FBI's disappointing casting update for season 7 confirms what I was afraid would happen during season 7. Tiffany Wallace left FBI in the season 7 premiere, leaving Scola (John Boyd) without a partner. In the episodes since, Scola has worked with several partners who were not good fits for him and did not remain with the New York Field Office, making it clear that they were only placeholders until Syd (Lisette Olivera) could arrive on the scene.
I disapproved of the idea of using temporary partners because it would make it more difficult to trust that Syd was staying for more than a few episodes. However, her character sounded like it would move FBI in a bold, new direction by including a behavioral analyst with little tactical experience in the FBI: season 7 cast. Unfortunately, Dick Wolf Entertainment recently announced that Syd will also only remain with the series for only a few episodes, which makes the problem of using temporary partners even worse than it was before a permanent partner was on her way to FBI.
The FBI Casting Update Means Syd Will Be Another Temporary Partner for Scola
This New Partner Will Not Solve The Problem Of Tiffany's Absence
Instead of being a permanent member of the FBI cast, Syd will be the third temporary partner that Scola has had, with no news yet as to who will replace her once she departs or why the character will choose to leave after only a few episodes. She follows on the heels of Sophia Otero and an ex-SWAT officer named Urlich, the latter of whom was such a disaster I was relieved he wasn't coming back. It was understandable that FBI created temporary partners as placeholders until Syd arrived, but the latest cast update makes that pointless.
I'm even more disappointed than I was originally that Sophia left after only one episode. Although she was somewhat overeager, she and Scola worked well together, and she would have fit in with the team. I disliked that she left because she felt she couldn't compete with Tiffany, which felt like a contrived reason to usher her off-stage. Now, it seems that a strong, interesting character was sacrificed for no reason, considering her replacement won't be around for much longer than she was.
FBI's Decision Not To Make Syd Permanent Suggests They Had No Real Plan For When Tiffany Left
The Showrunners Changed Direction Midstream With No Backup Plan To Give Scola A Permanent Partner
The showrunners originally planned to keep Syd permanently, but let her go after Olivera began filming episodes (via Deadline). Although CBS and Dick Wolf Entertainment have not officially given a reason, Deadline suggests that they felt the character was too young to fit in will with the team and that they should have cast an older actress. If this is the case, it is something that the casting team should have been aware of during a screen test or audition, rather than something that became a problem after the actress was hired.
FBI's decision to let Olivera go so quickly leaves the series without any plan for replacing Tiffany, and I have to wonder how much thought they put into the replacement storyline. It sounds like they didn't think things through before hiring an actress to play Syd, and now that they've decided against using this character further, it is unclear what plan, if any, the showrunners have to replace her. Thus, Scola will remain partnerless for the foreseeable future.
Scola's storyline could still go in interesting directions, but FBI needs to put an end to this constant parade of partners who leave after only a few episodes. This storyline is already becoming redundant, and it is annoying that Syd will be yet another person who only joins Scola in the field temporarily, especially after the series hyped her presence and the difficulty Scola will have working with someone who is not trained as a tactician.
How FBI Can Move Forward After Tiffany's Exit
If They Can't Find Scola A Permanent Partner, They Need to Reunite Scola And Nina
FBI needs to succeed in finding Scola a permanent partner as soon as possible and end this boring storyline. However, there is one solution I'd endorse if the series needs to take its time to get the right actor for the part. FBI: Most Wanted's Nina could return temporarily to FBI to work with Scola until a new partner can be found. This would allow Scola to have a partner the audience is invested in until the newest cast addition is found.
Although Nina would also be a temporary partner, she and Scola are dating, living together, and co-parenting a child. Thus, if Nina were to step in at the FBI until Jubal finds a permanent new partner for Scola, there is potential for interesting conflicts and stories. FBI justified Tiffany's exit from the unit well, but this constant stream of temporary partners is a poor follow-up and must end immediately.
Source: Deadline
