FBI: International is running out of episodes in the 2024 TV schedule, but CBS' hit drama has one coming up next that fans have had reason to look forward to for months: the arrival of Station 19 alum Jay Hayden. His casting for International was announced all the way back in September, and viewers won't have to wait until the 2025 TV schedule to see him in action. His debut airs on December 10, and Jesse Lee Soffer – a.k.a. ASA Wes Mitchell – hyped what to expect from his real-life "really close" friend on the series.
I spoke with the FBI: International star earlier in the fall ahead of his debut as the new Fly Team leader, about everything ranging from why Chicago P.D. fans should tune in to the particulars of Mitchell's relationship with Vo. After the Season 4 premiere, which was deliberately treated like a pilot, ended with some unanswered questions for Wes, Soffer previewed what was ahead to continue the story. Now, with the arrival of Jay Hayden as Agent Tyler Booth just days away, check out what the One Chicago alum said:
A really close friend of mine, Jay Hayden, from Station 19, he comes and does an arc and plays a guy that used to be partners with Wes back in the day. They've been through some stuff together, and there's some baggage between two of them.
Hayden's character will be somebody who Mitchell knows well from before he joined the Fly Team, although the pair's partnership had already ended at some point before the series premiere. Will the "baggage" between them have anything to do with why Mitchell had a different partner when he was first introduced?
Only time will tell on that front, but Jesse Lee Soffer did preview the storyline that will involve Hayden's character, and it will tie back to the bad guy who Mitchell offended in the Season 4 premiere. (You can revisit the episode now with a Paramount+ subscription.) The actor shared:
Greg Czonka, Beau Knapp's character, [comes back]. He makes this threat and he ends up getting out. There's a whole arc there... [Jay Hayden] helps out for a while in that other storyline with Beau's character. It's fun. There's a lot of complicated backstory going on.
Given that I got this scoop on Jay Hayden's role on FBI: International when I spoke with Jesse Lee Soffer back in October, more specifics are available with the episode – called "Keen as a Bean" – scheduled as the very next to air. According to the official description from CBS, here's what to expect:
Wes’ former colleague, U.S.-based agent Tyler Booth (guest star Jay Hayden), enlists the Fly Team’s assistance in helping him capture an American on the FBI’s 'Most Wanted' list by luring him out of Russia with the help of the perp’s conflicted ex-wife.
The mention of the Fly Team chasing an American on the "Most Wanted" list of course makes me wonder if we'll get a cameo or two from the FBI: Most Wanted cast with some info to share from across the ocean. I could see Dylan McDermott appearing via video call as Remy Scott, or maybe FBI's Alana de la Garza as Isobel Castille.
What we can say is that Jesse Lee Soffer and Jay Hayden seemed to be having fun while working on International together, if the photo below is any indication:
Tune in to CBS on Tuesday, December 10 at 9 p.m. ET for the "Keen as a Bean" episode of FBI: International, between FBI in the wake of Maggie's difficult decision at 8 p.m. ET and FBI: Most Wanted with the task force at 10 p.m. ET. If you want to see Jay Hayden in action from his Station 19 days, you can find that show streaming with a Hulu subscription. As always, new International episodes are available streaming next day on Paramount+.
