The FBI teams are taking a much-needed break for a couple of weeks.
After five non-stop episodes to kick off their seasons, each FBI show will be off with FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International not returning until November 15.
However, the mothership FBI will have a special episode airing on Sunday, November 6.
The unique scheduling is due to some real-world events putting off programming on November 8 and the shows needing a little more time off.
When they do return, it’ll be with some big stuff, notably the long-awaited return of one agent.
So FBI fans can enjoy this brief respite after some harrowing action and drama on all three shows.
Why is FBI Tuesdays taking a break?
It is normal for a TV series to start a season with a strong run of episodes and then take a brief break just before the November sweeps period.
FBI Tuesdays have had a longer run than usual, with five straight episodes since their September 20 premieres. The past week saw another strong run of episodes.
The mothership FBI had 6.9 million viewers, although it slipped slightly in the 18-49 demo with a 0.5 rating.
However, FBI: International saw an uptick to 6 million viewers and a 0.5 demo rating. Likewise, FBI: Most Wanted had a 0.5 demo rating with 5.2 million viewers.
The main FBI focused on Wallace as she contacted an old NYPD contact for help with a case. Sadly, the former cop had lost his way, attempting to kill the drug lord the team was hunting, and Wallace was forced to shoot him.
FBI: International sent the team on a hunt to find a missing baby. Meanwhile, Forrester became more concerned with helping the father of a young neighbor, who’d gotten tied in with a local mob.
The most dramatic was FBI: Most Wanted, as the team had to rescue a kidnapped Hana, who was trying, in turn, to save an abused girl. This led to some revelations about Hana’s past as she attempted to put herself back together.
This will be the last push of FBI for a while, but there’s an intriguing installment to come.
What’s coming when FBI Tuesdays return?
The big news is that FBI will be airing a special episode on Sunday, November 6, at 8:30/7:30.
This is because CBS will not be airing regular programming on Tuesday, November 8, to show coverage of the United States midterm elections.
FBI actually has an “extra” episode for Season 5, as the October 4 installment was the delayed Season 4 finale.
This special episode, Double Bind, promises a unique case that can also lead to major developments.
“As the team works to rescue a 5-year-old kidnapping victim, Scola suspects the boy’s mother isn’t being forthcoming about why her son was targeted. Also, Nina struggles to open up to Scola about matters in their relationship.”
The plotline may be setting up Shantel VanSanten’s departure as Nina. The character was brought on late in Season 4 to be a fill-in for Maggie while Missy Peregrym was on maternity leave.
It’s now been announced that Maggie will return in the November 15 episode, still dealing with a sarin gas attack. That will kick off a new night of action.
Thus, while fans may be a bit annoyed at a long delay, they can look forward to a special Sunday outing for FBI in early November, and the shows will make up for the break with all the action and drama fans love a week later.
FBI Season 5 returns with a special episode Sunday, November 6, at 8:30/7:30c on CBS.