FBI: International season 3 is hard at work bringing in new characters following the departures of original stars Heida Reed and Luke Kleintank. Looking ahead to the FBI: International season 3 finale, the successful drama is poised to switch gears to establish Colin Donnell’s Brian Lange as a valuable team member and introduce Teri Polo’s top-secret character. The loss of Jamie Kellett (Reed) and Scott Forrester (Kleintank) this season has left the Fly Team needing new members, so there’s hope the new additions will help fill the void going into FBI: International season 4.
Thanks to Brian agreeing to help find Forrester, he will be present for one of FBI: International’s biggest storylines as the show forges a new path. The series needs to embrace change and demonstrate that it can reinvent itself. Long-running shows bringing in new faces is expected, so the most likely scenario is that Donnell and Polo’s characters will be used to refresh the team dynamic and help introduce new challenges, all while providing the show with some much-needed consistency.
Teri Polo & Colin Donnell Could Usher In FBI: International’s Revamp
Their characters could become vital team members in FBI: International season 4
Colin Donnell’s Brian Lange made his presence felt in FBI: International season 3, episode 12, but with the team still reeling from Forrester going dark, they may not be open to a new leader. When the Chicago Med alum joined the cast, it was framed as a two-episode arc that could be extended, hinting that he’s on a trial period to assess whether viewers will warm to a potential replacement for Forrester so soon after Kleintank’s final installment. Brian proved resourceful as he helped the Fly Team investigate a case with links to Forrester and his mother.
Brian will be a crucial part of the search for answers about Forrester’s disappearance. The new agent has all the makings of a lead character. Now that he’s immersed in this case to find the Fly Team’s former leader, he can form connections with everyone and possibly garner trust to open the door for a more significant role in season 4. Sadly, Teri Polo’s role has not been disclosed. Initial reports teased her arrival in FBI: International season 3, episode 12, leading to questions about whether the episode had been re-edited when she didn’t appear.
There’s speculation Polo could be playing Forrester’s mother, Angela, which would mean she’d be taking over the role from Elizabeth Mitchell. CBS and everyone associated with FBI: International is keeping story details under wraps for now. It would be a good idea to have someone from Forrester’s past working with the team in some capacity to help usher in the next chapter of the series. Forrester’s mother has been a bit of an enigma, so there’s plenty of potential there if Polo is on board as Angela.
FBI: International Has A Habit Of Writing Out Characters With Little Closure
FBI: International should give characters better send-offs
Donnell and Polo’s introductions come as FBI: International faces criticism for how it wrote out Jamie and Forrester. Despite getting an on-screen departure, Jamie’s exit was unsatisfying because it was during a busy installment that charted the aftermath of an explosion at the Fly Team’s headquarters. Jamie’s decision to leave the team and return to Washington, D.C. was rushed, and she deserved a better final storyline that was mapped out more carefully.
Unfortunately, Forrester is destined to become the latest familiar face with an unsatisfying exit because Kleintank’s last episode as a cast member aired on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. There are no plans for him to return, meaning there are few ways the storyline can end with closure. Given the nature of the mission to find him and the action taking place during the FBI: International season 3 finale, there’s a chance the episode could end with a cliffhanger to keep viewers wondering what happened for longer.
Another possibility is Forrester being killed off. That would arguably be one of the worst developments in the franchise, but without Kleintank on the show, producers may believe it’s the best way to end this chapter and proceed with a revamp that includes Polo and Donnell’s characters. The best-case scenario for viewers would be having Forrester located and opting to live his life elsewhere, which would theoretically leave a plot thread that could be revisited in the future.
FBI: International’s One-Season Renewal Could Hint CBS Is Taking A Cautious Approach
FBI secured a three-season renewal
In April, CBS announced a three-year renewal for FBI, but International was only renewed for season 4. FBI: International has been a strong performer in the ratings since its launch in 2021, so it was a bit surprising the network didn’t give it a multi-year pickup alongside the original series. This could imply that CBS is waiting to see how season 4 fares in the ratings before handing out a similar order. Losing popular cast members is a surefire way to alienate viewers, and the poor handling of Kleintank and Reed’s exits could set the show up for disaster.
As a result, CBS could be cautious about sticking with FBI: International in the long term. Picking the show up only to cancel it if the numbers falter would cheapen the value of early renewals. It should be noted that multi-season renewals are rare on broadcast networks and are usually only handed out to the best performers. The incentive in those kinds of deals is that the networks and producers can plan much further ahead.
FBI: International could still have a long run on CBS, but it depends on whether the show can bounce back creatively after losing two of its best characters.
FBI: International could still have a long run on CBS, but it depends on whether the show can bounce back creatively after losing two of its best characters. Donnell and Polo could be just what’s needed to help the series out of the corner it’s been pushed into following the recent exits, giving the network and viewers new confidence in the show and setting it up for a successful future.
New episodes of FBI: International air on Tuesdays on CBS.
