The procedural drama landscape is getting quite the shake-up at CBS, and not everyone’s surviving the network’s spring cleaning. While the flagship “FBI” series gets to keep its badge through 2026-27, its spinoff siblings are heading for the exit — “FBI: Most Wanted” and “FBI: International” are wrapping their final cases.
Behind those slick crime-solving montages and dramatic takedowns, something rather touching is unfolding. The cast members are dropping their TV personas to share genuine farewells that feel more like family holiday cards than Hollywood PR statements.
Take Edwin Hodge, who brought Special Agent Ray Cannon to life in “Most Wanted.” His Instagram tribute — complete with candid snapshots alongside co-star Dylan McDermott — struck that rare chord of authenticity in an industry that often feels more polished than a network executive’s shoes. “All good things must come to an end,” he wrote, and somehow managed to make that well-worn phrase feel fresh again.
CBS didn’t exactly drop this bombshell without warning (unlike some networks we could name). The March announcement gave both shows breathing room to craft proper endings — a courtesy that’s about as rare in television as a realistic hacking scene.
Over in Budapest, where “FBI: International” turned European streets into their playground, the farewell tour continues. Christina Wolfe, who joined the ensemble just last season, shared her own chapter-closing moment: “That’s a series wrap!! Truly grateful for this chapter and for everyone I met over my two years on this wonderful show.” Simple words, yet they capture that peculiar mix of gratitude and melancholy that comes with any series finale.
But darlings, CBS isn’t abandoning the crime-fighting genre — they’re just redecorating the precinct, so to speak. Their new offering (working title “CIA”) features Tom Ellis, fresh from his devilishly charming run on “Lucifer.” The premise? A maverick CIA operative paired with a by-the-book FBI agent. Think oil and water, but with national security clearance.
The network’s broader landscape is shifting too. Veterans like “The Equalizer” and “S.W.A.T.” are also taking their final bows. It’s starting to look like 2025 might be remembered as the year CBS decided to refresh its entire procedural portfolio.
Eva-Jane Willis, who brought Europol Agent “Smitty” to life on “International,” perhaps captured it best in her farewell post about co-stars Carter Redwood and Vinessa Vidotto: “On this our last day of filming I want to say a special thank you to these two. It has been an honour to watch them and learn from them.” Sometimes the most powerful drama happens when the cameras stop rolling.
For now, Tuesday nights still belong to the FBI trifecta. These final episodes promise to wrap up years of storytelling — hopefully with the precision of a well-executed sting operation, rather than a hasty witness protection relocation.
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