Brilliant Minds: Van Impresses Dana With 'Superpower' Diagnosis in Episode 5 Sneak Peek (2025)

NBC's new medical drama Brilliant Minds is approaching the airing of its fifth episode, set to premiere on Monday, Oct. 21 at 10pm ET. Ahead of the show's airing, CBR can exclusively debut a sneak peek clip from the episode, titled "The Haunted Marine."

In the clip, Van Markus (Alex MacNicoll) is prodded about what's bothering him by Dana Dang (Aury Krebs). This follows Van learning he's been diagnosed with Mirror Touch Synesthesia in the third episode. After enough questioning, Van reveals his secret diagnosis to Dana, sharing how he has conflicted feelings about it. Dana clearly disagrees, likening Van's diagnosis to a "superpower," though he sees it more as a "curse." It's a pivotal moment for the characters, allowing Brilliant Minds fans to learn more about the show's interns. The clip in full can be watched below.

In "The Haunted Marine," Zachary Quinto's Wolf must "help a Marine grapple with mysterious symptoms before the birth of his child," per the logline. The series "follows a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns as they tackle challenging neurology cases while grappling with their own relationships and mental health and is inspired by the work of world-famous author and physician Oliver Sacks."

Brilliant Minds Features an Ensemble Cast

Along with Quinto, MacNicoll, and Krebs, Brilliant Minds stars Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Spence Moore II, Teddy Sears, and Donna Murphy. Writer Michael Grassi executive produces with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Melissa Aouate, Henrik Bastin, Andy Serkis, Jonathan Cavendish, and Will Tennant.

Brilliant Minds is a highly acclaimed series, currently scored at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. The cast has garnered praise, and Tamberla Perry recently addressed the casting of the series, including those of the interns. She named how the actors shine in those roles while teasing that they'll have more interactions with Dr. Carol Pierce in future episodes.

"As the show goes on, we'll get to see her interact with them quite a bit," she told Screen Rant. "They are his interns, and I bring him to this hospital not really letting him know that he's going to have a team of interns working with him, so that comes as a surprise to him. Ashleigh LaThrop, Spence Moore II, Aury Krebs, and Alex MacNicoll play these characters."

She added, "Once people get cast, and they do such a good job, you can't think of other people in these roles. These four actors embody these four characters perfectly. As the series goes on, you will definitely see some interactions between myself and them. They respect me. I'm the boss. This is my hospital. I know it's called Wolf, but it's really Carol's hospital."

The next episode of Brilliant Minds, "The Haunted Marine," will premiere on Monday, Oct. 21, at 10pm ET. New episodes of the series air every Monday night.

Source: NBC

Brilliant Minds

TV-14

Drama

Dr. Oliver Wolf, a brilliant neurologist played by Zachary Quinto, leads a team of interns as they explore the complexities of the human brain. While tackling groundbreaking medical cases, they also navigate their personal relationships and mental health struggles. Inspired by the life and work of Dr. Oliver Sacks, the show delves into the last great frontier—the mind.

Release Date

September 23, 2024

Cast

Zachary Quinto , Teddy Sears , Tamberla Perry , Alex MacNicoll , Spence Moore II , Aury Krebs , Ashleigh LaThrop

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

1

Character(s)

Dr. Oliver Wolf , Dr. Josh Nichols , Dr. Carol Pierce , Dr. Van Markus , Dr. Jacob Nash , Dr. Dana Dang , Dr. Ericka Kinney