It sounds like Scola (John Boyd) is going to have his third partner in a year when FBI returns for Season 8 in October.
Juliana Aidén Martinez, who exited one Dick Wolf production (Law & Order: SVU) at the end of the 2024-2025 season, has joined FBI as a series regular, Deadline reports. The outlet notes that there aren’t any character details available yet — the two shows are technically in the same Dick Wolf universe after various crossovers in the One Chicago, Law & Order, and FBI franchises over the years but actors have played multiple characters across the shows — but that Emily Alabi, who recurred as Scola’s partner at the end of Season 7, “will return in the fall to wrap Dani’s story,” meaning that position will be open.
Scola’s last permanent partner was Tiffany (Katherine Renee Kane), who exited in the Season 7 premiere. Since then, he’s had a few temporary partners, then Lisette Olivera‘s Syd was supposed to be permanent. She ended up exiting after a few episodes. Should Martinez be coming in as his partner, let’s hope her character sticks around.
The FBI Season 7 finale didn’t hint at Dani’s exit, though like the rest of the bureau, she was dealing with the terrorist group that had infiltrated the agency. (Perhaps she’ll go back to working undercover?) In the process of that investigation, their boss, Isobel (Alana De La Garza), was involved in an explosion but didn’t seek medical attention as she used that opportunity to fake her death, then infiltrate the corrupt group. After they were taken down, the agents all gathered … only for Isobel to collapse as she was speaking to them. She didn’t have a pulse at the end of the finale. We’ll have to wait until the Season 8 premiere to find out if she lives, but Deadline lists De La Garza with the rest of the returning series regulars of Missy Peregrym, Zeeko Zaki, Jeremy Sisto, and Boyd.
“It is a legit cliffhanger,” De La Garza told TV Insider. “It was very exciting and very fun to play, unlike anything I’ve ever played before for sure. So that was fun.”
Sisto added, “It would be a huge blow to the office and to Jubal and to obviously the show as well. We are all hoping that that is not the case. … I think one of the reasons our show works is because all the characters fill a necessary role within this family, and so it would be a real shame to break something that’s working so well.”
What are you hoping to see with Juliana Aidén Martinez’s new character in FBI Season 8? Let us know in the comments section below.
FBI, Season 8 Premiere, Monday, October 13, 9/8c, CBS
