When is Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector released?

Episodes of Hunt for the Bone Collector start on NBC on Friday, January 10 at 8 p.m. ET, with the remaining episodes airing weekly. However, the pilot is available to watch now on the NBC app and website and on Hulu for fans who want to get a peek of the series. According to TVMaze, the first season will have 10 episodes, which will stream on NBC and Hulu after they air.

Who is in the cast of Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector?

The eponymous Rhyme, a criminologist left paraplegic after falling from a height during a case, will be played by Russell Hornsby of In Treatment, Grimm and Fences, in which he starred alongside Denzel Washington, who played Rhyme in the 1999 movie The Bone Collector.

Speaking of his role to Showbiz Junkies, Hornsby said, “I tell people all the time that you can’t just be a thinking actor—you have to be a feeling actor. I think the challenge of dealing with the character with such a disability is that you have to feel, you have to have a sense of empathy, for these disabled people.”

With Rhyme left recovering from his accidents, first in bed and then in a wheelchair, rookie detective Amelia Sachs becomes his eyes and ears as the NYPD searches for the notorious Bone Collector. The actor is portrayed by Arielle Kebbel of Gilmore Girls, The Vampire Diaries and Ballers.

Speaking to Give Me My Remote, Kebbel said of Sachs (played by Jolie in the 1999 movie,) “She has PTSD, she has multiple anxiety disorder. She’s an incredibly intuitive cop. Even though she’s not seasoned, she’s got a skillset like no other. So when she partners with Lincoln Rhyme, they become this dynamic duo. They go on these missions together to find these serial killers…it’s, honestly, one of my dream roles.”

Joining Kebbel and Hornsby in the Lincoln Rhyme cast are The Sopranos’ Michael Imperioli as Lincoln’s former NYPD partner Rick Sellito, Homeland’s Courtney Grosbeck as Amelia’s sister Rachel, Vida’s Ramses Jimenez as Sellito’s new partner Eric Castillo and 2 Broke Girls’ Brooke Lyons as Kate, described by Deadline as “an invaluable addition to the investigative team.”

What is Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector about?

The official NBC summary reads: “Inspired by the best-selling book, the enigmatic and notorious serial killer known only as ‘The Bone Collector’ once terrified New York City… until he seemingly disappeared. Now, three years later, when an elaborate murder points to his return, it brings former NYPD detective and forensic genius Lincoln Rhyme out of retirement and back into the fold. Rhyme has a personal connection to the case - a trap set by the killer left him paralyzed - but this time he’s teaming up with Amelia Sachs, an intuitive young officer who’s got her own gift for profiling. This unlikely detective duo will play a deadly new game of cat and mouse with the brilliant psychopath who brought them together. But how do you catch a killer who always seems to be one step ahead?”

Asked by TVInsider how the new series might be different from the movie and the original 1997 book, executive producer Peter Traugott said: “We’re going to spend a lot of time understanding the backstory to the Bone Collector, how he became who he became, and the nature of his relationship with Lincoln and why he has this vendetta against Lincoln.”

Though this initial series is based on the first of the Jeffery Deaver books, the character has starred in 15 of the author’s novels so far, meaning that the show has plenty of material for future seasons.

Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector stars Friday, January 10 at 8 p.m. on NBC.