FBI - General Discussion

[Raja]

11 minutes ago, CooperTV said:

The hot male partner (I didn't catch the name of) the only thing I liked about this. Everything else is silly. Pity Connie Nielsen and Jeremy Sisto are stuck in it.

Connie Nielson's Special Agent In Charge is being replaced by Sela Ward for the series.

[CooperTV]

24 minutes ago, Raja said:

Connie Nielson's Special Agent In Charge is being replaced by Sela Ward for the series.

Oh well, good for Connie Nielsen!

[Danielg342]

Wow. What a mess.

It really does feel like Dick Wolf made a show based on as many crime procedural cliches he could think of. Stuff blows up at random points and for no reason, the villains were minorities until a "shocking swerve" where the villain is really a white supremacist (seriously, how many times do we go down this well?), the lower level agents are all "tough mavericks" while their bosses are "tough but by-the-book".

Oh, and their bosses- except Jeremy Sisto's character- were all women and did little more than bark orders, falling victim to another of Hollywood's worst cliches: sticking minorities in "boss" roles just so the producers can claim they're being "diverse". Never mind those characters do diversity no good, because only when they're well-rounded (and boss characters hardly ever are) are the characters worth anything.

Ho hum.

I do think the worst was Agent Bell (whose name I only found out because I looked it up in order to write this review better), who fit what has to be the police procedural's worst cliche- that of the "tough but secretly warm female agent". The character wore no makeup, in order so that she can look tough, doesn't have any kids (so she's a lone wolf!), talks tough and is unrelenting with the perps (complete with that death glare), and hardly ever cracks a smile.

...but, but...when the woman at the apartment took Bell to task about "not being able to understand because you don't have any kids" (check another cliche off the list), there was Bell, brooding about the kid she couldn't save!

Aww...she has a heart guys...I mean, she's really beating herself up about some kid she's never met...never mind that she's likely encountered many other kids she was unable to save so this one kid she couldn't save shouldn't matter so much.

No...we need to show she's got a heart!

*groan*

I suppose I should say that I did like a few things- the agent drawing threatening drawings is kind of a neat trait, and Jeremy Sisto is always fun to watch. Plus Missy Peregrym (Agent Bell) showed she could rise above the material she's given.

...and, it being the pilot, perhaps this was just "the wonky start".

However, with the start being this messy...I don't have too much hope it'll get better.

[Rickster]

Anyone familiar with the suburbs north of NYC would laugh at white supremacist guy living in Scarsdale, which is a town with a large Jewish community. Had to be a purposely ironic joke.

I too found the show messy, and particulary found Sisto irritating and his role pointless.

Edited September 30, 2018 by Rickster
Spelling

[ChattyCathyLA]

What a sh*t show!  I’m shocked that Dick Wolf is behind this stinker!  Glad Connie Nielsen is being replaced, but they need to dump Missy who can’t act and has the same vocal cadence and facial expression in every scene.  In addition, she doesn’t embody her character with the gravitas of an FBI agent in charge.  Seems more like an executive assistant to me. Enjoyed the guy playing her partner and always love Jeremy Sisto.  Will give it one more chance when Sela Ward comes on, because the girl has presence and can act!  But can she save this mess?  I doubt it ... 

[Danielg342]

4 hours ago, Rickster said:

white supremacist

*wags finger incessantly*

C'mon now! Remember, he prefers "Americanist"!

*sigh*

Getting serious, I just learned via Wikipedia that "Americanist" actually refers to someone who studies North America and its culture, with many studying Native Americans. This should be something the baddie- who was a scholar, I believe- should have known.

(From what I understand, most in the alt-right call themselves "patriots"- that would have been a better choice)

So either Dick Wolff was being clever or he goofed pretty badly. I lean on the latter.

Edited September 30, 2018 by Danielg342

[kili]

I've tried, but I can't make any sense of a plot that has them bombing the community centre at which the bomb-maker works.  Brick would never have been on anybody's radar if that had not occurred. As part of routine, they would have checked all the backgrounds of people associated with the site and found his bomb-making experience very interesting.

