CBS

FBI: International Season 4, Episode 8 Review: ‘You’ll Never See It Coming’

FBI: International, you did me dirty. How dare you leave me like that? Don’t worry, it was a GREAT episode, but WTF. We’ve always said don’t mess with Vo and now what you have – no. Just no.

An action packed hour that left me at the edge of my seat. I didn’t see any of it coming and yet, I am here for EVERYTHING.

We revisit the case from the first episode, and we’re dealing with Csonka again. Only this time, it’s his trial and he’s definitely not thinking about anything, except for the fact that he wants out.

BOOSOM BUDDIES

I will never understand peoples fascination with golf, it’s something that I don’t have to understand and I am thankful for that. Mitchell and Booth are getting their put on his office, working on what Booth should say in an interview when the case breaks.

We learn (and knew from the opening scene) that their star witness against Csonka has been murdered in prison. Shady guard served him right up to get a beating, and well, he lost his life over it. The prison is said to be investigating privately, so whatever is going to happen, it will be happening from the outside.

With their witness unalived, the attorney in charge lets Mitchell know that he’s going to have to testify.

Over this season, I think that we’ve gotten to know Mitchell a bit and we know that he stands on the line of justice. However, it’s his emotional involvement in the case that will make this case not ideal for his to testify. I love seeing the emotional side of Mitchell, but I also believe that in this case, he isn’t ready to take on testifying.

Here’s where Smitty comes in. She sees it. She’s willing to challenge Wes on it and make sure that he understands her concern. She’s not wrong, telling Wes that this isn’t a good idea. I am with Smitty on this one – it’s a bad idea.

Not that Mitchell is going to listen.

TESTIFY

Now, the team has this theory that a prison guard was bribed to get the witness in with Mitchell. It’s a matter of proving it. That’s not hard for Tate and her team though. They know how everything can be tracked and man, can they hack and reasonably reduce everything to figure out what needs to be done.

Csonka is pretty stupid, but also smart. He rules by intimidation and there is no one that isn’t afraid of him in a way. He isn’t willing to give up and information. His lawyer is a douchebag who keeps trying to intimidate the FBI. Little does he know that none of them are going to back down.

After all, Csonka is responsible for the loss of life of an FBI agent.

That and like we’ve said this is personal to Mitchell.

It’s time to testify. Booth is called to the stand and you can tell that Csonka’s attorney is going to be coming for Mitchell. Booth manages to maintain his cool on the stand, but Mitchell doesn’t.

I have watched enough procedurals to know that was going to happen. It’s the way that lawyer goes after Mitchell and makes it feel like he’s on trial. I may have forgotten Csonka and Mitchell’s shared past, but I guess that is just because I hated Csonka so much all I can remember is that he’s just trash.

Little by little, FBI: International is giving us insight to who Mitchell is. That being said, going after how he was raised and what his biological parents did. Csonka was doing everything that he could to rattle Mitchells cage and it worked.

Photo: Kristof Galgoczi Nemeth/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR

After it looks like Csonka is going to walk away with no consequences, the team goes into overdrive. They’re able to follow the money trail and they are able to bring the guard in that gave Csonka their witness on silver platter.

The team deducts – from a recording that the guard made – that the man on the outside doing Csonka’s intimidating is his uncle. As they try and bring him in, he takes his own life. It’s upon them searching the place that they are able to find a lot of smoking guns that will help get Csonka.

The thing is, without the family member, they don’t have someone to explain what it all is. BUT, Csonka doesn’t know that his uncle has passed. Vo and Raines use that to their advantage and go in, letting him know that he’s not going to get away with his crimes.

The look on Csonka’s face when he realized that he is screwed, was priceless.

THE PERP WALK

Csonka’s gotten 30 years in prison – which hey, let him stay in there. It was the perp walk for me – when Mitchell tells him that he saw it coming and that in 30 years if Csonka is still looking for him, he’ll be waiting.

At this point, I am slapping my forehead and screaming at the television telling Mitchell to shhhh. Why? You don’t bait people and that is exactly what Mitchell was doing. He’s too emotional in this case.

What I can admire about Mitchell is that he wants to do the right thing. I admired the fact that he wanted Csonka to pay the legal way. Booth had even implied that he would help if Csonka needed to be put down.

This season of FBI: International, we’re learning more and more about the team and are seeing somethings out of the office that we haven’t before. I believe that we have a long way to go, but the fact that they are taking more steps towards us seeing that all of these characters aren’t just the job.

WAIT WHAT WAS THAT

The caravan heads out to take Csonka to the prison and I should have seen the people willing to break him out coming. But I didn’t and the action that came had me screaming and on the edge of my seat. I was entertained, as television is supposed to do.

It’s always baffled me how people are willing to sacrifice their life and freedom. There were a lot for Csonka. They were able to pin down the cops and the FBI in order to get to Csonka and get him out of there.

And here’s where I started screaming – VO GOT SHOT! We don’t accept this. She has to be okay. Vo is part of the heart of the show, and she needs to be okay. We need to know that she’s going to be okay.

Mitchell keeps telling the team that he needs an ambulance, as Vo had been shot. All that’s going through my mind was Wes’s tattoo, and I didn’t want Vo to become a tattoo on his arm.

I know that I shouldn’t be saying this, because we’re dealing with a life or death situation here, but the look on Mitchells face and the panic on Vo’s, I found myself screaming at the television and also thinking for a moment I can see that Mitchell cares about her more than her cares to admit.

The team then showing up at the hospital and seeing the pain of her injury on them, I started to cry. Legit tears. This team is so close and they would die for each other. It’s not to say that they don’t have their issues, because who doesn’t.

Mitchell tells Raines to stay with Vo, and the rest of the team heads out to find Csonka. Do they catch him? No, Csonka gets away and leaves a note behind for Mitchell. The note says, “you’ll never see it coming.”

F*** THIS CLIFFHANGER

This whole thing tells me that we’re going to see more of Csonka. Do I care? Well, I didn’t before, but now that Vo was shot, I can’t wait for the team to bring him down.

Raines calls Wes to tell them to come to the hospital. Of course they are on their way – Vo is one of their own.

When they get to the hospital, Vo’s gotten out of surgery, but it’s not looking good. She lost too much blood and it’s become touch and go. At this point, I am not afraid to admit that I started crying.

Like full on crying as I raised my voice to say, “SHE WILL NOT BECOME A TATTOO ON MITCHELLS ARM!”

Everything is changing so fast, and for Mitchell, I think that this is a lot for him. He has her blood on his hands and that kills him. Vo is such an intricate part of this team. She’s a leader. She is smart, kind, and like Mitchell – she puts the job first. I can’t deal with the possibility of her not recovering.

Mitchell can’t deal with this and tells Booth that when they find Csonka, the badge comes off. I think that we all know what that means.

I know that people are going to be like she doesn’t die – but I would counter that with all of the people that you thought were staying on Wolf Entertainment franchises, and the next thing you know, they’re no longer on the show. So I believe nothing until I see her.

This episode was one of the best of the season so far. It took me on a roller coaster of emotions. Vo had better survive.

And i’m just gonna say thing, if you aren’t watching FBI: International, you have time to catch up. We’re on a winter hiatus now.