Cupertino premieres on Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and the following day on Paramount+ in the United States. It is the new legal drama from Robert and Michelle King, creators of The Good Wife, Evil, and Elsbeth. Mike Colter and Rachel Keller play two lawyers fired by a Silicon Valley startup. Together, they set up their own firm to sue tech giants. The title has no translation: Cupertino is the California city where Apple is headquartered. This guide gathers what has been confirmed by CBS, Paramount+, and the specialized press, with dates and sources.
Cupertino Premiere Date and Time
CBS premieres Cupertino on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, according to the official Paramount+ guide. The episode lasts one hour and closes the network's Thursday night lineup. From then on, the series airs every Thursday in the same time slot.
The series takes the slot previously held by Elsbeth, also from the Kings, which moves to 9 p.m. CBS announced its fall schedule on April 15, 2026. The Thursday block is as follows: Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage at 8 p.m., Eternally Yours at 8:30, Elsbeth at 9, and Cupertino at 10.
Data
Detail
Title
Cupertino
Premiere
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Time
10:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT
U.S. Network
CBS
U.S. Streaming
Paramount+, the following day
First Episode
"Michael and Olivia", directed by Robert King
Creators and Showrunners
Robert King and Michelle King
Executive Producers
Robert King, Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, and Sam Hoffman
Production Companies
CBS Studios and King Size Productions
Format
One-hour drama
Setting
Silicon Valley, California, present day
Rating
TV-14
CBS has not announced how many episodes the first season will have. TheWrap reported on October 22, 2025, that the network had previously ordered 13 scripts. TheTVDB lists eight episodes with titles and dates through December 10, 2026. This guide will be updated when CBS confirms the final count.
What time does Cupertino premiere in Latin America and Spain?
The reference time is CBS: 10:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 8, 2026. On that date, the U.S. East Coast is in Daylight Saving Time (UTC-4). The conversion for each country is as follows.
Country or Region
Local Time
Local Date
Mexico
8:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 8
Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica
8:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 8
Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama
9:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 8
Venezuela, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
10:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 8
Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil (Brasilia)
11:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 8
Peninsular Spain
4:00 a.m.
Friday, October 9
Canary Islands
3:00 a.m.
Friday, October 9
These times indicate when the episode airs on CBS. They do not mean the series is available at that time outside the United States. International distribution is explained below.
What is Cupertino about?
The official CBS synopsis defines it as "a David vs. Goliath legal drama in the heart of Silicon Valley." Michael Price is a lawyer whose former employer, a tech startup, scams him out of his stock options. Olivia Siffre is a fresh law school graduate who is fired after rejecting her boss's advances. Neither can find a firm to take their case. An associate explains it to Michael in the pilot: "During the gold rush, don't sue the mine."The two team up to represent those who have been harmed by the tech elite. According to Matt Roush's review in TV Insider on October 2, 2026, they start working at a table at an IHOP. Later, they move into an abandoned luxury office, which is built around them throughout the season.
The cases: artificial intelligence in court
The core of the series is artificial intelligence. Roush, who watched the first ten episodes, lists the cases: seductive chatbots, copyright infringement by AI-generated content, algorithms that decide on healthcare, and imperfect shortcuts for the police. Additionally, there is a season-long plot about Bo, a whistleblower played by Rob McClure. Bo warns that developers are not putting enough guardrails on their general artificial intelligence models.Robert King compared the protagonists' legal strategy to a heist in TV Insider on September 7, 2026. "You want to win and screw them over in some way, find a loophole in the law to get what you want," he said.
The protagonists
Michael Price wears expensive suits and seeks revenge. He also wants to step out of the shadow of his father, a famous entertainment lawyer played by Joe Morton. Mike Colter explained to TV Insider that his character "stands out in Silicon Valley." In contrast, Olivia, with her Midwestern manners, is the "Trojan horse" of the two.Olivia Siffre is an evangelical Christian and must choose between returning to her parents or betting on Michael. Rachel Keller summarized her weapon: "Young women are underestimated." According to Roush, her recurring line is "playing dumb is one of my specialties."
Six actors make up the main cast, according to the official Paramount+ guide.
Actor
Character
Description
Known for
Mike Colter
Michael Price
Fired lawyer, co-founder of the firm
Evil, Luke Cage, The Good Wife
Rachel Keller
Olivia Siffre
Recent law graduate, co-founder of the firm
Tokyo Vice, Legion, Fargo
Ella Stiller
Christy Palladino
Assistant and investigator with a network of family contacts
The Comeback
Nik Dodani
Vikram Malhotra
Programmer, first client and later ally of the firm
Atypical
Busy Philipps
Natalia Boutella
Ex-wife of an AI billionaire who funds the firm
Girls5eva, Dawson's Creek
Renée Elise Goldsberry
Nichole E. Ferebee
Rival lawyer with a romantic past with Michael
Hamilton, Girls5eva
Mike Colter returns with the Kings for the fourth time. He played drug lord Lemond Bishop in The Good Wife and The Good Fight and starred in Evil for four seasons. Michelle King told TV Insider that they wrote the character with him in mind: "Who wouldn't want to do it? He is spectacular."Natalia Boutella, Busy Philipps' character, is partly inspired by Kim Kardashian's attempt to become a lawyer, according to the Kings. Her ex-husband, the third richest man in the United States, left her when she turned 40. Robert King acknowledged that "we ended up writing more for her than we anticipated."