Why have the bomb-maker hand the bomb to M-13 who hands it to the kid in broad-daylight in front of a camera who then puts it in the community centre where the bomb-maker works? Maybe there was a re-write and they were originally going to have the bomb-maker make all the bombs and then double-cross him taking him out with his own bomb? But, then they realized they needed the 24 hour deadline, so they couldn't have the conspiracy take him out that soon? IDK. The writing needs to get a lot tighter.

In my experience those old flip-phone batteries were beasts. If you weren't using them, they took forever to lose charge. It's the early-gen smartphones that ate batteries in less than 24 hours. 

I liked the main male agent, Sisto and the enthusiastic agent who diffused the bomb at the symposium. The female agent with the tragic backstory annoys me already. I don't care about her baggage, just solve the crime. Baggage Agent was ridiculous layering on another bag with the death of that child. Sure, let the mother vent that she'd rather be dead (as she sits beside her 12 year-old badly injured son finding out that he's not worth living for), but given when she arrived at the site, there is no way Baggage Agent had time to save the kid, so put down that bag. If she can't realistically deal with the job, send her to counselling and pair up the two agents I do like. That would be an interesting dynamic.

[Shriekingeel]

On 9/29/2018 at 8:02 PM, Rickster said:

 

Anyone familiar with the suburbs north of NYC would laugh at white supremacist guy living in Scarsdale, which is a town with a large Jewish community. Had to be a purposely ironic joke.

 

 

But this is the Dick Wolf alternate universe where dog-fighting matches somehow take place in fancy Manhattan high-rises inhabited by wealthy white stockbrokers (an actual L&O episode). Nothing, no matter how bizarre, surprises me in Dick-Wolf-land. 

[WendyCR72]

Quote

After eight people are fatally poisoned at a deli in New York City, special agents Maggie Bell and OA Zidan trace the crime to an unlikely culprit and conduct a sting operation to prevent further attacks.

[WendyCR72]

This one drew me in a bit more than the pilot. And I like Dana, Sela Ward's character.

My ongoing issue is the bleak nature. No, I didn't expect a laughfest on a show called FBI, but even the Law & Order franchise had moments of levity with its characters, no matter which version.

This is just...dark. No light.

So I'm not sure how long I will keep watching. Until it wears me down, I guess?

That said, the ISIS arc was sadly timely and scary to know this does/did happen. Liked that OA got to use his cultural background here to take the perps down. Still not feeling Missy Peregrym's character, though. Will Jeremy Sisto's character ever get to do more than yell?

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

This one drew me in a bit more than the pilot. And I like Dana, Sela Ward's character.

So maybe I will watch it.

1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

My ongoing issue is the bleak nature. No, I didn't expect a laughfest on a show called FBI, but even the Law & Order franchise had moments of levity with its characters, no matter which version.

And this^^ is why I guess I won't watch it.

[preeya]

Sela Ward, WOW.  She sure has aged very well.

[WendyCR72]

14 minutes ago, preeya said:

Sela Ward, WOW.  She sure has aged very well.

She looks like she has had work done, but EXCELLENT work. Either way, she looks spectacular for 58 (or 62, depending on which source one believes!).

[weathered1]

1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

My ongoing issue is the bleak nature. No, I didn't expect a laughfest on a show called FBI, but even the Law & Order franchise had moments of levity with its characters, no matter which version.

This is just...dark. No light.

1

 

I'm having the same issue with this. Everything is so dark, so dire all the time. The show desperately needs moments - however brief - where that darkness is relieved. 

Aside from that, I really like the partner and Jeremy Sisto, and Sela Ward did well. I'm having problems with the star, though. I watched Missy on Rookie Blue, and I don't recall her being quite this bad. As it is now, though, they could get a block of a wood with a ponytail to stand in for her during her scenes, and we wouldn't be able to tell the difference. 

