Who famously said that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”? It’s often attributed to Albert Einstein, but that’s a myth. Still, it’s a fitting introduction to CBS’s latest attempt to adapt the German procedural Einstein for American audiences. The network has officially given the project a pilot order.
The original German series featured Tom Beck as Felix, a theoretical physics professor and the great-grandson of Albert Einstein. Diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and facing prison on drug-related charges, Felix is spared incarceration when the police recognize his genius could be pivotal in solving complex cases. He teams up with the astute detective Elena (Annika Ernst) as a consultant.
CBS’s new adaptation, according to Deadline, is being developed by Monk creator Andy Breckman and executive producer Randy Zisk. In this version, the great-grandson of Einstein is a brilliant yet aimless professor whose rebellious behavior leads him into legal trouble. As part of his redemption, he is tasked with assisting a police detective in solving various cases.
CBS’s previous attempts to adapt Einstein have varied. In October 2020, Insatiable creator Lauren Gussis proposed a gender-flipped version featuring a physics professor who is Einstein’s secret, illegitimate great-granddaughter. This iteration aimed to explore not only crime-solving but also the internal issues within law enforcement.
Earlier, in 2018, NBC attempted a direct adaptation of the German series with writer Michael Reisz (Shadowhunters), but it didn’t advance beyond early stages.
Are you intrigued by this latest adaptation of Einstein?
