‘CIA’ Boss Reveals What Makes New Offshoot Different From Rest of ‘FBI’ Universe
The FBI universe may have just said goodbye to two of its shows — spinoffs International and Most Wanted ended with their Tuesday, May 20, finales — but it is expanding in the fall. The offshoot, CIA, starring Tom Ellis, is joining FBI on Mondays, airing back-to-back starting at 9/8c, on CBS.
This new show stands out from the others in this world because it has “a very different style of storytelling,” showrunner and executive producer David Hudgins tells TV Insider, “with cases coming from the CIA world as well as the FBI, but [it’s] mostly the relationship between the two main leads.”
CIA centers on those two unlikely partners. Tom Ellis plays Hart Hoxton, a fast-talking, rule-breaking loose cannon CIA case officer, and casting has yet to be announced for his FBI counterpart, a by-the-book, seasoned and smart agent who believes in the rule of law. The two are assigned to work out of CIA’s New York Station and must learn to work together to investigate cases and criminals posing threats on U.S. soil, finding that their differences may actually be their strength.
“The dynamic between these two is what I hope will be the hook of the show. A-stories and ‘crimes of the week’ are always crucial but with CIA, we have this added layer of relationship between our two main ‘odd-couple’ characters,” says Hudgins. “I think people will want to tune in to see what’s going to happen next with these two, because there will be many ups and downs.”
While there have been crossovers over the years across the FBI shows — including three-hour events with all of them — don’t expect to see any Most Wanted characters on CIA, according to Hudgins (showrunner on both).
“CIA is its own show, although it does exist in the universe of the mother ship FBI,” he explains.
What are you hoping to see on CIA? Let us know in the comments section below.
CIA, Series Premiere, Fall 2025, Mondays, 10/9c, CBS
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