Two episodes in, and the show is just okay, but I'm not sure how much longer I'll tune in to something that revels in all that is bleak. 

[threebluestars]

Yeah, agree they need to lighten the mood a bit. It's really going to wear me down quickly without some levity.

I really liked the girl that played Tara.

[Xeliou66]

This episode was an improvement over the first one. I’m enjoying this show so far, I like that the focus is all about the case  and not on the agents personal lives. I found the storyline very interesting and relevant as terrorist groups do use those tactics to recruit young people to their cause. I liked how OA used his knowledge of Islamic culture to help solve the case. I love Jubal aka “Lupo” and he’s great in the supervisor role, I would like to see him out in the field some. I liked the new boss much better than the boss in the first episode. I like all the characters so far.

[TheGreenWave]

Agree with everyone above regarding the dark/dire tone of the show.  For some reason this show reminds me of that Patricia Arquette CSI Cyber show (not a good memory) in which they are all standing around a bullpen and solving the case together with super computer stuff and whatever (Thank God for algorithms!).  Also, for once I would love if one of these shows took more than just an hour to solve the problem-of-the-week.  What about taking a few episodes and really dive into the issues surrounding the case?  ISIS recruiting young teen girls - that subject matter could have been really interesting to explore - especially since you know this could have been an operation with more than just the NYC field office and across states.  What about a storyline that involves a few FBI offices across states (and not in the tropey "we are going to fight over jurisdiction" way).  Make this standout in some capacity because my love for Elton/Lupo will only carry me so far....

Not looking forward to next week when it appears that they are already going to trot out the "cast member in peril" storyline.  I already get my fill of that on Criminal Minds.

[HurricaneVal]

15 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

his one drew me in a bit more than the pilot. And I like Dana, Sela Ward's character.

My ongoing issue is the bleak nature. No, I didn't expect a laughfest on a show called FBI, but even the Law & Order franchise had moments of levity with its characters, no matter which version.

This is just...dark. No light.

So I'm not sure how long I will keep watching. Until it wears me down, I guess?

That said, the ISIS arc was sadly timely and scary to know this does/did happen. Liked that OA got to use his cultural background here to take the perps down. Still not feeling Missy Peregrym's character, though. Will Jeremy Sisto's character ever get to do more than yell?

I co-sign this entire post.  This is pretty much what I came here to say!

Sela Ward is awesome?  Check.  So far, a real downer of a show?  Check.  It seems to be good, but man it's going to get depressing.  Check.  Loved that OA got to be the point man on the ISIS stuff.  Check.   One-note Maggie--when will we get to see a different facial expression?  Check.  Why is Jeremy Sisto's character constantly yelling?  Check.

 

About the only thing I was going to say, other than I appreciated the rather different plotline, was:  why do the other FBI agents wear suits and other professional type clothes, while Maggie swans around in a black t-shirt and jeggings?

[TimetoShine]

1 hour ago, HurricaneVal said:

Why is Jeremy Sisto's character constantly yelling?  Check.

Thank you. I will always have love for JS but why was he yelling so much? There was one scene in particular where they were all gathered around the screens and he's yelling but everyone else in the scene was speaking with in-door voices. Completely took me out of the scene. That and the scene was boring.

[TV Anonymous]

I am not crazy about the using of amazing but impossible technology, CSI-style. I mean really, they can get a clear video from a reflection on an obscure mirror? If there is not enough pixel to form a picture, computer can not just make it up. I am also not crazy about an FBI agent wearing t-shirt for work. I read someplace that FBI dress standard is jacket and tie for men and equivalent for women. Black v-neck t-shirt is certainly not equivalent IMHO.

[dargosmydaddy]

17 hours ago, weathered1 said:

I watched Missy on Rookie Blue, and I don't recall her being quite this bad.

She was pretty bad there, too (IMO). And I think she does better with comedy/ lighthearted moments, which Rookie Blue managed to have, unlike this show...

