CBS is shaking up its primetime crime lineup in a move that will redefine the future of one of its most successful franchises. After years of building a sprawling television universe around FBI, the network has decided to cancel two of its established spinoffs—FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International. In their place, a brand-new series titled CIA is set to launch this fall, signaling a bold new direction for CBS’s slate of law enforcement dramas.
A Franchise at a Crossroads
Since premiering in 2018, FBI has grown into one of CBS’s cornerstone series. Created by Dick Wolf, the mastermind behind the Law & Order and Chicago franchises, the show’s success led to two direct spinoffs: FBI: Most Wanted, which followed a fugitive task force, and FBI: International, which tracked agents handling global threats.
For several years, the franchise gave CBS a reliable block of programming on Tuesday nights. But as TV competition intensifies and audience habits shift, the network is rethinking how best to expand its crime-drama empire.
“This was not an easy decision,” a CBS executive explained. “The FBI franchise has been hugely important to our schedule. But we see an opportunity to broaden our storytelling scope, and the CIA is a natural next step.”
Saying Goodbye to Most Wanted and International
Both FBI spinoffs developed dedicated fan bases, with Most Wanted running for five seasons and International for three. While the cancellations will undoubtedly disappoint longtime viewers, CBS insiders suggest the shows had reached a creative plateau.
“Television is about evolution,” one producer said. “We want to keep audiences engaged with fresh stories, and the CIA will allow us to tackle threats and narratives we couldn’t fully explore under the FBI umbrella.”
Enter the CIA
The newly announced series, simply titled CIA, will follow a team of elite operatives working across the globe to handle covert missions, espionage, and international crises. While details remain limited, the series promises to blend the procedural case-of-the-week format with serialized storytelling about global intelligence operations.
Early reports suggest the show will feature a diverse ensemble cast and filming locations outside the United States, giving it a cinematic feel. By stepping into the world of espionage, CBS hopes to compete with the wave of spy thrillers dominating streaming platforms, while maintaining the network’s hallmark procedural style.
What This Means for Fans
For fans of the FBI franchise, the changes will be bittersweet. The flagship FBI series will continue into its seventh season, ensuring that viewers still have a connection to the characters they’ve followed since 2018. However, those who became attached to the fugitive chases of Most Wanted or the international adventures of International will have to say goodbye.
Still, CBS is banking on CIA to bring many of those same fans along for the ride. By expanding from domestic law enforcement to global intelligence, the network is betting that audiences are ready for a bigger, bolder crime universe.
A Strategic Move in a Changing Industry
The shift also reflects broader changes in television. Networks are under increasing pressure to compete with streaming services that specialize in high-budget, globe-trotting dramas. CBS hopes that CIA—with its international scope and espionage storylines—will provide a fresh angle that can stand alongside its existing roster of police procedurals.
“This is about future-proofing,” a CBS executive said. “Audiences are hungry for scale, for high-stakes storytelling. CIA allows us to deliver that while staying true to the elements viewers love about our shows—character-driven drama and smart, suspenseful cases.”
Looking Ahead
As CBS prepares for its fall schedule, the launch of CIA marks one of its boldest programming moves in years. The decision to retire two spinoffs in favor of an entirely new direction underscores the network’s commitment to innovation within the crime-drama genre.
Whether CIA can replicate the success of FBI remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: CBS is betting big on reinvention. For viewers, the message is clear—get ready to trade in the streets of New York and the international chase scenes for the shadowy world of espionage, where every mission could change the course of history.
