FBI Episode 1: Pilot
FBI, CBS’s newest procedural drama comes from the mind of Dick Wolf—well known for his many shows across network television. Shows you know include: Law and Order, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: SVU, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med. One might ask: what does a modestly named show such as this have to offer against this fall’s daring and well-received premieres?
A lot.
The show starts innocently. We see neighborhood children running down a New York City (Bronx) street while fellow neighbors carry on. It is typical… to the point where you know it’s too typical. Two teenagers tease a budding romance, but its cut short.
An explosion rocks the area.
“Its nine minutes ago.”
We see our protagonists, Special Agent Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym, Rookie Blue), accompanied by her partner, Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan (Zeeko Zaki, Valor), as we cut to emergency crews in front of the apartment complex where the explosion took place. They heard the call and were in the area. OA asks what were in the bombs, Bell questions about timing. Given the answer, Bell seems worried and requests all personnel leave the building. The two agents seemingly know more, but it isn’t apparent to the audience (that is unless you’re familiar to the usual motives behind terrorist attacks) as a mother comes running up, demanding to see her children who she believes were inside. Bell is attempting to calm the woman down when the unthinkable happens.
A second, much larger and dangerous explosion. Maggie Bell watches in horror as the apartment complex collapses before her, sending debris and shrapnel into the air.
The next scene is eerily reminiscent of Ground Zero following the September 11th attacks. In fact, the entire lead up to the second explosion made a pit appear in my stomach. New Yorkers remember that day – whether they were there in person or saw the aftermath. There is a layer of gray dust and grime on every inch of viable surface, smoke filling the air. We are witnessing the destruction from Bell’s point of view, as she surveys her surroundings. Grief, horror and confusion hang in the air as people get to their feet.
You feel this moment as the viewer.
I know I do. It is one of those scenes you see on the actual news and think, “My god…”
The special effects and the overall tone is very well done. I’m immediately uneasy for everyone involved. That is something important when it comes to crime TV in today’s audience, I feel and something I was curious to how those making the show would handle. We as people aren’t as easily rocked as we used to be. In fact, I would bet if fans of Wolf’s other work went back and watched season one of their respective shows, they might find them underwhelming. Thus far, FBI is both relevant and gritty.
Bell and OA get the case by Ellen Solberg (Connie Nielsen, Law and Order: SVU), FBI Special Agent in Charge who comes onto the scene. [Nielson will only star in episode one of FBI.] Bell attempts to speak with the mother of the young boy who was inside, but she is inconsolable, understandably so. In these moments, we get the feeling there’s something we don’t know as the audience yet. Bell seems to hint she can relate to the mother’s loss, but she doesn’t elude to why.
The two agents discover a cell phone while searching the debris, in albeit a somewhat cringy scenario. Okay, it’s more than cringy. But for the sake of keeping some details a surprise, you should watch this part yourself. Let’s just say our lead suspect’s only location will be the morgue. But, there’s hope for finding more. The phone. It is still somewhat intact, and they bring it to an analyst in hopes that some sort of information can be extracted.
Meet the Team…
Back at the FBI Headquarters, we meet Analyst Kristen Chazal (Ebonee Noel) and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto) who manage the cases from inside the building. It’s hard to get a gauge on how long this team has worked together from their interactions at this point. There’s some gentle teasing, but we don’t get a family sense as some other CBS shows immediately produce in their pilot episodes.
We also catch up with the analyst, Ian, working on the phone. OA suggests he does whatever necessary to get the information, when Solberg comes into the room, having overheard. She scolds him, telling him he’s no longer undercover and that he works for her. She then says to do it. There’s some power dynamics going on here. Bell leaves the room, wanting to change. She takes clothes out of her desk drawer and a photo of a man is beneath them. Bell stares at him, then closes the drawer. Back in the room, Ian has found more pieces of the puzzle on the phone, and the team is trying to understand how our dead suspect fits in with all of this. Wayne Clinton: the person they now want to see, thanks to the phone.
This is seemingly gang related, but how so?
We get some characterization between Bell and OA. Bell is from Indiana, and OA is from Queens, not Manhattan, as he quickly corrects her during the drive. (Note: this fits a typical New Yorker well. You know what part of New York you’re from, and you don’t take another as the answer.) OA also seems to sense that Bell isn’t okay following the explosion. He tries to ask if she wants to talk, but they’re interrupted by the walkies.
“The last thing we need tonight is a car chase.”
She gets that wish.
The car their suspect is about to get into explodes.
That’s three explosions so far, for those keeping count. What is happening here?
Another bomb is discovered, this time in a gym in the Bronx. Bell and OA speak with Brick Peters (Mac Brandt), a career Army veteran and the gym manager who admits there is heavy gang activity in the area. The bomb squad speaks to the agents, and OA, being prior military, realizes the bombs are the same ones that used to be used by the U.S. Army. They aren’t used anymore but have made their way down to El Salvador. OA asks Brick if they have a MS-13 presence, but the closest he says they have is this scrawny guy.
The gang idea is truly intriguing to me, as you would never think that a gang would be behind this sort of attack. It’s less than typical, and I’m enjoying the originality thus far.