2 hours ago, TimetoShine said:

I will always have love for JS but why was he yelling so much?

Gah! So much this! I haven't watched either of the two episodes in full (flipping between this and This Is Us), but the yelling is already getting to me. The only reason I tuned in was Sisto, but his character seems kind of obnoxiously loud so far, and not much else.

[Xeliou66]

I do wish they would focus a bit less on technology and a bit more on traditional investigation. 

The show doesn’t have humor but I haven’t found it overly depressing.

[JasmineFlower]

21 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

My ongoing issue is the bleak nature. No, I didn't expect a laughfest on a show called FBI, but even the Law & Order franchise had moments of levity with its characters, no matter which version.

This is a huge problem with this show, they are missing their Lennie Briscoe. And it doesn't matter that it's the FBI, they can add it if they wanted to. I'm not sure how many here watched The Brave last year on NBC, I wish it had gotten an additional season as it was really very well done. It's about an elite special-ops unit going on various covert assignments around the world when our national interests are at risk. There wasn't one episode that wasn't serious and dire in nature because of the kind of work that it entails, much darker than this really. And yet The Brave was much easier to watch than this because they injected moments of levity and camaraderie between the team members in every single episode. Not only is it necessary, but it also makes you like the characters more, shows a bit of their personality when they joke with each other in that manner. This show is sorely missing that.

[Dowel Jones]

6 hours ago, TimetoShine said:

There was one scene in particular where they were all gathered around the screens and he's yelling but everyone else in the scene was speaking with in-door voices.

And the characters always end their rant with "Let's MOVE, people!"  As if you can speed up the data entry into the computer, or make the mouse go around just a little faster.  Just like the scenes where the police in a shooting match get on the radio and shout "I need backup and an ambulance NOW!", as if that makes a difference.  I hate that trope.

[CheshireCat]

I'm not watching glued to the TV but I think it's a decent enough show. Not sure about Sela Ward though. She seemed to have this faint smile on her face almost each time she said something and I found that distracting as I found myself wondering if it was intentional or not.

Edited October 4, 2018 by CheshireCat

[Waterston Fan]

I liked the episode and I still cannot remember the agent's name who is partnered with Bell. 

I think Sela kinda does have that faint smile, she did that on CSI: NY. 

It is nice to see JS though but he does need to quit his yelling a bit. 

[dargosmydaddy]

23 hours ago, JasmineFlower said:

I'm not sure how many here watched The Brave last year on NBC, I wish it had gotten an additional season as it was really very well done.

I loved The Brave. It was, indeed, very well done, and with great characters.

[Xantar]

On 10/3/2018 at 8:08 PM, JasmineFlower said:

And yet The Brave was much easier to watch than this because they injected moments of levity and camaraderie between the team members in every single episode. Not only is it necessary, but it also makes you like the characters more, shows a bit of their personality when they joke with each other in that manner. This show is sorely missing that.

I loved The Brave and thought it was much better than SEAL Team (so naturally, SEAL Team was renewed while The Brave was cancelled). I especially loved the dynamics between the characters and how they would bust each other's balls over their dating life or how one of them was an unexpectedly good cook.

Are we going to have a multiple-casualty terrorist attack every week? Because that's going to get really tiresome and depressing really fast. The real-life United States doesn't experience nearly that much tragedy (unless you count mass shootings). And to have all of that happening in New York City is just laughable.

Also, what was the wardrobe department thinking putting Missy Peregrym in a t-shirt while everybody else was wearing a business suit? I was expecting to be told that she was in the middle of having drinks when she got called in to the incident, but we never heard anything like that. She just looks extremely unprofessional.

I actually like all of the cast, and I even think Sela Ward is great. However, I don't think I'm going to stick with this one.

[Xeliou66]

I agree that we shouldn’t have major terrorist attacks each week, that would get old and extremely unrealistic, hopefully they will start delving into other types of cases, the FBI can deal with anything really so hopefully we will get more of that soon. Next week looks like a serial killer case, which should be different and interesting.

