When CBS's hit crime procedural drama series FBI returns to the air in October 2024, fans may notice a big change behind the scenes. After six seasons under the creative leadership of Rick Eid, the FBI family has tapped a new showrunner to guide Season 7 to the masses. Although Eid will stay on board as an executive producer for the foreseeable future, the police procedural is poised to go in a bold new direction led by a new head writer.
While it's worth noting that Eid will remain atop Wolf Entertainment's flagship series Law & Order for Season 24, FBI fans should prepare for sweeping substantial change in the upcoming season. In addition to a potentially reduced episode count, the new creative guide behind the FBI series will bring their experience to the table and help reinvigorate the crime drama for a reported three-year extension.
Rick Eid Is Stepping Away From FBI
FBI is a popular American crime procedural TV drama launched by Dick Wolf and Craig Turk for CBS. Premiering in 2018, the ensemble drama concerns the daily rigors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the field office in New York. Much of the conflict is seen through the eyes of Margaret "Maggie" Bell (Missy Peregrym), a Special FBI Agent whose family is deeply entrenched in law enforcement.
Along with her colleagues, Special Agent Omar Adom "O.A." Zidan (Zeeko Zaki), communications master Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto), and others, Maggie investigates a slew of crimes under the supervision of Dana Mosier (Sela Ward). Also on the team is Kristen Chazal (Ebonee Noel), an intelligence analyst, Kristen's partner Stuart Scola (John Boyd), White Collar investigator Tiffany Wallace (Katherine Renee Kane), and Mosier's bossy replacement, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Isobel Castille (Alana de la Garza).
Together, the FBI team races to prevent danger by thwarting international criminals from conducting the deadliest attacks on American soil. Off duty, the agents and investigators help each other navigate personal trials and tribulations that often bring them closer professionally in the long-running cop show.
From September 2018 to May 2024, FBI ran for six seasons and 113 episodes. Head writer and showrunner Rick Eid led the series during that span. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eid has decided to leave the FBI series to focus on his responsibility of helming Law & Order's upcoming 24th season. As Eid puts it:
"After six years of running two, or more, shows, and CBS now picking up FBI for three more years, this was the perfect time for me to step back and focus my efforts on running Law & Order and developing new projects,” Eid said in a statement. “I’m extremely proud of FBI , and couldn’t be happier for the cast, crew and producers. While I will no longer be the day-to-day showrunner, I intend to remain involved with the show going forward.”
About Eid's departure, legendary TV producer Dick Wolf stated:
"Rick has been a core member of the Wolf family for two decades. We thank him for all the work he did on FBI to get the series launched and look forward to continuing our creative partnership on Law & Order and beyond.”
As Eid focuses on Law & Order in the remainder of 2024, it's time to meet the new FBI showrunner set to spearhead the show's creative direction in Season 7.
Who Is the New FBI Showrunner?
Without further suspense, Mike Weiss has been slated to lead FBI in Season 7 and beyond. With 10 TV credits since 2007, Weiss has plenty of writing and producing experience on the small screen. Weiss began his career creating the TV movie That Crook'd 'Sipp in 2007 before writing and producing George of the Jungle. Additional writing credits include Cashmere Mafia and Sherri.
As a joint writer/producer, Weiss' credits include In Plain Sight, The Mentalist, Code Black, Stumptown, and most recently, Hulu's Death and Other Details. With plenty of crime and police procedural experience, FBI fans should rest easy that the procedural is in capable hands moving forward. Even more encouraging, Weiss understands the storytelling M.O. of Wolf Productions after working on Chicago P.D. for three seasons from 2014 to 2017, including 12 episodes written and 44 produced. However, anytime a popular series changes leadership, significant changes can be expected. For better or worse, FBI will redirect its course under new leadership.
What to Expect in FBI Season 7
Poised to return to CBS on October 15, 2024, fans can expect FBI to look different under Weiss' leadership. For instance, recent reports explain that Katherine Renee Kane will depart the series as the FBI's Special Agent in Charge, Tiffany Wallace (via Variety). Kane has been an FBI mainstay since 2020, replacing Dana Mosier (Sela Ward) as the Bureau's smartest intelligence agent. Whether Maggie will be promoted or Wallace replaced by a new SAC is yet to be seen.
The news of Kane's departure comes on the heels of the newly announced cast member Lisette Olivera (seen above), who has been cast as a Behavioral Analyst Agent named Syd (via Variety). While no further details about Syd's character or plotline have been provided, fans may recognize Olivera from the Disney+ original series National Treasure: Edge of History. Olivera can also be seen in Total Eclipse, I Always Said After, We Need to Do Something, and Waltz of the Angels.
At last glance, Maggie and her fellow FBI agents took on Somali terrorists responsible for killing Agent Trevor Hobbs (Roshawn Franklin). To find out if that storyline continues in Season 7, tune into the premiere on CBS on October 15, 2024. FBI is available to stream on Paramount+.
