Harlan Coben’s CBS Crime Series Returns With 34% Rise In Viewership

Published Oct 16, 2026, 1:10 PM EDT

Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour.

When Harlan Coben's Final Twist returned earlier this month for season 2, the true crime docuseries saw a major ratings surge.

Bestselling author Harlan Coben hosts Final Twist, a series that focuses on shocking real-life crimes and features interviews and archival footage. Cyberbullying, geofencing, and a mysterious fire were just a few of the topics covered in the five-episode first season, which debuted in January. CBS renewed Final Twist for season 2 in April.

With the show back on the air as of October 5, 2.03 million viewers tuned in to the Harlan Coben's Final Twist season 2 premiere, a 34% increase from the first-season premiere, according to CBS, which claims it was the No. 1 broadcast network during premiere week.

The series premiered in January on a Wednesday at 10 p.m. EST before CBS quickly moved it to Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST. After that timeslot shakeup, Harlan Coben's Final Twist had no existing shows on the network as a lead-in to help boost ratings. For season 2, though, CBS moved the show to Mondays at 10 p.m., meaning it now airs after FBI season 9 and CIA season 2. Dick Wolf, the man behind the long-running Law & Order franchise, co-created both scripted dramas.

Two episodes of Final Twist season 2 have aired so far, with the docuseries moving on to even more shocking stories. The premiere focused on a mother named Betsy Faria who was murdered in her own home, with her husband a top suspect. Investigators realized the case wasn't that simple when they found other crimes connected to Betsy's death.

In the second episode, an Alaskan state Trooper did whatever she could to get the investigation into her 18-year-old daughter's death reopened after she found questionable wounds. Future episodes will revolve around a missing-persons case, a chef shot in his kitchen, and an unusual car crash, among others.

Coben is not just the host of Final Twist; he's also an executive producer, along with his son Ben Cohen, showrunner Jeff Zimbalist, Jess Philipps, Stu Schreiberg, Susan Zirinsky, and Terence Wrong.

Coben is no stranger to TV, with several of his books adapted for the small screen, including Safe, The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good, Hold Tight, Shelter, and Fool Me Once. In 2025 alone, he had five TV shows based on his stories: Missing You, Just One Look and Caught on Netflix, and Lazarus on Prime Video.

Then this year, Netflix released Run Away and I Will Find You, with the latter quickly shooting up to No. 1 on the streaming platform and becoming one of Netflix's biggest shows ever with over 100 million views.

Netflix is also currently developing Coben's Myron Bolitar book series and The Woods. Until those shows release, audiences can see him on TV every week as he explores true-crime stories on Final Twist.

Harlan Coben's Final Twist airs Mondays at 10 p.m. EDT on CBS.

Cast

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  Harlan Coben

  Self - Host