Why CBS Delayed ‘Einstein’ Until 2026-27, Plus a Sneak Peek at Matthew Gray Gubler in Role

On April 22, CBS announced its decision to advance its new hourlong, comedic crime drama pilot, Einstein, starring Matthew Gray Gubler of Criminal Minds fame, to a full series for the 2025-26 season. However, shortly thereafter, the premiere was rescheduled to the 2026-27 season.

At the reveal of the CBS 2025-26 lineup, Amy Reisenbach, President of CBS Entertainment, explained the week-long delay from April 22 to April 29, which led to the exit of the show’s female lead, Rosa Salazar. The network also shared an early glimpse of Gubler portraying the titular character, visible above.

“There was a moment when Einstein was set for this season,” Reisenbach remarked. “Then, it dawned on us that we could really capitalize on this project. We’ve seen significant benefits from giving shows more time to develop. For instance, last year we announced Sheriff Country for this season, which is already in production and thoroughly promoted, with a dozen scripts ready and numerous production efficiencies in place.”

Reisenbach added, “We believe Einstein will greatly benefit from a similar approach, even if it requires a strategic pivot. Changing our plan is a step we’re willing to take to set the show up for maximum success.”

Einstein, inspired by a German series and developed by Monk creator Andy Breckman, stood as CBS’s sole independent drama pilot this cycle. As reported by Deadline, the pilot was a top pick internally, matching CBS’s ideal blend of procedural narrative and humor, led by a well-loved star from the network.

“The blend of comedy and procedural elements is particularly strong in this show, and we felt additional time for scriptwriting would be beneficial,” said Reisenbach. “The writing team is being assembled and the writers’ room will soon be operational.”

In her presentation, Reisenbach noted that “our schedule is overflowing” and highlighted the fortunate “strong development season giving us multiple viable options for 2025-26.”

Ultimately, CBS opted to launch four new drama series next season, including Sheriff Country and new spinoffs from Blue Bloods in Boston Blue starring Donnie Wahlberg; from FBI in CIA starring Tom Ellis; and from Yellowstone in Y: Marshals, starring Luke Grimes.

These series were greenlit without standard or backdoor pilots, and while Boston Blue was approved from just a script in early January, CIA and Marshals were more recent approvals, with final pilot scripts still under wraps.

When questioned by Deadline why the network chose to proceed with concepts like CIA and Marshals for the upcoming season and delay the more developed Einstein by an additional year, Reisenbach responded, “Projects from established production infrastructures like 101 Productions for Marshals and the Dick Wolf universe for CIA have a distinct advantage.”

The decision to postpone Einstein was influenced by specific show-related and scheduling factors, she explained.

“We felt more writing and production time would be advantageous, and we aimed to create a broadcast schedule that offers the best competitive flow,” Reisenbach elaborated.

She also mentioned CBS’s recent shift towards a model of continuous, year-round development.

“We are embracing long-term development, exploring new methods to launch shows, recognizing that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to programming,” she stated.

A drama peppered with comedic elements, Einstein is adapted from a German title, spearheaded by Monk’s creator Andy Breckman and director Randy Zisk. The series focuses on the great-grandson of Albert Einstein (played by Gubler), a gifted yet aimless professor whose mischievous behavior lands him in legal trouble, forcing him to assist a local detective—previously a role filled by Salazar—in solving complex cases.

Breckman, who penned the Einstein pilot, and Zisk, who directed, serve as executive producers along with Tariq Jalil of Intrigue; and Rose Hughes, Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, and Laura Beetz for Seven One Studios International. Gubler is also on board as a producer.