casting announcements began in october 2010, with eric mccormack first to be cast, mccormack portrays dr. geoffrey (later renamed daniel) pierce, "an eccentric neuroscientist who uses his unique outlook to help the federal government solve complex cases. 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." 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. his primary job is to keep pierce in line and on task." 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." kelly rowan was the last actor to be cast, portraying natalie vincent, "pierce’s best friend and every bit his intellectual equal."