The series stars Eric McCormack as Daniel Pierce, a neuropsychiatrist with schizophrenia who assists the FBI on some of its most complex cases.

The series aired in the United States on the cable channel TNT from July 9, 2012, to March 17, 2015, and was produced by ABC Studios.

Also on the team are Max Lewicki, Pierce's teaching assistant, and Natalie Vincent, a hallucination manifested as a result of his schizophrenia who also serves as his best friend.

Originally known as "Proof", Perception was created by Kenneth Biller and Mike Sussman and appeared on TNT's development slate as early as 2009.

With an intimate knowledge of human behavior and a masterful understanding of the mind, this quirky, crime-solving professor pulls lessons from an odd and imaginative view of the world.

"[17][18] Next to join the series was Arjay Smith as Max Lewicki, "Pierce's teaching assistant, a perpetual student who has spent nine years in college and has had sixteen majors and not a single degree.

"[19] Rachael Leigh Cook was next to be cast as Kate Rossi, "Pierce’s former student and the person responsible for recruiting him to work for the government.

[22] On October 14, 2011, TNT Public Relations announced that Freddy Rodriguez was cast in a two-episode role as "an eccentric ex-student of McCormack's Dr. Daniel Pierce".

[23][24] On January 29, 2013, Scott Wolf joined the series in the major recurring role of Donnie, Kate's ex-husband who works as an Assistant U.S.