns that there may be some truth to Pierce's conspiracy theory; Pierce's new doctor forces him to face the truth about Natalie. Details

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Perception — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Alan Poul
Creator
Ken Biller, Michael Sussman
Executive Producer
Ken Biller, Michael Sussman, Alan Poul
Network
TNT
Rating
TV-14 (V|L)
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jul 9, 2012