Their informant Wilmer (the scrawny MS-13 guy) is having a bad day. And by bad day, I mean he’s got two pissed off agents demanding answers. The interrogation scene gives us a badass view of Bell. We don’t see the conflicted woman we saw before. She’s angry and fearless and gets what she needs by blackmail. It is Missy Peregrym at her best.
Oh, and OA drew a picture of Wilmer with a knife in his neck. So, I suppose that’s one way to interrogate someone.
Back on the Streets…
They go looking for Bernardo (the guy who had the bomb and gave it to Wilmer) and discover a room full of spiders at the apartment in which he supposedly lives. Poor OA (watch and see why). He’s not there, though.
Oh, and Wilmer’s day just got a lot worse. He’s dead. And missing his heart. Ouch. Jail isn’t a good place for a gang member, I guess.
They’re also without an informant now. Because of that, they put Bernardo’s face all over the news. Tips flood in, and they find him in an “abandoned” warehouse. They take him in and discover the warehouse is where the bombs are being made. There’s blood on one of the tools, and they take it in too, hoping it’ll help them confirm the suspect.
Bernardo doesn’t want to talk.
But Kristen, our analyst, has figured out a major factor: the detonator used has a common factor with a past bombing.
And by that discovery, we learn that MS-13 is working with a white nationalist, Robert Lawrence and he becomes the prime suspect. While interviewing him, he and OA exchange words regarding minorities. During this exchange, the team can tie the blood sample to a familiar face: Brick Peters. He was a bomb specialist in the Army and he has been building the bombs for Lawrence all along.
Bell and OA raid Bricks’ mother’s diner, finding an empty grenade box. This discovery means all the bombs aren’t accounted for. As Robert Lawrence goes on TV for a discussion about minority communities and the recent bombings, Peters forcibly gives up information by Solberg. They discover the last bomb is at a minority leaders summit where Kristen waits. In a wry twist of events, she is the one who answers the bomb (phone) when Lawrence tries to set it off. He is arrested, and the case is closed.
The episode ends with OA taking Bell to the wake of the small child who was killed at the beginning. Maggie locks eyes with the mother and a look of understanding coming over both of their faces.
What I liked:
- While Dick Wolf is not shy about having strong female leads (see Olivia Benson, SVU), the second main character is Muslim, something you don’t often see in shows (or isn’t done well). Often in TV we are only introduced to Muslim characters in that of terrorism. Zaki’s character exchanges words with Robert Lawrence and Brick Peters during the episode, as both have negative things to say about his ethnicity. Oddly enough, from the little we get from his backstory, he’s the most patriotic of all of them. Oh, the irony. I love the irony.
- The show’s pacing and actors’ chemistry is great. It has plenty of action (there are literally three explosions in the 43-minute period), but also great technical talk, too. The storyline is original and relevant for today’s climate without being too political. They address issues that we’ve seen on the news. As I said earlier, we’ve become sort of neutral to violence, but the relevancy and original takes on the topics keeps you rooted in the episode. One of my initial concerns for this show was how it would be different from Wolf’s other projects, and so far, I can say it has enough differences.
- I loved the familiar faces, whether it be from Wolfs’ previous shows, or the actors’ as well. Several actors were on previous shows with the main cast. (Zaki and Brandt, for example.) I’m a big fan of Missy from Rookie Blue specifically, and you can see the growth in her acting. Furthermore, she’s played law enforcement both times, and I think fans of Rookie Blue will enjoy her reprising a similar role, just with more mature characterization and experience.
What I Didn’t Like:
I don’t have any glaring criticisms yet. The show is only one episode in, anyway.
What I hope for:
- OA says he served in the military and specialized with bombs. The show also mentions he has a past in undercover work focused on terrorism. I am curious to how these intertwine and how long he has been out. My hope is that they keep him painted in the light we see now. For The Brave fans out there, Hadi Tabbal announced he would be in a later episode, and I hope that somehow it has to do with OA’s past.
Questions I have:
- Bell’s husband’s death. We see the picture of a man in her drawer at one point, then OA also asks about her husband’s passing. We get a brief explanation, but there aren’t many details. How long ago did this happen, how will it affect her work? Bell has been in New York three years, so she says. Did he die before that or did it happen in NYC? I am nervous that her character will become her “cracks” so to speak. I love a strong female character, but I also think there’s a fine line between using tragedy to build your character versus also making a strong female character stand on their own. This should be interesting as the season progresses. Regardless, I have high hopes for both her character and the other female characters we did meet.
- Nielsen doesn’t stay with the show, and Sela Ward comes in next episode. How will this change the dynamic?
- This show hints on several current political climate topics. Is this important for today’s culture, or will people shy away from FBI if these kinds of storylines continue? It makes me think about how many people shy away from the heavier topics because TV is an escape. They dance a dangerous line, but it could be something that sets them apart from other shows.
All in all,
FBI’s Pilot is worth your watch. There’s action, humor, despair, and my favorite thing about shows: interesting characters. There are a lot of law enforcement shows on the air right now, even some about the FBI as well, but I think this one has just the right amount of sparkle that it is going to do well with audiences.
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