In the upcoming weeks Dahne and myself will be sharing Review responsibilities for FBI: Most Wanted. But before we begin our weekly review of the show (expect Dahne to offer you a nice rundown of the last two episodes in the upcoming days) I thought I’d provide a general roundup of the show so far.
Dick Wolf, one of the grandfathers of franchise cop shows made sure to continue his legacy with his first CBS collaboration. Now in its sophomore run, the hit show FBI, spew a spin off this year with a planted pilot in the mothership show last season. The episode was titled “Most Wanted” and the spinoff subsequently was lauded with the, admittedly, not particularly creative title FBI: Most Wanted. Don’t let that deter you though. Unimaginative title aside there’s a lot to keep you interested here.
We follow the Fugitive Task Force of the FBI, an elite task force that tracks down people on the (you guessed it) Most Wanted list. Leading the charge is seasoned Special Agent Jess LaCroix. His team is small but they are a force to be reckoned with.There’s Agent Sheryll Barnes, clearly the team’s no.2, a former cop who specializes in deep undercover work. Agent Clinton Skye, the team’s sharp shooter (seriously do not find yourselves in this man’s scope) and Jess’ brother in law. Agent Kenny Crosby, who is both tech support and the muscle when need be (the military background helps) and who allows his PTSD to often get the better of him. Lastly Agent Hana Gibson, the resident analyst.
One of the shows better qualities IMO, is that every week we get to know the Fugitive and spend quite a bit of time with them. From the traumatized kid who survived a school shooting and found himself radicalized. The mother who will stop at nothing to make sure the system doesn't take away another one of her children. The female gang member who feels underappreciated and takes down the competition trying to take control of the streets. The snipper that isn't dealing with his PTSD well. To the single dad looking for his daughter and who carries the scars of systemic racism and descrimination with him. We actually see why these people are the way they are and understand what pushes them to act the way they do, without romantisizing. The perspectve though, is welcome and well needed as it makes the cases and the chase a lot more personal, and is a narrative approach that helps the audience remain invested in the episodic plot.
However what really makes this show work is the team. Granted they don’t focus on the characters’ personal lives a lot, but we learn about them via context, how they interact with each other, how they each approach their work and how every case affects them. And even though the time spent in those few non-case-of-the-week scenes is short, it is high enough in quality that we get to know them better.We’ve met Jess and Clint’s family and seen the home where Jess lives with Talli, his daughter, and his parents-in-law. A home that Clint is often at. We hear a lot about Angelyne, the woman who made them all family, and we feel her loss the same way Jess and Talli and Clint do. We learn how important the Skyes Native American heritage is to them and that household. We’ve also met Sheryll’s family, and seen how straining the undercover work was on them. We’ve witnessed Kenny struggle with the demons he’s carried home from the war.
With great characters and strong weekly stories FBI: Most Wanted is one of the better recent showcases of the genre. From a veteran like Dick Wolf we should expect nothing less.
Tune in every Tuesday for a new FBI: Most Wanted!
