NBC has greenlit an untitled crime investigation drama pilot inspired by the pioneering work of serial criminal profiler Dr. Ann Burgess. The project comes from writers and executive producers Dean Georgaris and John Fox, with Universal TV as the studio. It marks the network's third drama pilot order of the week.
NBC is reviving elements of the traditional pilot season with its latest order for an untitled crime drama, announced on January 15, 2026. The series centers on professor Georgia Ryan, a trailblazing psychologist who shifts the focus in criminology from perpetrators to victims to uncover overlooked clues. Ryan consults with the FBI alongside her team to tackle baffling cases, drawing directly from the real-life innovations of Dr. Ann Burgess.
Burgess, a forensic nurse, pioneered the assessment and treatment of trauma in rape victims and later collaborated with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit on sexual abuse cases. She serves as a consulting producer on the pilot, joined by Steven Constantine. The duo co-authored 'A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind,' which details her FBI profiling work, and last year's 'Expert Witness: The Weight of Our Testimony When Justice Hangs in the Balance.' Burgess has consulted on high-profile cases involving Bill Cosby and the Menendez Brothers, earning recognition as a Living Legend from the American Academy of Nursing.
The pilot is penned by Dean Georgaris, known for the 'Quantum Leap' revival, films like 'The Meg' and 'The Meg 2,' and series such as 'The Baker and the Beauty' and 'Bluff City Law.' John Fox, his co-writer and executive producer, has credits including 'The Blacklist' and the rebooted 'Magnum P.I.' John Davis produces via Davis Entertainment.
This order follows NBC's earlier pilots for 'Protection,' a family thriller by Josh Safran with executive producers Jenna Bush Hager and Ben Spector, and a 'Rockford Files' reboot from Mike Daniels, Carl Beverly, and Sarah Timberman. All three hail from Universal TV, signaling NBC's push to refresh its drama slate amid evolving network strategies.