SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for CIA Season 2, Episode 1.
The premiere of CIA Season 2 does what the CBS show should, which is move on from the weighty mythology it set up in Season 1 and tell a new story. “The Deep” doesn’t skimp on action or character development. But large parts of the episode feel familiar, meaning that it’s not as shocking as it thinks.
The main, case of the week story is something that CIA has down pat; not surprising for a Dick Wolf series, which are the gold standard for procedural plots. Someone is killing former DEA agents, and the team uncovers that it’s all due to a Three Kings-style heist in which they stole money from a cartel six years earlier. What unfolds has plenty to keep viewers interested, from a brief two-scene appearance by FBI star John Boyd as Stuart Scola, to a car crash outside a funeral, to the fun of “low-level radioactive tracing powder.” And it all ends with the good guys busting the mastermind.
There’s also some excellent casting: Snowfall‘s Michael Hyatt, a Law & Order alum, appears as Nikki’s DEA contact Deborah Fox. Scandal‘s Brian Letscher makes an impact as Gary Martin, who has been trying to redeem himself for his involuntary participation in the scheme. The scene in which he spells out what happened six years ago to Colin—and therefore to the audience—feels genuinely sincere. And Chicago Med fans will recognize Sasha Roiz as Felix Vincente, the assassin who almost kills Gary and Colin. Roiz previously played hospital investor Jack Dayton in Season 8 of Med.
But that’s where things start to get a little dicey. Vincente is spoken of as a “ghost,” a legendary killer, and jumps off a bridge in front of Bill but savvy fans can guess that he’s still alive. They may also remember that Season 8 of FBI featured a similar character: Oslo, portrayed by Rudolf Martin, who first appeared early in the season before coming back later to finish off his story (and try to finish off some more people). Vincente being alive likewise gives the strong impression that FBI showrunner Mike Weiss is going to pull that card again someday. That’s not a bad thing, given that Roiz is a great actor, yet it is familiar.
Likewise, what happens in the episode’s personal subplot with Bill Goodman is deja vu on multiple levels. First and foremost, CIA is right to pivot its focus to Bill after spending the entirety of Season 1 following Colin Glass’ personal life through the Toni Napier story arc. The first post-title scene even makes clear that plot is over, as Colin is shown romantically involved with someone else, and easily affirms that Toni is in the past. But after establishing Colin’s history, it makes perfect sense to dig into Bill, given that the whole dynamic of the show is supposed to be an equal partnership. That only works if the writers also give the characters equal time, too.
But those same Chicago Med fans will likely pick up on CIA killing off Bill’s father—a plot point actor Nick Gehlfuss already played on Med. Robert Goodman isn’t seen in “The Deep,” yet this is Gehlfuss’ second time doing the fatherly angst bit. On top of that, the last-second bombshell—that Bill’s dad was actually working for the CIA and not consulting—feels like the Toni plotline all over again, just with Bill’s loved one instead of Colin’s. It’s clear that the new season-long mystery is Colin and Bill uncovering the truth about a CIA operation Robert worked in 1998. The only major difference is that Robert, unlike Toni, is dead… and because this is CIA, the viewer can’t even be entirely sure about that.
It’s possible that all of this works out to tell some amazing stories; simply because these elements have been used before doesn’t mean that they’re without merit. And if nothing else, it’s good to see Bill on the emotional hot seat, not only for the change of pace but to see how that continues to grow the partnership between Bill and Colin on which CIA rests. But “The Deep” is neither as deep or as surprising as it appears. It’s an entertaining episode with solid casting and functionally sound—just not quite at the high level one would expect from a season premiere.
CIA airs Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Photo Credit: Courtesy of CBS.
