In FBI: International Season 4, Episode 11, “Veritas Fidelis,” the team heads to the UK, where a young American woman is found dead at a prestigious university. The team has a connection to the place since it’s the university Smitty (Eva-Jane Willis) attended, and the experience was not great. In the February 11 episode, Smitty revisits the past and the secrets hidden in the world of elite university societies, which deem themselves untouchable as time marches on and their members gain staggering power. CBS released a sneak peek from the episode in which Smitty introduces the Fly Team to a secret society, preparing them for what they’re up against in their investigation. The synopsis reads as follows:
“When an American student is found dead at a prestigious U.K. university, the Fly Team investigates an infamous secret society. Smitty’s personal history with the school comes to a head when she’s confronted with the same old-world elitism.”
Meet The Covington Club in ‘FBI: International’ Season 4, Episode 11.
In the video above, Smitty briefs the team on the particulars of a secret club at her former university, The Covington Club. It was “founded in 1413 and is one of the UK’s oldest secret societies,” she says. “Past members include prime ministers, executives, and some royals,” Smitty adds. The kicker is that the club only accepted men until 2013, and the battle to include women was long and challenging. Smitty was one of those who fought for its sexism twenty years ago.
Emma, the victim in this episode’s case, was the first woman to endure the tough initiation process, which was always rumored to be abusive physically and mentally, but no one was ever held accountable. Working this case brings up a past Smitty thought she’d left behind. Willis told TV Insider how Smitty feels meeting someone from her past, saying:
“[It’s] almost like she’s been called to be told off again. It’s an interesting internal battle that she has because in her life she’s got so much authority and power and is almost fearless, and then suddenly, what would be to anyone else, a sweet old British lady head mistress, can make her feel a little bit powerless. It’s an interesting internal battle for Smitty throughout.”
