On Monday, January 6, Brilliant Minds fans excitedly welcomed the NBC medical drama back from hiatus, only to bid it farewell again a mere two hours later.

Though Michael Grassi’s Zachary Quinto-led series made its 2025 return with two back-to-back episodes, those two episodes served as the Season 1 finale.

Now, fans are left to wonder if they’ve seen the last of Dr. Oliver Wolf (Quinto), Dr. Carol Pierce (Tamberla Perry), Dr. Josh Nichols (Teddy Sears), and the rest of the Neurology Department at Bronx General Hospital after Episode 13, “The Man Who Can’t See Faces.” Or if the show will live on after that major Mandy Patinkin reveal!

So how did Brilliant Minds Season 1 end? Will be a Brilliant Minds Season 2 on NBC? And has the network renewed or canceled the series yet? We’ve got answers.

Here’s everything we know about the future of Brilliant Minds Season 2 on NBC.

Will There Be A Brilliant Minds Season 2 On NBC?

As of Brilliant Minds‘ Season 1 finale premiere day, January 6, NBC had yet to renew or cancel the series, but that’s not to say we’ve seen the last of Dr. Wolf.

The series kicked off to a promising start with a premiere that surpassed nine million viewers cross-platform, it earned a solid 88% Tomatometer score, and it’s been praised for its representation from fans and critics alike. As the finale reminded us, in a hospital, there’s always room for new stories — especially after those Season 1 cliffhangers. Ultimately, the decision rests on NBC. But while we wait for more Brilliant Minds Season 2 updates, let’s revisit Season 1’s final hours.

How Did Brilliant Minds Season 1 End?

Episode 12 of Brilliant Minds saw Dr. Wolf and the team treating trauma patients from the apartment building collapse. We learned that Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop), whose fate was question after she got trapped in the apartment’s elevator, made it out alive, got fixed up by Dr. Wolf, and agreed to be Dana’s (Aury Krebs) roommate. In less happy news, the episode introduced another iconic guest star, Mandy Patinkin, who plays Noah — wait for it — OLIVER’S EXTREMELY NOT DEAD DAD!

In an earlier interview with Decider showrunner Michael Grassi said, “Mandy Patinkin is the dream of dreams. I was obsessed with Yentl growing up, so that was my Mandy Patinkin. And then also Homeland. So, it was a dream come true.” And the recurring role continued in Episode 13, “The Man Who Can’t See Faces.”

The episode kicked off with Josh telling Oliver he was falling for him (!!!) and inviting him to be his date to a gala. Meanwhile, Dr. Landon was home doing damage control after Noah ambushed her, claiming that he had good doctors, good meds, and was doing great. Muriel stressed that Oliver was doing so well in his life and she didn’t want to take away his happiness, so she suggested Noah leave before making contact with him. Noah said it had been “a long 30 years” and introduced himself to Oliver without her knowledge. He claimed he left to protect his son, but Oliver did not take the news well. He was furious with his mom, and headed to work, where he kept the reveal from Josh and planned to stop working with his mother at the hospital.

At work, the interns continued to help patients heal form the building collapse, including Ericka, who was dealing with her own elevator anxiety spikes. Looking for someone he could trust, Oliver headed to the bar with Van (Alex MacNicoll) and Nash (Spence Moore II) to chat about their relationships with their dads (and Van’s kid). After Oliver and his mom finally sat down and talked, we learned that all those years ago, after realizing he wasn’t well, Noah told Muriel to tell Oliver he was dead, because it’d be easier for him to process a death instead of an abandonment. He promised he’d never come back, and though it broke her heart, Muriel agreed.

Before the episode ended, Van finally shared his neurological condition with his son, Dana and he patient finally kissed, Carol was placed on administrative leave over a conflict of interest complaint, and Ericka took medication to deal with her anxiety. On the night of Josh’s gala, Oliver caught up with his dad and asked why he returned after all that time. In addition to wanting to make up for lost years, Noah revealed he was sick with “something strange” that no one could identify. “I’m here cause I don’t know how much time I have left, and you’re the only one who can hopefully give us more time,” he said before the end credits rolled.

What Could A Brilliant Minds Season 2 Look Like?

With some serious finale cliffhangers and storylines begging to be explored in greater depth, there’s lots of potential for Brilliant Minds Season 2. If the show returns, it will continue to explore the personal and professional lives of our favorite Bronx General Hospital doctors and interns, with a major focus likely falling on Oliver building his relationship with his dad while simultaneously trying to diagnose him. We’ll also see what the show has in store in the romance department for existing and budding relationships between him and Josh, Ericka and Jacob, and Dana and Katie. Plus, we’ll follow developments of Dr. Pierce’s leave, and more.

Stay tuned for more updates on the future of Brilliant Minds and stream Season 1 on Peacock.