Tom Ellis revealed why he didn’t watch most of FBI earlier than filming his new spinoff CIA.
“To start out with, I definitely needed to maintain it separate as a result of it’s a very totally different company they usually run very otherwise they usually function very otherwise,” Ellis, 47, solely informed Us Weekly earlier than the Monday, February 23, premiere. “The enjoyable of the conflict truly performs out higher the much less I learn about FBI and what they do.”
Ellis “watched somewhat bit” earlier than urgent pause.
“Clearly, I’ve been conscious of the reveals and of the Dick Wolf TV kingdom for years and years and years. However I didn’t wish to know an excessive amount of about that,” he defined. “We do cross-pollinate somewhat bit. Nevertheless it’s two reveals. I wouldn’t say they’re spinoff reveals a lot as two reveals that actually complement one another.”
Fireplace Nation isn’t the one CBS present presently going by means of a shocking showrunner change. Information broke in January 2026 that showrunner Tia Napolitano was leaving after a number of onscreen departures. “Tia has been instrumental in serving to each construct and steer Fireplace Nation, which not solely turned a high sequence, however can also be the inspiration of a (…)
Whereas previewing CIAEllis broke down the most important distinction in comparison with FBIsaying, “The FBI offers in crimes which have already occurred predominantly and the CIA attempt to cease the crime from taking place within the first place. FBI is a really public current arm of the legislation enforcement. They’re the poster boy of U.S. legislation enforcement. And the CIA could be very a lot within the shadows — and doesn’t wish to be on any poster. It doesn’t need folks to see who they’re they usually function in a really kind of voyeuristic method.”
FBI debuted on CBS in 2019 and follows the brokers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York Metropolis. The community adopted that up with FBI: Most Neededwhich aired from 2020 to 2025, concerning the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fugitive Activity Drive. There was additionally the FBI: Worldwide spinoff concerning the Worldwide Fly Workforce that ran for 4 seasons earlier than concluding in 2025.
In April 2025, CBS gave CIA a straight-to-series order starring Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss. In line with the official synopsis, CIA facilities on “two unlikely companions — a fast-talking, rule-breaking free cannon CIA case officer and a by-the-book, seasoned and good FBI agent who believes within the rule of legislation.”
The outline continued: “When this odd couple are assigned to work out of CIA’s New York Station, they have to be taught to work collectively to analyze instances and criminals posing threats on U.S. soil, discovering that their variations may very well be their energy.”
After rounding out the forged, CIA initially confronted a showrunner change when Warren Leight changed FBI: Most Needed‘s David Hudgins as showrunner. The adjustments saved coming when Michael Michelewho was one of many sequence’ leads, left in November 2025. Days later, Eriq La Salle left the sequence as government producer. He was connected to CIA since its conception and directed the pilot earlier than his exit.
Leight then exited as showrunner as nicely, which induced manufacturing to pause. Mike Weissthe present showrunner of FBItook over as CIA continued to discover its voice earlier than its sequence premiere.
“The perfect issues come to those that wait,” Ellis teased. “They determined comparatively early on that CIA was going to be midseason. That’s truly been useful for us as a result of we didn’t have a pilot on this present. Typically it’s tough to actually know what a present is till you’ve truly made it. Then you definately begin it and go, ‘These are the items and whatnot.’ So it’s given us that little little bit of time to truly form of organically work out what the present is.”
He continued: “What I can say is now we’ve bought to that time the present is basically going to be definitely worth the wait. For anybody that loves FBI, they’re going to adore it. For anybody who loves the Dick Wolf world, they’re going to adore it. And for those that desire a new present — that don’t watch both of these issues — there’s one thing for these folks as nicely. It’s bought a whole lot of issues and it’s bought humor in it as nicely, which is at all times an enormous promoting level for me.”
CIA airs on CBS Mondays at 10 p.m. ET.