Spoilers ahead for the May 9 episode of FBI on CBS, called “Privilege.”
Just a couple of episodes are left before the Season 5 finale of FBI airs on CBS, and “Privilege” was proof that the hit drama isn’t slowing down as summer hiatus approaches. Already renewed for Season 6, the show sent the investigators of 26 Fed on the hunt for the kidnapped daughter of a U.S. senator, but Maggie and OA soon discovered that the investigation could have started days earlier with another young woman's disappearance. By the time the final credits rolled, FBI had showcased some key differences between Maggie and Isobel, with stars Missy Peregrym and Alana De La Garza crushing their performances.
In the wake of Maggie making a harsh decision about her sister, the team learned that another young woman, named Katie, had gone missing days before Allison was taken. Unlike Allison, Katie didn’t have a senator for a parent to guarantee all hands on deck across law enforcement, which her mother didn’t hesitate to point out. Not unjustly, Maggie took her frustrations out on the cop who had briefly looked into Katie’s disappearance, and it took most of the episode for her to accept that it was the system that failed the young woman. In contrast, Isobel was the picture of professionalism, making for an interesting contrast between the two women.
Now, I’m not saying that Maggie was wrong for having strong reactions to the case, but I couldn’t ignore how “Privilege” set up the differences between the two women. While Maggie wanted to save both women, Isobel started to play the odds that meant Katie was almost certainly long dead, while Allison might still be alive. While Maggie could see her boss’ point once Isobel clarified what she was doing with her methods of getting the kidnapper to talk, it didn’t seem to sit well with her.
Then, at the end, Maggie and Isobel went to see Katie’s mother to give her some details about what had happened to her daughter and confirm that the man responsible had been captured. Maggie understandably looked near tears when speaking to the woman whose daughter should have been saved by law enforcement, while Isobel remained composed. Missy Peregrym and Alana De La Garza sold Maggie and Isobel's decisions with their performances, and it worked.
The reactions were perfectly in character for both women, particularly given that it wasn’t too long ago that Isobel made the call for Scola to be kept in the dark about Nina’s life-threatening injury in the limit-pushing three-part crossover (available streaming via Paramount+ subscription), which actor John Boyd deemed an “unforgivable” betrayal. As the boss, she simply has to make tougher decisions than everybody else. Plus, Isobel crossed a major line even earlier in the season, to the point that there was the question of whether or not it was the right call.
In contrast, Maggie struggled to a certain extent in her return after the sarin gas exposure, and I’m not sure that Isobel would have handled the situation with Jubal falling off the wagon the same way that Maggie did. I don’t think that either woman was wrong in “Privilege,” but I appreciated that FBI showcased their different strengths as agents. Isobel herself said that Maggie and OA were her best agents, and who can really disagree?
For now, check out the promo for the next episode:
Keep tuning in to CBS on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of FBI until the Season 5 finale on May 23. The finale will also be FBI’s milestone 100th episode, followed by the Season 2 finale of FBI: International at 9 p.m. and Season 4 finale of FBI: Most Wanted at 10 p.m. All three FBI shows were renewed for another season back in 2022, so fans can count on seeing more of the agents in the fall… unless the WGA writers strike pushes the premieres back to 2024.