[JasmineFlower]

9 hours ago, Xantar said:

Also, what was the wardrobe department thinking putting Missy Peregrym in a t-shirt while everybody else was wearing a business suit? I was expecting to be told that she was in the middle of having drinks when she got called in to the incident, but we never heard anything like that. She just looks extremely unprofessional.

A t-shirt and gray skinny jeans. I was completely distracted by it wondering WTH the deal was with her too casual business casual look next to her partner's suit in particular, but really everyone who was in some form of business attire.

[juliet73]

I like Sela Ward so I'm glad she was brought in to replace the other woman from the pilot. 

I don't mind the "darkness" to the show - it adds more realism, IMO.

I think OA is the stand out character in this show. I'll continue to watch just for him. 

[WendyCR72]

Quote

Special Agent Maggie Bell, Special Agent OA Zidan and the team investigate the murders of 18 young women with help from a survivor associated with the deceased.

[tvfanatic13]

Did anyone catch what she was typing at the end?

[Real4real]

4 hours ago, tvfanatic13 said:

Did anyone catch what she was typing at the end?

I was just coming here to ask the same question!  My son walked through the room just then and read it for me:  “Dear Tara, If you ever need to talk, I am here for you.  I want you to know that you are not alone.  You mattered today and you matter always.  Maggie”

Ahh, to have young eyes!

[Waterston Fan]

Come to think of it, I admit, with a dad like Tara has, I don't blame her for what she was doing. I bet her dad was a bully to her as well. 

[WendyCR72]

I had work issues come up, so I am waiting for Amazon to upload the episode. However, based on the lack of activity, I assume this was as bleak as ever.

[Xeliou66]

This was by far the best episode so far. Case was very good, felt much more realistic than the mass casualty terrorism stuff from the first 2 episodes, human trafficking is a major issue that doesn’t get much attention so it was nice to see them focus on that. I liked the case a lot, the investigation flowed nicely and realistically and this was the most interesting plot so far IMO.

I loved seeing Jubal get out in the field and go undercover.

There isn’t much humor, but I don’t find the show to be overly bleak and I like all the characters, they gel very well together, and the dialogue is good.

[threebluestars]

I missed the explanation of why the two Ukrainian sisters were named Haley and Brooke ... so that was weird lol.

[Dowel Jones]

2 hours ago, Xeliou66 said:

There isn’t much humor,

You have to search for it.  The two agents approach the Ukrainian doctor's apartment complex.  Agent Bell:  "What do you bet he's in the wind?" Seconds later, said doctor comes crashing down, through the wind, and into a car. 

Why would the property manager give up the locations of the gang's properties, if she was actually part of the cartel?  Was she looking to clean out the lower level thugs?

[Netfoot]

When the doctor's body hit the car, they new that Snake (or someone) was upstairs in the building.  Why didn't they cover the stairs and call for 500 cops as backup?  Why go root him out themselves?  He might have had an entire cricket team of bad guys with him!  Why not at the very least, call for backup before going after him?

When Snake had Wossname on the floor, choking her, why didn't she poke out one of his eyes?  Or rip off one of his ears?  (I understand they come off quite easily!) Or jam two fingers up his nose into his sinus cavity, and grip his upper jaw from the inside?  (My dad taught me that one.)  I guess she didn't want to fight too hard, because Snake had to get away, or the show would end 22 minutes early?

When he departs in the white vehicle, why not give chase?  Omar might not be able to catch him, but at least he could get close enough for long enough to get the plate number?

[preeya]

37 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

When the doctor's body hit the car, they new that Snake (or someone) was upstairs in the building.  Why didn't they cover the stairs and call for 500 cops as backup?  Why go root him out themselves?  He might have had an entire cricket team of bad guys with him!  Why not at the very least, call for backup before going after him?

