How a high-stakes television procedural navigated a chaotic path from development to screen
In short: The police procedural CIA, a spin-off of the FBI franchise, faced significant behind-the-scenes turbulence before its 2026 premiere. From last-minute character changes to shifting showrunners and mid-production cast departures, the series overcame a complex development cycle to establish its unique dynamic between a rogue intelligence officer and a rigid federal agent.
The series CIA, which debuted on CBS in February 2026, originated as a project within Dick Wolf’s expansive FBI television universe. Initially conceived in January 2025 as a potential backdoor pilot, the show eventually secured a straight-to-series order in April 2025. This transition required a new script and a pivot away from the original launch strategy. The creative vision, spearheaded by Wolf and David Hudgins, aimed to distinguish the show from its parent franchise by emphasizing the interpersonal friction between two leads representing fundamentally different organizational cultures and methodologies.
Production was marked by notable instability, including multiple changes in leadership. Eriq La Salle joined to direct the pilot and executive produce, but later departed alongside showrunner Warren Leight. These exits, combined with the mid-production departure of actress Michael Michele—whose role as the New York station chief was subsequently recast with Necar Zadegan—forced significant delays. Filming, which commenced in September 2025 in New York City, was temporarily halted to accommodate these structural shifts. By the time the series reached the screen, Mike Weiss, the showrunner for the original FBI series, was expected to oversee the production.
The character dynamics also evolved during the casting process. Tom Ellis, cast as CIA case officer Colin Glass, was initially slated to play an American character. However, following a meeting with Dick Wolf, the character was reimagined as a British-American with a received pronunciation accent. Ellis eventually paired with Nick Gehlfuss, who was cast in September 2025 as FBI special agent Bill Goodman. The resulting procedural, which focuses on domestic threats, received a mixed critical reception, holding a 63% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 46 out of 100 on Metacritic. Despite these hurdles, the series proved successful enough to earn a second-season renewal in March 2026, with a premiere date set for October 5, 2026.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: CIA (TV series)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-cia-tv-series.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Traditions & customs · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
