CIA Star Clarifies The Biggest Misconception About Tom Ellis’ “Roguish” Agent Ahead Of Premiere

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Nick Gehlfuss recently addressed a common misunderstanding about Tom Ellis‘ character before returning to the world of Dick Wolf’s TV shows. Even though the original FBI series has remained popular through the 2025-2026 season, CBS is planning to grow its shared TV universe after cancelling FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International. But this new series will focus on a different agency than those previous shows.

The series CIA was initially intended to launch in the fall with its parent show. Plans also existed to introduce it through an episode within season 7 of FBI, but that idea was ultimately cancelled. Throughout the show’s development, the casting of Ellis has remained constant. With the premiere just weeks away, CBS has assembled a supporting cast around Ellis’ character, Colin Glass, and is led by Gehlfuss, known from Chicago Med, who will play Bill Goodman.

In a recent interview with TVInsider, Jesse Lee Soffer (who plays Colin) discussed what viewers can anticipate from his character in the new series. He explained that many people see Colin as a rule-breaker, but that’s actually a misunderstanding – he consistently follows the rules. The contrast comes from the different worlds they inhabit; his previous character operated in morally ambiguous situations, while this new agency’s work is largely unknown. Soffer feels this dynamic between the two characters is exciting and offers a compelling combination.

Paramount Press

Police shows remain popular, especially on network television, but how law enforcement is portrayed has become more complex recently. This shift is due to increased awareness and protests against police brutality, and a desire to move away from glorifying police work on TV. Wolf Entertainment, particularly with its show Chicago PD and the character of Hank Voight, has been leading this change in storytelling.

The classic pairing of a rebellious agent with a rule-following one often works well in storytelling. It’s good that the show CIA is exploring the reasons behind Colin’s more flexible approach, rather than simply portraying him as a predictable character. According to an actor’s comment, this seems to stem from the ambiguous guidelines within the CIA itself. Colin isn’t accustomed to the clear procedures his FBI partner follows, likely due to the CIA’s less defined rules.

As the premiere of CIA gets closer, expect to see more marketing for the show. Most of CBS’s regular scripted series are still on break, mainly because they started their hiatus later than shows on ABC and NBC. It will be interesting to see if the characters Colin and Bill will interact with other characters from CBS shows set in New York City, like those from OA and Law & Order: SVU.

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2026-01-13 15:47