Jesse Lee Soffer already has more TV experience than many actors ahead of his debut as star of CBS' FBI: International in the 2024 TV schedule, where he'll play the new Fly Team leader. Most of that small screen experience is courtesy of NBC's Chicago P.D., located elsewhere in the nine-show Dick Wolf TV universe. He had plenty of fans on the One Chicago cop drama, but why should they tune into International when Season 4 premieres on CBS and streams for viewers with a Paramount+ subscription? I asked the actor what message he'd pass on to fans who are undecided, and he made some great points.
After ten seasons playing Detective Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D. (available streaming with a Peacock subscription) and then returning to direct, FBI: International and the character of SSA Wes Mitchell will showcase a different side of Jesse Lee Soffer over on CBS. That doesn't mean that P.D. viewers don't have plenty to look forward to on his new show. When I asked what he would say to One Chicago fans if they were on the fence about checking out International on October 15, he responded:
Why would they be on the fence about it? That's what I would say. [laughs] This show is action, it's fun, it's cinematic. Wes is a lighthearted, carefree, fly by the seat of his pants leader, and there's great relationship dynamics. It's an exciting show.
Considering how the character exited, I would say that Chicago P.D.'s Halstead certainly wouldn't have been described as "lighthearted" or "carefree" by the end! As Supervisory Special Agent Wes Mitchell on FBI: International, Soffer won't have the same kinds of burdens to portray, but still plenty of action.
In fact, he went on to say that his action skills that he picked up in One Chicago "definitely" come in handy on International, explaining to CinemaBlend:
The years that I spent with Brian Luce doing action scenes and clearing corners and all that for Chicago P.D. is invaluable here, and I'll carry that with me. He gave me a whole education, and I'm certainly using all of it here, working for the FBI's Fly Team.
Chicago P.D. executive producer Brian Luce was a cop before coming to Dick Wolf's TV world, with real-life stories to impart on the cast members. Investigating crimes in Budapest and beyond for FBI: International is a long way from the Windy City, but a chase sequence is a chase sequence no matter which continent you're on!
FBI: International is Soffer's first acting credit since leaving One Chicago back in 2022, but he ventured into the world of directing episodes of his former show in the years since. When asked if stepping up as director changed his approach to acting, he shared:
No, my approach hasn't changed. I definitely try to give directors a little more leeway here and there, because it's such a huge undertaking and you have so much responsibility. You're essentially taking on the stress of a whole production, the time crunch, the money crunch, and then amidst all that, you need to be creative and have fun and put your spin on an episode. It's a really tricky job, and I really enjoyed it, and it was such a great experience for me, and it was something I had wanted to do for a long time. So changing how I approach things? No, but I'd say that I definitely hope I am a a better ally for directors going forward.
Based on what Soffer has said and what CBS released so far ahead of the Season 4 premiere on October 15, he's going in a different direction than viewers may be used to for FBI: International, but in a way that should be entertaining to watch. Check out a preview below:
The Season 4 premiere – which Jesse Lee Soffer says they "kind of treated it like a pilot" – is called "A Leader, Not a Tourist." SSA Wes Mitchell will meet the Fly Team in Budapest when he travels overseas in pursuit of the suspects who shot his partner back in Los Angeles, and action will only escalate from there. The actor is on board FBI: International as a series regular, so it's a safe bet that whatever happens in the episode, Mitchell will be sticking around.
Tune in to CBS on Tuesday, October 15 at 9 p.m. ET for the Season 4 premiere of FBI: International with the introduction of Jesse Lee Soffer as the new Fly Team leader, and check back with CinemaBlend for more from the actor over the coming days. As always, International airs on Tuesdays between FBI at 8 p.m. ET and FBI: Most Wanted at 10 p.m. ET.
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