Spoilers ahead for the October 5 episode of FBI: International on CBS, called “Secrets as Weapons.”
FBI: International may only be a few episodes into its first season, but “Secrets as Weapons” proved that the newest FBI show isn’t pulling any punches. Jamie Kellett was shot relatively early in the episode, and her fate was uncertain for a time while Scott Forrester charged ahead with investigating the case. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t at his most patient with the bad guys this week, especially since the episode started with him and Kellett in bed, planning a weekend away together with Forrester’s avowed intention to talk her out of moving back to New York. By the end of the hour, Kellett made a decision that completely took me by surprise, and raises the question of what comes next.
International introduced Kellett and Forrester’s relationship early on, but wasted no time in throwing in a complication when Kellett got the news of a big job opportunity that would take her away from the International Fly Team based in Europe and back to New York. Forrester was unhappy at the prospect of losing her, and announced that he’d learned from past mistakes and intended to try and talk her out of going in “Secrets as Weapons.” Kellett took that well, and was happy to plan a weekend away in Portugal with him, but as of the beginning of the episode, seemingly had no intention to change her mind.
And I fully expected FBI: International to continue mining her job opportunity as a source of drama, at least for Forrester and Kellett, through the rest of the first season, especially given the timeline of her still having a year before she’d have to leave. But that’s not the case! When Kellett was shot in the line of duty (although still managed to crack the case while unconscious thanks to a number she jotted on her hand), she had a change of mind. She decided that she wants to stay in Europe with Forrester, and wondered if they should continue keeping their relationship a secret.
As Forrester pointed out, their situation as agents in a relationship in the Fly Team in Europe is very different than it would be if they were based out of the United States. And honestly, they never seemed to be bending over backwards to keep their relationship a secret, even if they have been more or less discreet. They were affectionate throughout “Secrets as Weapons” even when not cozied up at one of their places, and Forrester intended to stay by her side in the hospital while she recovered.
So now that Kellett is officially staying and the Kellett/Forrester relationship is going strong, those are two sources of drama that have already been resolved after just three episodes of FBI: International. What’s next? As much as International is an ensemble show following the full Fly Team, Heida Reed’s Kellett is very much the female lead, and the Kellett/Forrester relationship seems bound to continue as a storyline.
Does the early job offer resolution mean that International intends to shift some of the focus to other characters? Or are there bigger and more dramatic storylines on the way for the team that will make this pale in comparison? Will this result in more complications for the team, or has the plot been fully wrapped up?
Viewers can only wait and see. New episodes of FBI: International air on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, right between FBI Season 4 and FBI: Most Wanted Season 3. This latest episode featured Alana De La Garza as FBI’s Isobel (who is in a rough situation herself) in a cameo as Forrester video chatted from across the Atlantic (and had to lie about Kellett being in a relationship), so the mini crossovers are already continuing within the FBI corner of the Dick Wolf universe.
