One of the standout shows of the season for me has been FBI: International. Why? Because I feel like they have made a show where you are constantly on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next, and aching to know more about all of the characters. And yes, I said aching.
You ache to know more because you are invested in the characters, hoping to see their growth, their stand, and learn more about them. And while FBI: International is far from perfect, it definitely has found a footing.
We’ve spent the season asking to know more about Vo and Raines. And yes, we get a little bit of that in this episode, which makes ME HAPPY, but also asking for more.
I get that we’ve spent the season focused on learning about the flight team, but the main focus on Forrester and Kellet – well, we’ve loved it, but it’s also hindered a bit. So even though I will be the first to say don’t fuck with my ship, I will say that after much careful thought, I was glad for the breakup and the return to a will they/won’t they. Slow burn the shit out of me. I can take it. Because in doing that the show opened up story possibilities. It opened up the whole show.
And I can respect that.
But they are still my endgame.
Overall this episode was great, but what I am going to get out of the way stating right now is that I wasn’t happy with Raines storyline. He’s forced to give up time with his sister, because of a case. Now granted, the case was important, but I also feel like we need to see him take more of a storyline besides being the guy that Scott just likes to order around all the time, the guy who is always hyping Vo, and to be honest I am not even sure that Kellet likes him. But I feel like he’s always the character that is disappointed, taking the background and deserves more. I loved seeing his excitement to see his sister, his over protective side and his want to connect with her. But he’s always the one that has to stand in the back this season, both personally and professionally. This, I find issue with.
This episode, entitled, The Kill List, had the Attorney General, Rebecca Blair coming to town. Ahead of her arrival, one of her people was murdered. But there at first seems to be no motive, no reason. Hell, the team is wondering if he committed suicide. But this is FBI and they are going to figure shit out.
And the people that do this episode? Well, that’s the women of the series – Vo, Kellet, and Jaeger. Forrester has put Kellet in charge while he has desk duty going over safety plans.
While Kellet may not be my favorite – she’s sometimes a little too overbearing and wishy washy for me – in this episode her character shines. She takes the lead of the team – halfway afraid to lead, but finding her way quite quickly.
Jaeger and Kellet go to the spot where they figure that the man died and as per usual, Jaeger has the smarts. There are no cameras that can see where they are, but she wonders – what about the traffic below. And don’t you know that a boat camera was able to catch his fall. And through some clever backtracking the team is able to find the woman and get a picture of her face.
Now, while all this has happened, Special Agent Harmon has showed up and he’s quite charasmatic. He’s got a different swagger than the team, but we’re okay with that. The show wants you to believe that there is a chemistry between him and Vo, but I don’t see it. He’s fun, he’s a mystery, and he’s like Vo – somewhat detached.
Him and Vo working together is a good thing and I get why he’s there. He’s been on the team protecting the AG, but I also feel like he’s not necessarily necessary. I would love more scenes where we see Vo and Raines together, but I also get that these two aren’t together.
From the beginning of the episode, we know that either Kellet or Vo is gonna hookup somewhere, with someone, because they talk about relationships. But what I wonder is why it was necessary to focus on a relationship aspect of what these two were doing. See, you have an episode where the women are leading the way and you’ve automatically set it up that they are either too hotheaded or in need of getting laid. Had the hit it and quit it, no strings attached sex just been an implication at the end, we would have been good with that. Woulda been like yes Vo, do your thing.
But I digress.
The AG shows up and Kellet meets her at the airport, telling her that she needs to go. I was applauding the fact that she stood up to her – well, basically her boss – and was like na, this is the way it has to be. But what I also love about Kellet is that she let the AG spew her lies about why she was there and was like ok, if you say so. But shit isn’t adding up.
And Jaeger notices it too.
From the first episode it’s been set up for us to see that Jamie has a shit ton of connections, but I have to appalud Jaeger for being the real MVP with connections everywhere. When shit isn’t adding up she works one of her connections for information as to why the AG is really there.
Cause friends, this is politics and there is always another reason.
What it turns out is that the AG is there to get a traitor extradited to the USA. The man worked in Afghanistan and found out one of the biggest fuckups that they had made. Inadvertantly someone had sent the Taliban a list of all of the people who had helped the USA, effectively giving the Taliban a kill list. People who were supposed to be helped to get out of the country were handed to the Taliban on a silver platter.
And the man that the AG wants extradited is applying for asylum as well as duel citizenship. She’s there to make sure that she gets the job done and he is sent back to the US.
Due to Vo and Harmon doing some fancy investigation, they are able to find a connection. The assassin, Mia Sahar, is out for blood. Her fiance was on that list. He’d risked his life on the daily to help the USA and they put him out to slaughter. And she wasn’t having that bullshit. But this gives them a connection to the prisoner that the AG is there for.
Why is the connection important? Well that would be because they need one in order to get to talk to the guy who is being accused of being a whistleblower. He of course isn’t willing to give up much info, but I am not shocked by that. I wouldn’t if I was him.
This leads Kellet to again standing up to the AG, picking and choosing her battles and asking to be read in on everything. Now I admit, I applauded when she stood up to the AG and was a littl shocked when the AG didn’t debate anything, but asked her staff to do as Kellet asked.
Turns out that Mia had been sending threatening letter to the AG for sometime and her team handed them over to her security who ignored them. Well, bet they are kicking themselves right now. The guy who is the head of her security is an asshole and doesn’t want to hear what Scott and the team have to say.
What you can’t help but love about Scott is that he’s really like not having anyones shit, so when Kellet tells him that she needs to implement his security actions. She’d rather ask for forgiveness over permission. One can’t blame her at all.
The AG’s team won’t allow Scott and the team to vet the officers assigned to protect the AG with them. You know that means Sahar is somewhere.
Kellet and the AG speak bluntly and they grow to understand each other. I have to say that I love their connection and the way that they are both badasses. They refuse to let anyone sway them away from what they believe but are open to hearing each other. Jamie needs a positive influence, one that makes her question things, and rise to the occasion. So definitely not objecting to the way that her and the AG influence each other.
And definitely applauding her when she dives ontop of the AG to protect her when Sahar starts shooting. Vo and Harmon take off thinking that they have Sahar’s tail, but they don’t.
Vo wants nothing more than to be excellent at her job, and for her to loose eyes on Sahar is devistating to her. But have no fear – Forrester just happens to be on a bike, happens to spot her and takes chase.
I had to ask myself for a hot second if I was watching Fast & Furious, cause Forrester does some Vin Diesel level stunts. Hell, if we’re being honest, his bike stunts were hot. Then you remember that it’s a stunt double and Forrester goes back to being the guy you’d fuck in a blind spot at the office, but not the guy you’d drop panties for anytime.
The AG is okay and so is Kellet. She’s impressed the AG with her prowess and I have to say, we’re clapping. The AG and her may not see eye to eye, but we do see that they have the same belief – to protect the USA and it’s citizens. The AG tells her if she ever gets into trouble, to contact her.
At the end of it all, the AG’s security apologizes to Forrester for not listening to his teams judgment. A little late in my opinion, but hey, better late than never. Right?
OTHER THOUGHTS
- I don’t trust Raine’s sister boyfriend. I feel like that’s going to come up later, just not sure how.
- Raines shoulda gone over protective brother on his ass.
- Forrester and Kellet are complicated but you know if they’d like to figure that shit out, we’d be okay with it.
- Vo and Harmon – don’t see the chemistry, but we all deserve a right now person.
FBI: International airs Tuesdays on CBS.
