The new CBS drama CIA has finally arrived, bringing Tom Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss together as an unlikely team tackling international threats on American soil. The show premiered on Monday, February 23, 2026, with a special crossover episode that connected directly to the parent series FBI. Now that the first two episodes have aired or are about to air, viewers are already looking ahead to what comes next.
CIA Episode 3 is scheduled to air on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 10:00 PM Eastern Time on CBS. For those who prefer streaming, the episode will become available on Paramount+ the following day, Tuesday, March 10, 2026 .
The show follows Colin Glass, a CIA case officer played by Tom Ellis, and Bill Goodman, an FBI special agent played by Nick Gehlfuss. These two men could not be more different. Glass operates in the shadows, using lies and manipulation to get results. Goodman follows the rules and believes in the law. Forced to work together out of the CIAโs New York station, their clashing styles create tension but also get results .
What Happened So Far in CIA
The series launched with a strong two-episode start. Episode 1, titled โDirected Energy,โ aired on February 23. The episode began with a new episode of FBI at 9:00 PM, where viewers saw Necar Zadeganโs character, Deputy Chief of Station Nikki Reynard, appear on the parent show. Then at 10:00 PM, CIA premiered with a special guest appearance by Jeremy Sisto, who reprised his role as FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine .
The pilot introduced the central conflict. A top-secret weapon was stolen from a defense contractor in broad daylight. Colin Glass, who operates out of the CIAโs New York station, was already working the case from the intelligence side. But because the theft happened on American soil, the FBI had jurisdiction. That is how Bill Goodman entered the picture. The two men had to figure out how to share information and work together despite their agencies having different missions .
Episode 2, titled โFatal Defect,โ aired on Monday, March 2. In that episode, the team tracked a known smuggler who was moving cargo of unknown origin. The situation became more complicated when a foreign intelligence officer expressed interest in defecting to the United States. The episode balanced the chase for the smuggler with the delicate dance of handling someone who might have valuable informationโor might be playing both sides .
CIA Episode 3 Release Date and Time
CIA Episode 3 will follow the same weekly pattern established by the first two episodes. Here are the full details:
United States:
- Broadcast (CBS): Monday, March 9, 2026, at 10:00 PM ET / 9:00 PM CT / 8:00 PM MT / 7:00 PM PT
- Streaming (Paramount+): Tuesday, March 10, 2026 (episodes are typically available by early morning)
International Viewers:
For viewers outside the United States, the release schedule depends on local broadcasters. In the UK, Canada, and Australia, previous FBI franchise shows have aired on networks like Sky, Global TV, and Network 10 or streaming services like Paramount+. The new episodes are expected to follow similar patterns, though simultaneous release with the U.S. has not been confirmed for all regions .
The show consists of 10 episodes in its first season. With two episodes down, viewers have eight more weeks of new content to look forward to, assuming the show airs without breaks .
How to Watch CIA Episode 3
There are several ways to catch Episode 3 when it airs. The simplest method is to watch live on CBS if you have traditional cable or a TV antenna. CBS is available over the air for free in most markets, so viewers with antennas can watch without any subscription.
For cord-cutters, Paramount+ is the official streaming home for the show. New episodes land on the platform the day after they air on CBS. This means Episode 3 will be available to stream on Tuesday, March 10. Paramount+ offers different subscription tiers, including a free, ad-supported option that gives access to new episodes .
Live TV streaming services also carry CBS. FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV all include CBS in their channel lineups. These services typically offer free trials ranging from one week to one month, which could cover several episodes for new users .
What to Expect in Episode 3
While CBS has not released an official title or detailed synopsis for CIA Episode 3 yet, the pattern of the show gives some clues about what is coming. The series balances case-of-the-week investigations with longer character arcs.
Tom Ellis described his character to TV Insider as someone stuck in what some agents might consider โthe boring end of the job.โ He relies on โguile and deceit and lies to get what he wantsโ . Nick Gehlfuss told the same outlet that his character represents the โwonderful collisionโ to Ellisโs chaos.
The show also features a strong supporting cast. Necar Zadegan plays Nikki Reynard, the deputy chief who runs the New York station and answers to Washington. Natalee Linez portrays Gina Gosian, the CIA analyst who supports the field agents with intelligence gathered from various sources .
Behind the scenes, the show benefits from input from writers like David Chasteen, who previously worked for the CIA. This real-world experience adds authenticity to how the show portrays intelligence procedures .
The Bigger Picture: CIA in the FBI Franchise
CIA represents a major expansion of Dick Wolfโs television universe. The show joins the flagship FBI series, which airs at 9:00 PM on Mondays, creating a two-hour block of programming. This scheduling choice gives viewers a full night of interconnected storytelling.
The premiere episode made the connection clear. Not only did Jeremy Sisto cross over from FBI into CIA, but Necar Zadeganโs character appeared on FBI earlier in the evening. This two-way crossover introduced audiences to the new characters while rewarding longtime viewers of the franchise .
Tom Ellis explained the fundamental difference between this show and its parent series in an interview with Us Weekly:
โFBI deals in crimes that have already happened predominantly, and the CIA try to stop the crime from happening in the first place. FBI is a very public present arm of the law enforcement. Theyโre the poster boy of U.S. law enforcement. And the CIA is very much in the shadows โ and doesnโt want to be on any posterโ .
This distinction shapes every episode. The stakes feel different because the CIA works to prevent attacks before they happen, often without anyone knowing they were there.
A Show That Survived Production Challenges
CIA had a difficult path to the screen. The show was originally planned as a backdoor pilot that would have aired within an episode of FBI. But casting delays and production issues led CBS to scrap that idea and order the series straight-to-series in April 2025 .
The production faced more hurdles. The show lost its original showrunner, David Hudgins, then a replacement showrunner, Warren Leight. There were also cast changes, with Michael Michele leaving the project after filming had already begun. This led to Necar Zadegan being brought in to fill the role of Nikki Reynard .
Despite these setbacks, production stabilized with Mike Weiss, the showrunner of the original FBI, taking over creative control to ensure the new series fits properly within the established universe. The pilot was directed by Ken Girotti, and the series has found its footing with a clear vision of what it wants to be.
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What Makes CIA Different
The show stands out from other procedurals because of the tension between its two lead characters and the agencies they represent. The CIA gathers intelligence overseas and operates in secret. The FBI enforces laws on American soil and works in the open. When these two worlds collide, conflict is inevitable.
Tom Ellis addressed the showโs relationship to its parent series, explaining why he deliberately avoided watching much of FBI before filming:
โI certainly wanted to keep it separate because it is a very different agency and they run very differently and they operate very differently. The fun of the clash actually plays out better the less I know about FBI and what they doโ .
This approach pays off on screen. The clash between Glass and Goodman feels real because their methods and worldviews are genuinely incompatible. Yet they must find ways to work together because the threats they face do not care about jurisdictional boundaries.
As the show moves into Episode 3 and beyond, viewers can expect more high-stakes investigations, more tension between the leads, and more glimpses into the shadowy world of intelligence work. The season has eight episodes remaining after Episode 3, giving the characters plenty of room to grow and the cases plenty of room to escalate.
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