FBI: Interesting New Drama from an Emmy Award Winner

The fall TV season is a “big deal” in the small screen world. It’s the time of year hopeful creators pitch their dramas and cross their fingers a network will pick it up. One of the TV shows that did get a pick up is FBI.

FBI (2018) CBS TV Show Review 

An explosion has just rocked an NYC apartment building. In its wake, it leaves stunned bystanders and brings a fleet of black FBI vehicles. Onto the scene walks Agent Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym) and her partner, Omar Adom ‘OA’ Zidan (Zeeko Zaki). As they assess the situation, Agent Bell realizes something isn’t right – there’s more to come. Before she can clear the area, another explosion rocks the building and sends it plummeting. Smoke in its wake, it takes the lives of more victims.

As Maggie, OA, and the entire forces of the FBI investigate this horrific crime, Maggie is haunted by a mother grieving her young son… and her own past. Pushing aside her past, she relies on her skills, and those of her partner to bring to justice the people who carried out this act – and comfort to those left behind.

Sometimes shows get lucky. They have the right people who believe in them, and the right kind of producers to back them. In the case of FBI, it lucks out. Big time. Not only is it created by the well-known Dick Wolf (whose name is synonymous with the Law & Order franchise), it also lands at CBS.

For the past several years, I’ve personally loved CBS, and what they do for shows. They don’t bow to pressure like some networks, and instead they understand what their audiences love: and this is quality storytelling without the clutter of society. (This is true of the ‘eye’ network, at least in comparison of competing networks.) FBI is different than some of its network siblings, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

TV SHOW REVIEW | Charmed Review – A ‘Charming’ Story with an Agenda

It’s interesting to watch a weekly procedural that’s mature and all about the noble profession of helping people. Most crime dramas that I watch brilliantly balance their scripts with levity and serious drama. This one doesn’t. It’s all about the task at hand, and finding the bad guy before the forty-some minutes run out. I respect this, but in many ways I miss the humor that’s always so welcome in shows like this to lighten the mood.

No matter its few stumbles along the way, I really do enjoy FBI. It’s taunt and keeps us on our toes. The series (what I’ve seen, which is 2-3 episodes) doesn’t give us much insight into the characters, but I suspect the writers have secrets to tell. We do know Maggie has a tragic past, and I’m sure Zidan too will have a story to tell. Who knows, even some of the analysts may step into a bigger role. Right now, it’s characters don’t drive the story, but in time, this may shift.

If you like CBS dramas or The Brave, you might like FBI. It’s a TV show with plenty of potential and stories yet to come.

Content: so far, “intense” moments and violence is the reason for the shows TV14 rating, though this will vary episode-by-episode.

Photos: CBS