When Snake had Wossname on the floor, choking her, why didn't she poke out one of his eyes?  Or rip off one of his ears?  (I understand they come off quite easily!) Or jam two fingers up his nose into his sinus cavity, and grip his upper jaw from the inside?  (My dad taught me that one.)  I guess she didn't want to fight too hard, because Snake had to get away, or the show would end 22 minutes early?

When he departs in the white vehicle, why not give chase?  Omar might not be able to catch him, but at least he could get close enough for long enough to get the plate number?

2

Every FBI show that I have ever watched, they are notorious for letting perps get away in vehicles. This one is no different.

SHOOT OUT THE DAMN TIRES.

[illdoc]

11 hours ago, threebluestars said:

I missed the explanation of why the two Ukrainian sisters were named Haley and Brooke ... so that was weird lol.

In fact, one of the FBI agents said "Haley? Doesn't sound Ukrainian" and was told "her mother was American" (at the time, they only knew of the one girl). Weirder was the fact that I couldn't hear an accent from either girl. Having an American name (with an American mother) is one thing, but if you've been living your entire life in the Ukraine, you'd have an accent!

[threebluestars]

49 minutes ago, illdoc said:

In fact, one of the FBI agents said "Haley? Doesn't sound Ukrainian" and was told "her mother was American" (at the time, they only knew of the one girl). Weirder was the fact that I couldn't hear an accent from either girl. Having an American name (with an American mother) is one thing, but if you've been living your entire life in the Ukraine, you'd have an accent!

I thought that was weird too. And all of the "Ukrainian" girls were saying "the Ukraine" too instead of just "Ukraine" which stood out to me.

[JasmineFlower]

Goodness gracious this show is bleak as all get out. They need a jewelry heist, art museum theft or something light quick. A Bernie Madoff white collar crime scheme would qualify as light at this point. Previews for next week show there is no end to this bleak storytelling on the horizon so I'm not sure, but I might just be bailing on this soon. Like many of us said last week, this isn't a bad show, a good deal of it is very well done, but it is sorely missing even a mild lightness to balance it out a bit. It is dark and very real in a depressing way and not feeling like an escape at all.

[illdoc]

Changing showrunners, again. https://tvline.com/2018/10/10/fbi-showrunner-change-cbs-rick-eid-derek-haas/

[WendyCR72]

One thing you can say for Dick Wolf: He seems to stick with many who have worked for him. Haas, of course, works/worked on Chicago Fire, and Rick Eid, as well as part of the Chicago franchise, also worked on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Not sure about the L&O Mothership, but I wouldn't doubt it.

[Xeliou66]

Jubal undercover at the motel was by far the funniest moment of the show so far, that was awesome!! I would like a bit more lightness to the show, but I like the focus on the cases and investigations and I like all of the characters and they gel together well so I will definitely keep watching the show. 

[JasmineFlower]

27 minutes ago, Xeliou66 said:

Jubal undercover at the motel was by far the funniest moment of the show so far, that was awesome!! I would like a bit more lightness to the show, but I like the focus on the cases and investigations and I like all of the characters and they gel together well so I will definitely keep watching the show. 

Given the storyline, there was only so much humor to me in that scene, which was not much at all. Those were not willing prostitutes walking into his trap. In another context, I would've been more amused. So had they not graphically told us what the girls had endured when taken and then what they do now to not die and not have their families killed, maybe. But this show has been rather graphic with details, so it cuts down on the possibilities for amusement if you ask me.

[Rae Spellman]

20 hours ago, threebluestars said:

I missed the explanation of why the two Ukrainian sisters were named Haley and Brooke ... so that was weird lol.

Show said their mother was American. A Northern California hippie. 

[Xeliou66]

I just found Jubal’s persona in that scene entertaining, he was quite good in that undercover role, his comment about getting a rebate if it takes him less than an hour made me laugh, I want to see Jubal in the field more. 

I don’t find the show to be nearly as dark as others do, and I thought last nights episode was by far the best so far, the case felt much more realistic and was very compelling, and the characters all gel together very well and are enjoyable to watch.