There is no doubt that FBI: International season 4 was never supposed to be the last of this FBI spinoff series. The writers were planning for a fifth season, and we didn’t even need the cliffhanger ending to know that.
As the story set up for a new agent to join the Fly Team, we could tell that everyone wanted more time with this series, and CBS’ decision to cancel FBI: International after four seasons derailed it all. If that didn’t happen, however, it felt like FBI: International season 5 was going to see another change to the Fly Team.
Agent Tyler Booth quickly formed a bond with many members of the team, although there was some pushback from Smitty. It turns out that he was likely intended to stick around, but the cancellation of the series derailed everything. Of course, there are questions about whether his involvement in the show could have changed it for the better or worse.
While Derek Haas is no longer as involved in the Dick Wolf universe as he was around a decade ago, he has a connection to many of the shows. In fact, he created FBI: International before moving on to other projects, and so, he was disappointed and surprised to hear about the cancellation of it.
Bringing in Chicago P.D.’s Jesse Lee Soffer was a great move, but Haas also praised Jay Hayden’s inclusion in the series when talking with TVLine. Tyler and Mitchell quickly showed off their bond when Hayden’s character was introduced. Haas shared that the two “were gold together,” indicating that there was more to their relationship coming if FBI: International season 5 happened.
Hayden originally showed up for just a three-episode arc, and then he returned after a few episodes of being absent. Despite being a guest star, it seemed like the writers were setting up for Tyler to permanently join the Fly Team in FBI: International season 5.
Jesse Lee Soffer & Jay Hayden Brought Their Real Friendship To The Screen
While actors need to pretend that they know each other well, it’s usually clear when they already have a previous relationship outside a series. That was clear with Soffer and Hayden in FBI: International season 4, as they brought their characters’ history to life. Mitchell and Tyler were able to effortlessly bounce off each other, which was fun to watch.
…writing for a specific actor allows the writers to find the character’s voice more clearly and allows the actors to run with the lines they’re offered and make them fit their own personalities.
It’s like Tyler’s character was written purely with Hayden in mind, and with Soffer coming into FBI: International season 4, it’s possible that that was the case. He may have said that he had someone perfect for a role to allow for more backstory development for Wes.
Cast chemistry is extremely important for ensemble shows like FBI: International.
However, writing for a specific actor allows the writers to find the character’s voice more clearly and allows the actors to run with the lines they’re offered and make them fit their own personalities.
Tyler Could Have Created More Issues For Smitty To Clean Up
While Tyler got along with most of the Fly Team, he quickly became a problem for Smitty (Eva-Jane Wallis). Tyler wasn’t one for following the rules if he wanted to solve a case, and while that could have worked with local authorities in the United States, it was much harder to work with international authorities.
Smitty had to clean up too much in Paris, and it led to her deciding that she wasn’t going to lie for Tyler if it came to his GS-14 promotion. This is something that could have continued in FBI: International season 5, creating more tension and issues for Smitty to handle.
In a way, it could have made for a much more interesting show, as we could have seen more of Europol’s involvement in cases. Smitty figuring out how to smooth situations with local European authorities over — something that she never really had to do with Scott Forrester (Luke Kleintank) in the lead in FBI: International would have also been great.
