There's a lot riding on FBI: CIA. The upcoming spinoff will be the first in the FBI franchise after CBS decided to pull the plug on both FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International. Fans are steel reeling from the loss of 2/3 of the franchise's first three shows, but CIA will mark the dawn of a new chapter.
And it will be doing so on its own terms. Most FBI spinoffs, and most spinoffs in general, use their flagship show as a launchpad in the form of a backdoor pilot. This means the main FBI series has made a habit of dedicating whole episodes to introducing spinoff casts and premises. This won't be happening with FBI: CIA, however.
FBI: CIA will no longer receive a backdoor pilot
Deadline confirmed that CIA will receive a straight-to-series order by CBS, which means it will skip the backdoor pilot and debut with a proper pilot. This is a radically different shift, as it was previously said that FBI proper would help FBI: CIA get off the ground. It was so close to becoming a reality, in fact, that Deadline had a suspect episode number for when the FBI: CIA cast would be introduced.
The outlet alleged that episode 19 of the current season would be the testing ground for CIA. The casting for the spinoff's main characters proved to be trickier than initially anticipated, though, and the backdoor pilot was pushed to episode 20 or 21. Then, it was scrapped altogether.
Apparently, the network is still looking for the right actors to cast in FBI: CIA's main roles. These roles include a "strait-laced FBI agent and a street-smart CIA agent" who work together despite their initial apprehension and head up a new task force charged preventing domestic terrorism in New York City.
The show's title may also be changed
Deadline alleged that there will also be a third main role within the show, though its unclear who this character will be or how they connect to the aforementioned agents. FBI: CIA has been the title that has been floated by CBS and Wolf Entertainment, but the outlet theorizes that it may be subject to change in the coming weeks.
Evidently, the negative feedback to the title, which, admittedly, does sound like a parody of the procedural and inter-connected franchise shows, has made CBS rethink the title, though none of the alternatives have been publicly announced. It's fascinating to hear that so many elements are still up in the air, despite the fact the show is slated to air during the 2025-26 season.