Will fans have to wait for updates from the network to know for sure? If you want to know the current status of all three ‘FBI’ shows, then continue reading to find out more.
There is no doubt that the last few years for major television networks like CBS have been one of the most difficult ones, filled with many uncounted hurdles that have been heading their way, and sadly, they don’t seem to stop anytime soon! First, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that halted the production of major television shows, including one of the longest-running shows on the network, that has cemented itself in the network’s legacy! Yes, you guessed it right—it’s the one and only ‘FBI’ franchise that includes three amazing series, which include: FBI, FBI: International, and FBI: Most Wanted!
These three shows are widely popular among viewers due to the shared universe concept that makes the fans regularly stream every new season, making it one of the reasons why the network gave them early renewals for additional seasons earlier this year for the 2023–24 fall broadcast season, which was confirmed to premiere at the same time slot every Tuesday starting with FBI Season 6 at 8 p.m. EST, followed by FBI: International Season 3 at 9 p.m. EST, and concluding with FBI: Most Wanted Season 5 at 10 p.m. EST on CBS and later available to stream on Paramount Plus.
When this 2023–24 fall schedule was confirmed, the cheerfulness among the FBI fandom was at an all-time high, but sadly, the celebrations were short-lived as the second wave of hurdles finally made its stop at the doors of the CBS network, just like it did for other competitor broadcast networks like NBC and ABC, due to which the production houses across major Hollywood studios have once again come to a temporary halt! This time around, it’s the ongoing strikes, which include the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, that has caused both writers and actors to join hands in protest regarding their fair compensation.
These are major protests that have gained momentum after many years and are speculated to last for a while as there is no chance that the actors and writers will back down easily without reaching a fair agreement, which they truly deserve to get as they are the ones who are the backbone of the entertainment industry, and it’s because of them that good scripts are written with great actors taking roles in the projects in order to give it life and bring the magic from the screenplays onto the television screens or movie screens around the world. So, there is no chance that we will be getting to see our beloved shows premiere this fall season or sometime later this year!
In short, the fans will have to wait for a while as it is impossible for CBS to bring all three ‘FBI’ shows back in the fall of the 2023 broadcast season because the chances of scripts being completed on time, even if by any chance the strikes are concluded early, are minimal. These two strikes will lead to significant negotiations, which might take time to get things back on track as the pre-production stage alone will take a lot of time to get things back in order, with incompleted scripts eventually causing delays in the filming of the new episode. Moreover, this shift in the broadcast schedule has already been acknowledged by the network.
Recently, CBS confirmed that the much-awaited FBI franchise will no longer be a part of the 2023–24 fall broadcasting season, as the network has decided to postpone the majority of their scripted series, just like competitor networks release until next year due to the lack of active writers and actors that are taking part in the ongoing strikes. Many reports have also confirmed that the writing for the upcoming seasons has not even started yet, which is quite unfortunate when we consider the fact that filming usually begins by the summer season if the network is aiming for its fall release later this year.
Eventually, the network’s programming executives faced a daunting challenge: how to captivate audiences and keep them glued to their screens during the fall 2023–24 primetime slots with a lack of scripted shows?
For this issue, after careful consideration, they came up with a brilliant solution that would surely delight fans and reignite their passion for crime-solving dramas. CBS has decided to fill these empty slots with reruns of all three beloved FBI shows, allowing viewers to relive the gripping investigations, heart-pounding action, and unforgettable moments from the prior seasons that have aired over the last few years. This move will allow new viewers to connect with the shows and catch up with prior seasons if they haven’t been able to do so!
Hence, there is no chance that the beloved series will be able to release all-new seasons as a part of CBS’s 2023–24 broadcast schedule. The network will revise its fall schedule by airing reruns of the FBI’s previous seasons in its usual time slot.
For your consideration, we speculate that the new seasons might premiere in the first quarter of 2024, which begins in January and lasts until March. Only if the production begins later this year with the same time slot of every Tuesday night, starting at 8 p.m. and concluding at 10 p.m. on a weekly basis without causing any unwanted changes in the previously confirmed primetime schedule, any updates relating to this subject are still up for debate!
On the other hand, there is a minor possibility that if the strikes conclude within the next few weeks, then the series might also begin airing by late 2023, as the creators might get enough time to complete scripts for some episodes for it to begin airing by the end of this year. Of course! This is just speculation, and one can only hope for the best! As this has already been hinted at by George Cheeks, President and CEO of CBS and Chief Content Officer, who stated during a keynote at Banff moderated by Deadline’s Peter White:
“We wanted to build our schedule for when the world goes back to normal.” Further adding, “Once we had done that, once we locked it in, we spent a lot of time focusing on what it was going to look like.” He elaborated that a revised CBS fall scheduling plan is expected to be revealed soon. “First of all, obviously it’s going to be very reality-heavy,” he added. George Cheeks was also questioned about the studio’s discussions with the leading Hollywood guilds and the ongoing WGA strike.
He discussed the variations between the broadcast and streaming economic models and referred to the recently achieved preliminary deal with the DGA as “helpful.” Hence, after looking at these statements, it’s pretty much safe to say that the majority of the show’s release date from the CBS fall schedule will be changed. So, we recommend readers follow social media to catch up with all the details whenever they are published and follow the announcements made by official sources in order to be up-to-date with the status of the strikes and series production.
Will the official episode count for all three ‘FBI’ shows be reduced?
When renewed, all three series were given a standard 21–22 episode count with an average duration of 39–44 minutes, premiering on a weekly basis. But due to cost-cutting or ongoing strikes, the episode count might vary if the network decides to air a shorter season with only 15 to 18 episodes, which will help to conclude the run of the all-new seasons earlier rather than stretching the plot unnecessarily just for the sake of premiering all the episodes without compromising much with the quality of content being produced.
All details on the official episode titles and synopsis will be released later, once the release date draws near, in order to prevent early spoilers. On the other hand, all three series’ respective seasons will air on CBS and later on Paramount Plus, just like the prior seasons. The viewers can also catch up on all the seasons on FuboTV. It is also available for renting or purchasing on Amazon Instant Video and Vudu, with a vast number of membership plans. The series is also available to watch for free on CBS’s official website and app, where it’s published after the TV broadcast based on the user’s location.
While you wait for more ‘FBI’ updates, catch up on previous seasons to recall all the plotlines that have happened so far in this Dick Wolf and Craig Turk-created universe.