Tom Ellis‘ character in CBS‘ CIA sounds like a bit of a devil.
CBS’ upcoming “expansion” of the FBI universe (airing Mondays at 10/9c this fall) is centered on two unlikely partners — Hart Hoxton, a fast-talking, rule-breaking loose cannon CIA case officer (played by Lucifer vet Ellis), and a yet-to-be-cast by-the-book, seasoned and smart FBI agent who believes in the rule of law.
“When this odd couple is assigned to work out of CIA’s New York Station,” the official synopsis reads, “they must learn to work together to investigate cases and criminals posing threats on U.S. soil, finding that their differences may actually be their strength.”
Speaking with TVLine at CBS’ recent Upfront event, Ellis said that CIA will take its cue from “the format set up on FBI” and “explore the notion of why these agencies don’t normally work together” — despite the fact that the events of 9/11 suggested that the Agency and Bureau should share more information.
Ellis says that the unlikely partnership proves to be “productive but also very difficult, because they have very different philosophies on how to achieve goals.”
When we first meet CIA agent Hart Hoxton, Ellis reveals, he is “stuck in the ‘boring’ end of the job, on home soil in New York,” and thus perhaps is open to any set-up that gets him more action.
All told, though, “he is someone who has to use guile and deceit and lies to get what he wants,” the Brit shares. “There’s large dose of moral ambiguity that comes with him.”
CIA is executive-produced by showrunner David Hudgins, FBI franchise overlord Dick Wolf, Nicole Perlman, David Chasteen and Peter Jankowski. Eriq La Salle will direct and exec-produce the first episode.
An exact premiere date has not yet been set, but CIA will air Mondays at 10 pm, leading out of the FBI mothership.
