Fans of the FBI franchise are reeling from CBS's recent announcement to cancel two of its popular series, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International, leaving loyal viewers shocked and disappointed. The network confirmed on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the end of both spin-offs, which have been staples of the FBI family for several years.
FBI: Most Wanted, which debuted its first season back in 2020, was the first spin-off of the franchise, featuring stars like Dylan McDermott and Shantel VanSanten. It gained popularity over its six-season run, often winning its respective time slot. Much to the fans' dismay, Season Six will be its final chapter. Meanwhile, FBI: International followed closely behind, launching its successful four-season run starting in 2021 and featuring stars such as Jesse Lee Soffer and Christina Wolfe. Fans took to social media, expressing their outrage and disbelief at the abrupt cancellations.
Comments on Twitter reflected the discontent, with one user stating: "@CBS makes the worst decisions on what series to cancel. FBI: Most Wanted is excellent!" Another fan lamented, "Damn them! They were the closest things to real FBI doing their jobs without a buffoon as the director." One frustrated viewer even exclaimed: "What is wrong with you?? We want FBI: International and Most Wanted back on!!!" as the sentiment echoed across various platforms.
Despite these cancellations, CBS has continued to invest heavily in its lineup, handing out renewals to other beloved series. The original FBI series, which kicked off the franchise back in 2018, received a renewed three-season order last year, maintaining its presence on the air until 2027. This original series has become the cornerstone of the franchise and serves as the foundation for future extensions.
Alongside the cancellations, CBS has also announced several upcoming shows as part of the FBI branding. A new series titled FBI: CIA is currently under development. The show aims to follow a dedicated FBI agent and his street-smart CIA counterpart, working together on "a clandestine task force charged with solving and preventing domestic terrorism" within and around New York City.
Fans of the franchise were less than enthused about the new developments. Many expressed confusion as to why CBS would cancel two successful shows without providing any closure for the audience. One disappointed viewer remarked, "Why do they think we are interested in this anymore?" The anger over the cancellations pointed to CBS’s struggle to balance audience satisfaction with the seemingly endless lineup of new productions.
The franchise has had notable cast changes over the years, with FBI: International experiencing shifts such as Luke Kleintank's departure after the third season. Kleintank, who joined the series as Supervisory Special Agent Scott Forrester, stated his commitment to family influenced his exit. He made the decision after much contemplation, emphasizing the love and well-being of his family as priorities.
With Kleintank's exit, Jesse Lee Soffer, known for his work on Chicago PD, and Jay Hayden from Station 19 were brought onboard to fill the void. McDermott also took over the lead role of Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott from Julian McMahon last year, which introduced another layer of change within the well-known franchise.
Viewers have expressed their vexation over the drastic cuts to the existing FBI shows. Some claimed the network should have prioritized closure for the existing stories before launching new installments. One user voiced their irritation, saying, "CBS will have to fill in two hours on Tuesday night and hope the disappointed fans of these spin-offs stick around to watch FBI: CIA."
It's unclear what led CBS to make these dramatic alterations to their programming, with speculation running rampant among viewers and critics alike. They continue to question whether the new FBI series will resonate with audiences as previous shows did, especially considering the lore and character development enjoyed by fans of the now-canceled spin-offs.
Along with the audience outrage, criticism has been directed at CBS for daring to cancel two series connected to popular FBI properties without substantial reasoning publicly articulated to their audience. "Is it too much to ask for some transparency about the cancellation of our favorite shows?" remarked another fan feeling overlooked.
While loyal fans of FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International process the loss of their beloved series, CBS is forging forward with their plans for FBI: CIA, indicating their intentions to merge storytelling narratives but not necessarily maintaining the original fanbase. Most viewers who commented on various platforms indicated their frustrations over not having resolutions to story arcs they followed diligently over the years.
FBI: Most Wanted was particularly noteworthy, featuring storylines grounded more deeply within genuine FBI procedures than typical crime dramas. Fans relished the representation of the FBI's challenges and capabilities, as well as the character dynamics developed across its six seasons.
Likewise, FBI: International saw tremendous character development, with storylines exploring complex international law enforcement partnerships. The unexpected cancellation of both series raises questions about the direction CBS plans to take the FBI franchise going forward and the narrative arcs they will prioritize.
For now, the future of the FBI franchise looks somewhat uncertain amid the excitement surrounding its upcoming developments. CBS needs to reckon with the fervent outcry from fans to understand the emotional investment from viewers; the excitement surrounding the two shorter-lived spin-offs reveals the energy they brought to the franchise.
For those who cherished FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International, the future of the beloved characters and storylines remains unclear, leaving many to wonder how the network is preparing to satisfy its audience as they proceed with the new offerings yet to come.