4 Years Later, It’s Time for This Procedural Spinoff to End for Good

The FBI franchise has been a dominant force in the ratings for CBS for many years. But FBI: Most Wanted has continually proven that expanding some franchises isn’t the best idea. The series quickly fell apart despite the first season’s thrilling approach to storytelling. Somehow, the show has managed to eke out renewals year after year, further deviating from what made it a hit in the first place. Even though FBI and even FBI: International have endured through some turbulent creative choices, FBI: Most Wanted continues to be weighed down by storylines and characters that don’t work.

FBI: Most Wanted is still on the air because it commands a decent viewership compared to the network’s other offerings, so CBS likely believes the show isn’t broken and doesn’t need to be fixed. The sad reality is that there are many issues with FBI: Most Wanted, and the best decision would be to end the show and ship the few exciting characters to other FBI-related projects. For various reasons, the post-Season 2 cast just hasn’t been able to survive the test of time.

FBI: Most Wanted’s Cast Is Constantly Changing

FBI: Most Wanted Lacks an Emotional Anchor

At its core, FBI: Most Wanted is an ensemble, but it has had an alarming amount of cast turnover over the years. Many characters have been given the bare minimum resolution to get them off the show. Kenny Crosby (Kellan Lutz) got a surprisingly decent farewell during FBI: Most Wanted Season 3 after the actor chose to walk away. Kenny’s arc culminated with him leaving the team after being injured on the job, leaving the door open for a future comeback. It tugged on the heartstrings and brought his arc full circle on a bittersweet note. Unfortunately, the departures that followed have pushed the show further into obscurity

Jess LaCroix (Julian McMahon) was the heart and soul of FBI: Most Wanted‘s first three seasons, but there were concerns when the actor chose to exit near the end of Season 3. The sad part is that Jess’ arc reached a natural endpoint before his final episode, which meant his departure was inevitable. Instead of having him leave the team to spend time with his family as planned, Julian McMahon’s time on FBI: Most Wanted ended with Jess gunned down while investigating a grisly case. There was an immediate backlash because the most fitting direction would have been to have Jess find happiness away from the team. That would have been a powerful and realistic goodbye to such a big part of the show’s initial success. Instead, killing off Jess left FBI: Most Wanted with a huge void, and the series has never recovered.

Ivan Ortiz (Miguel Gomez) and Kristin Gaines (Alexa Davalos) got off-screen exits when their storytelling opportunities were not picked up for additional seasons, further contributing to the cast shake-up. It’s difficult to be intrigued by new characters when they are discarded after the showrunners believe they no longer benefit the story. For any ensemble to work, the characters must get a good share of storylines to leave a lasting impression. Unfortunately, FBI: Most Wanted‘s revolving door moves too quickly with little care for stability.

Remy Scott Isn’t The Best Fit For FBI: Most Wanted

Dylan McDermott Deserved A Better Introduction To The FBI Universe

Remy Scott (Dylan McDermott) was shoehorned in as Julian McMahon’s replacement, and for the most part, the series has wasted the actor’s talent. Instead of giving the team time to breathe and consider where they will go next after their team leader’s demise, Remy appeared out of nowhere. This put the new character at an immediate disadvantage. Thanks to how several actors had already been written off the show, it was difficult to get on board with a new lead, especially someone who came with as much baggage as Remy did.

The best way forward for the series would have been to elevate one of the longer-running characters to the team’s lead. Sheryl Barnes (Roxy Sternberg) and Hana Gibson (Keisha Castle-Hughes) would have been natural selections because of their history with Jess. They each would have struggled to lead in the aftermath of losing someone so close to them, but it would have made for a poignant chapter that would have made killing off Jess worthwhile.

As an in-demand actor, McDermott was a big draw for FBI: Most Wanted, but the series would have been better if there was a more extended mourning period for Jess before Remy arrived to take over the team. Remy has a unique viewpoint on cases and a storied past, but FBI: Most Wanted immediately forgot about its original lead when the replacement arrived on the scene. What should have been a fantastic marketing opportunity effectively sealed the show’s fate. FBI: Most Wanted may still garner renewal after renewal, but the show has never reached the high quality of the initial seasons again.

There’s something to be said about a series that takes risks, but FBI: Most Wanted takes too many big swings without considering the bigger picture and how they will affect the remaining characters. The most shocking development in recent years is Nina Chase’s (Shantel VanSanten) transfer from the original series to FBI: Most Wanted to give the character a more well-rounded arc.

Nina Chase Can’t Save FBI: Most Wanted

Shantel Vansanten’s Popular FBI Character Could Be Ruined

Given how FBI: Most Wanted has failed many of its characters, there’s always the concern that the same fate could await Nina. Nina became one of the franchise’s best characters when she joined FBI Season 4, where she recurred through Season 6. Nina struck a chord with the team, and her relationship with Stuart Scola (John Boyd) added another layer to her already fantastic character. Given the positive response to the character, the original series struggled to give her much of substance to do because the cast was already stacked, which probably explains the decision to move Nina over to FBI: Most Wanted full-time. Nina has been a fantastic addition to FBI: Most Wanted because she’s still well-written, witty, and ready to take on the challenges that life as a field agent brings.

Unfortunately, the rest of the show around her is still shaky because deeply rooted issues can probably only be addressed with a leadership change and cast overhaul. Instead of tackling the problems plaguing the show, it moves on from characters without a second thought or puts them on the back burner, giving performers very little to do. It’s clear that Nina was only brought over in a last-ditch attempt to provide the show with a new lease of life, but it could tarnish Nina for good, seeing as FBI: Most Wanted can’t strike a balance between compelling plots and consistency. Some long-running shows have had so many opportunities to correct issues which aren’t taken seriously, and FBI: Most Wanted is one of those shows.

FBI: Most Wanted Has Squandered All Of Its Chances

FBI: Most Wanted Is Difficult To Get Stuck Into

FBI: Most Wanted Season 6 is currently airing, so the series has had many years to repair the issues holding it back from being a decent entry in the FBI franchise. Thanks to the ratings, CBS is content with where the show is going, which likely means that the show will continue to feel like a shell of its former self for years to come. Many shows are canceled the moment they fall out of step creatively, so it’s a shame that FBI: Most Wanted has been allowed to continue despite the show not being in good shape. The actors do the best with the scripts they’re given. CBS has been known to make shocking decisions regarding the future of long-running dramas, so perhaps the series will be hit with a surprising cancelation when the season ends.

The only FBI entry safe from cancelation is the original, which has been renewed through Season 9 and will remain on the air until at least 2027. While FBI remains a solid entry in the franchise, FBI: International is in the best shape creatively and has gone under the radar for too long. If CBS wants to replace FBI: Most Wanted, a spinoff featuring FBI: International alums Luke Kleintank and Elizabeth Mitchell could take the franchise to new heights. Under the watchful eye of new leadership, it could also utilize one of the many characters wronged by the poor storytelling in FBI: Most Wanted.

FBI: Most Wanted airs Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. on CBS.