FBI: Most Wanted is heading into a whole new era in Season 3 with the debut of Dylan McDermott as Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott. It’s an exciting development for a show that has been mired in tragedy ever since the death of Jess LaCroix, who was killed off following actor Julian McMahon’s decision to move on from Most Wanted. The surviving members of the team were used to one distinctive style of leadership, so how does Remy’s style compare to that of Jess? Showrunner David Hudgins shed some light on what will be different and what will be familiar.
Dylan McDermott’s first appearance as Remy Scott comes with FBI: Most Wanted’s new episode on April 12, called “Covenant.” In a Q&A ahead of the long-awaited episode, showrunner David Hudgins spoke about Remy’s “different style,” saying:
I mean the idea of a new leader coming into a team is such an interesting dynamic to play as writers. You know, everybody has a different style. And what's fun about this episode and even the next couple of episodes going forward is as we start to unpack more about who Remy is, you start to see the way the rest of the team is responding to him. One of my favorite things about the new energy and vibe of the team is there's a lightness to it in a good way, you know? I feel like we can lean into the moment of the humor on the show now with Dylan. I think the way he's playing him is very surprising both to the team, sometimes to us in a good way too. It's like, ‘Wow. That's great. We should lean into that.’
FBI: Most Wanted has delivered some intense cases and criminals over the three seasons so far, but it hasn’t been heavy on lightness or humor. Dylan McDermott bringing a different “vibe” with some lightness doesn’t mean that Most Wanted is going to be a solid hour of laughs from now on, but fans can look forward to something new with the former Law & Order: Organized Crime star instead of more of what the team has been used to. The showrunner continued:
I mean there's always the opportunity for drama amongst the team but I do think Remy coming into the team, he's good at what he does, and he's driven to do what he does, and I think that comes through with the team… So, going forward, I think he's gonna be a great leader for these guys. And he's also willing to invest them, you know, with their own authority to do things. I think he trusts the team, and that's gonna be building over the next couple of episodes as well.
The team dynamic is bound to be different in more than one way starting with Dylan McDermott’s first episode, which presumably won’t feature Roxy Sternberg as Barnes after the character’s big decision in the previous episode. The case will involve a series of homicides tied to a forbidden love, so it doesn’t sound like too lighthearted of a time. David Hudgins elaborated on how McDermott’s Remy will bring some lightness to the show:
I think for the lightness, what I'm talking about is, you know, with real FBI agents, I'm not gonna pretend I know a million of them but I've certainly met a lot, and we have consultants on the show. When you're doing this job, it's always very serious, and you're always trying to catch your bad guy, pursue justice but, inevitably, there's moments of humor that come up. It's just the human condition. You know, sometimes even gallows humor. I think Remy's ability to sort of do his job and be really good at it while at the same time not take himself too seriously. And to look for those moments of real connection not only with the people he's dealing with in the case but with his own team. It just elevates the material.
“Gallows humor” sounds like a good fit for FBI: Most Wanted, and probably healthy if it gives these agents an outlet when they deal with cases that can get extremely heavy. Jess had his own way of leading the team (which you can revisit streaming with a Paramount+ subscription) and helping them through some of the darkest manhunts; Remy will have his own way as well, and it sounds like he’ll be a good fit for the team even though the leadership vacancy came about because of tragedy. David Hudgins went on about how the team dynamic will be a bit different under Remy:
I always, when I started on this show, I was always like, ‘Yes, they're always on a manhunt. That's what's exciting about this case.’ But life happens while you're on a manhunt. They don't always have to be in the MCC [Mobile Command Center] talking about the case. They can be having the same conversation at a McDonald’s because people eat when they're on the road and on the run. So, probably a terrible example but the idea is to bring a little bit more naturalness if that's a word to the team and the show and let him guide people.
The wait to meet the man who will lead the manhunts moving forward is nearly at an end, as Dylan McDermott debuts as SSA Remy Scott in the FBI: Most Wanted episode on Tuesday, April 12 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, following FBI: International at 9 p.m. ET and FBI at 8 p.m. ET. The character was shrouded in mystery for quite a long time, even though McDermott’s casting was announced all the way back in January, so the next episode should be must-see for any fans of the FBI corner of the nine-show Dick Wolf TV universe.
