Why Is There No New FBI This Week (January 21) & When Will International, Most Wanted, & Flagship Return?

CBS has a reason for not airing any of the shows in the FBI franchise on January 21. While it’s debatable which show is the best FBI series, all three left off with exciting cliffhangers a month ago which have yet to be resolved, as the shows have not aired since. FBI offered a shocking twist when OA (Zeeko Zaki) fatally shot his friend and mentor, Clay (Guy Lockard) during a violent confrontation — something that OA will undoubtedly struggle with when the series returns, and on FBI: International there is an even more serious situation to deal with.

It’s currently unclear whether FBI: International’s Vinessa Vidotto is leaving the series. The episode ended with Carmen Vo’s life hanging in the balance after she was shot by Greg Csonkas, the violent criminal who had already killed Wes Mitchell’s (Jesse Lee Soffer) partner in Los Angeles and had escaped after being sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Hungarian court. Finally, FBI: Most Wanted promised fallout to come for Barnes (Roxy Sternberg) and Cooper (Edwin Hodge) after they were arrested by a racist cop during an investigation. All of these stories have led to widespread speculation about what’s coming next.

Why There Are No New FBI Episodes Tonight (January 21, 2025)

CBS’ Hiatus Is Still Ongoing

The FBI franchise has been on hiatus since mid-December. It is common for TV shows to take a break during December and January. This allows the cast, crew, and writers a much-needed break from production so that they can rest, recharge, and spend time with their families. Many networks time this break to coincide with the holiday season. However, while other series have returned to broadcasting new episodes, CBS took its break later in the season so it continues to be on hiatus.

Thus, even though the FBI shows are part of the One Chicago universe, these shows are still on hiatus because they are not on NBC. CBS is set to broadcast reruns of FBI season 7, episode 4, FBI: International season 4, episode 1, and FBI: Most Wanted season 5, episode 10. Since these episodes are from different parts of each show’s backlog, it’s likely that CBS has chosen to refresh the audience’s memory ahead of the midseason premiere by rerunning relevant stories.

When Will New Episodes Of FBI, International, & Most Wanted Release?

The Hiatus Will End Next Week

Although the hiatus has lasted for over a month, the good news is that it is almost over. CBS has scheduled new episodes of the three FBI series for January 28, 2025. These outings will all air in their regular time slots, with FBI airing at 8 ET, followed by FBI: International at 9 ET and FBI: Most Wanted ending the block at 10 ET. There is only one more week to go before the procedurals return to the schedule.

While it is frustrating that this break has been so long, it was necessary not only so that cast and crew could take a much-needed vacation, but so that CBS could ensure it had enough episodes to last until May, when network TV shows typically wrap up for the season. Since there is one week left before new episodes air, audiences can take advantage of the break to catch up on any shows that they missed so that they will be up-to-date when the shows resume.

What To Expect From The FBI Shows When They Return

They Will Pick Up Where They Left Off

Since all three FBI shows ended on an exciting note, they can be expected to continue the stories they began before the midseason hiatus. OA will likely have to balance any emotional fallout from shooting Clay with his focus on a new case, as the Field Office will be working on a case involving the murder of an assistant US attorney, which will somehow tie into a scandal related to airline security.

Meanwhile, FBI: International’s Wes Mitchell will go rogue while Vo’s life continues to hang in the balance. The official logline says that “a team member goes missing,” so the higher-ups in the FBI will likely be looking for Mitchell at the same time as he is hunting Csonka, making for an intense and exciting midseason premiere. This outing will likely also shed light on whether Vo is going to live or die, although this arc may stretch over several episodes.

Finally, FBI: Most Wanted promises one of its most intriguing cases yet, as the Fugitive Task Force investigates a series of deadly fires that are tied to the domestic terrorists who infamously bombed Philadelphia in 1985. This case may trigger Cooper and Barnes’ trauma from their recent experience — additionally, it will dive deep into an ugly part of Philadelphia’s history and the lasting effects of a bombing that took place 40 years ago when the FBI shows return.