Confirmed guest stars
Joe Morton (Scandal) plays Michael's father and Steven Pasquale plays Ry, the associate who closes the door on him in the pilot. Rob McClure, a Broadway actor, is Bo, the whistleblower in the season-long plot. TVLine adds Stephen Kunken and Fisher Stevens to the guest list. The judges, according to Roush, are played by Jackie Earle Haley, Jackie Hoffman, Danny Burstein, Katie Finneran, and Peter Riegert.
Confirmed Cupertino Episodes
TheTVDB lists eight episodes with titles and dates. CBS has released the synopses for the first two; the other titles come from the database and may change. The titles follow a pattern: each is named after the client or the central character of the case.
Episode
Title
CBS Air Date
Synopsis
1x01
"Michael and Olivia"
October 8, 2026
Michael and Olivia team up to found a firm to represent victims of the tech elite. Christy uses her family contacts to help get started
1x02
"Vik and Bo"
October 15, 2026
Michael and Olivia defend Vik Malhotra, a programmer blamed for a rogue drone, while seeking funding
1x03
"Juno"
October 22, 2026
No official synopsis
1x04
"A.J. and Buddy"
October 29, 2026
No official synopsis
1x05
"Celeste"
November 5, 2026
No official synopsis
1x06
"Harper"
November 12, 2026
No official synopsis
1x07
"Judith and Michael"
December 3, 2026
No official synopsis
1x08
"Yungwood"
December 10, 2026
No official synopsis
TheTVDB does not list episodes for Thursday, November 19 and 26, which are Thanksgiving weeks.
Series History: From Script Order to Premiere
CBS ordered the scripts for Cupertino in May 2025 and opened the writers' room in the fall of that year, according to TVLine. On October 22, 2025, it confirmed the series for the 2026-2027 season. Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, justified it in TheWrap: "The Kings are some of our most prolific and visionary creators. When we read the script, it was obvious we wanted to move forward."The first trailer arrived in July 2026 and the full one on September 9, according to TVLine. The premiere date was announced with the fall schedule on April 15, 2026.
Matt Roush, TV Insider critic, published his review on October 2, 2026, after watching ten episodes. He called it "the best and most entertaining new series this fall on any platform." He highlighted that it treats artificial intelligence in a "serious, but also wonderfully playful" way. Additionally, the case arguments "are fascinating, no matter who wins."Collider, meanwhile, presented it on September 29, 2026, as "the perfect replacement" for Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer for those looking for a legal thriller. As of October 7, 2026, there are not enough reviews for a score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Where to watch Cupertino?
In the United States. The series airs on CBS on Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. On Paramount+, Premium plan subscribers can watch it live through their local CBS station. All plans have it on-demand the following day, according to the official Paramount+ guide.In Spain and Latin America. As of October 7, 2026, Paramount+ has not announced a date for either market. JustWatch does not have a page for the series in Spain or Mexico. For reference, Elsbeth, the Kings' other series on CBS, is on Movistar Plus+ in Spain. This guide will be updated when there is confirmation.
Territory
Platform
Availability
United States
CBS and Paramount+
From October 8, 2026
Spain
Not announced
No date
Mexico and Latin America
Not announced
No date
Frequently Asked Questions about Cupertino
When does Cupertino premiere?
Thursday, October 8, 2026, on CBS, from 10:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. The following day it will be on Paramount+ in the United States.
What time does Cupertino premiere in Mexico?
At 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, Mexico City time, if following the CBS broadcast. Paramount+ Mexico has not announced the series as of October 7, 2026.
What time does Cupertino premiere in Spain?
At 4:00 a.m. on Friday, October 9, in the peninsula and at 3:00 a.m. in the Canary Islands, if following the CBS broadcast. In Spain, there is no platform or date announced.
What is Cupertino about?
About Michael Price and Olivia Siffre, two lawyers fired by a Silicon Valley startup. They found a firm to represent victims of the tech elite. The cases revolve around artificial intelligence.
Who are the creators of Cupertino?
Robert King and Michelle King, creators of The Good Wife, The Good Fight, Evil, and Elsbeth. Robert King directs the first episode.
Who acts in Cupertino?
Mike Colter (Michael Price), Rachel Keller (Olivia Siffre), Ella Stiller (Christy Palladino), Nik Dodani (Vikram Malhotra), Busy Philipps (Natalia Boutella), and Renée Elise Goldsberry (Nichole E. Ferebee). Joe Morton and Rob McClure appear as guests.
How many episodes will Cupertino have?
CBS has not announced it. TheWrap reported a previous order of 13 scripts. For now, TheTVDB lists eight episodes with dates, from October 8 to December 10, 2026.
Is Cupertino related to Elsbeth or The Good Wife?
They do not share characters or history. They have the same creators, Robert and Michelle King, and the same production company, King Size Productions. Mike Colter did work with them on The Good Wife, The Good Fight, and Evil.
Why is it called Cupertino?
Because of the California city, in Santa Clara County, where Apple is headquartered and where the Silicon Valley industry was born.
Where to watch Cupertino?
In the United States, on CBS and Paramount+. In Spain and Latin America, there is no platform announced as of October 7, 2026.
Hola. ¿Qué duda o consulta tienes sobre este contenido?
Usamos cookies para asegurar que te damos la mejor experiencia en nuestra web. Si continúas usando este sitio, asumiremos que estás de acuerdo con ello.
