The FBI franchise is getting a major shakeup this week with the arrival of its newest spinoff, simply titled CIA. The series brings together two familiar faces from beloved showsโTom Ellis (Lucifer) and Nick Gehlfuss (Chicago Med)โas an unlikely duo tasked with stopping threats on American soil. The show officially premieres tonight, February 23, 2026, on CBS, and fans are eager to see how this new addition fits into the larger Dick Wolf television universe.
Unlike the traditional law enforcement focus of its parent series, CIA dives into the shadowy world of intelligence work, following agents who operate far from the public eye. The series arrives at a pivotal moment for the franchise, following the cancellations of FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International, making this spinoff a key part of CBS’s strategy to reinvent its Monday night lineup. If you are wondering how to catch every episode without paying extra, here is everything you need to know about watching CIA online and on TV.
When and Where Does ‘CIA’ Premiere?
CIA makes its broadcast debut on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. The pilot episode, titled Directed Energy, picks up immediately after a new episode of the flagship FBI series, which airs at 9 p.m. ET. This scheduling choice gives viewers a full night of interconnected storytelling.
For those wondering about the time in their region, the 10 p.m. ET broadcast translates to 9 p.m. CT, 8 p.m. MT, and 7 p.m. PT on the West Coast.
How to Stream ‘CIA’ for Free
The best part for cord-cutters is that you do not need a cable subscription to keep up with Tom Ellis and Nick Gehlfuss. New episodes of CIA become available for streaming on Paramount+ the day after they air on CBS. This means the premiere episode will land on the streaming platform on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
Free Streaming Options
Paramount+ offers a free tier that gives you access to stream CIA without paying anything upfront. The free version includes ads but provides full access to new episodes shortly after they premiere. You can sign up on the Paramount+ website or through the app on your smart TV, phone, or tablet.
If you prefer watching on live TV, several services offer free trials that include CBS. Services like FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV typically provide free trial periods ranging from one week to one month. You could potentially use these trials to watch the first few episodes of CIA without spending money.
Global Viewing Options
Viewers outside the United States face a trickier situation. As of now, no official UK broadcaster or international streaming partner has been announced for CIA. Based on how previous FBI spinoffs have been handled, the series will likely appear on Sky or NOW in the UK at some point, but simultaneous release with the US has not been confirmed.
What Is ‘CIA’ About?
The series centers on the rocky partnership between Colin Glass (Tom Ellis), a fast-talking, rule-bending CIA case officer, and Bill Goodman (Nick Gehlfuss), a by-the-book FBI special agent who believes in procedure and the rule of law. The two are thrown together at the CIA’s New York station and must figure out how to work as a team despite their completely different approaches to the job.
Tom Ellis described his character to TVLine as someone stuck in what some agents might consider “the boring end of the job,” forcing him to rely on “guile and deceit and lies to get what he wants.” Meanwhile, Nick Gehlfuss told TV Insider that his character represents the “wonderful collision” to Ellis’s chaos.
The pilot episode introduces the pair investigating a top-secret weapon stolen in broad daylight from a US defense contractor. Episode two, titled Fatal Defect, airing March 2, follows the team as they track a known smuggler with unidentified cargo, only to have their mission complicated by a foreign intelligence officer seeking to defect.
Tom Ellis explained the fundamental difference between this show and its parent series in a recent interview with Us Weekly:
“FBI 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. They’re the poster boy of U.S. law enforcement. And the CIA is very much in the shadows โ and doesn’t want to be on any poster.”
Complete Cast Guide
Tom Ellis leads the cast as Colin Glass, the unconventional CIA officer. Fans know him best from his six-season run as the title character in Netflix’s Lucifer, as well as recent appearances in Tell Me Lies.
Nick Gehlfuss plays Bill Goodman, the FBI agent forced to partner with Glass. Gehlfuss spent eight seasons as Dr. Will Halstead on Chicago Med, making this role a significant departure from his previous work.
The supporting cast includes:
- Necar Zadegan as Nikki Reynard, Deputy Chief of the CIA’s New York station
- Natalee Linez as Gina Gosian, a sharp CIA analyst
- Pej Vahdat, Shiva Negar, and Nancy De Mayo in supporting roles
Crossover Connections
Fans of the original FBI series will recognize several faces crossing over into CIA. Jeremy Sisto appears as Jubal Valentine, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the FBI New York field office. Missy Peregrym and Alana de la Garza also make appearances as Maggie Bell and Isobel Castille respectively.
The crossovers work both ways. Necar Zadegan‘s character from CIA will appear on the parent show, creating a connected viewing experience across both series.
Episode Release Schedule
CIA Season 1 consists of 10 episodes, airing weekly on Mondays. Here is the confirmed schedule so far:
- February 23, 2026: Episode 1 – Directed Energy (Pilot)
- March 2, 2026: Episode 2 – Fatal Defect
New episodes will continue airing each Monday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, with streaming available the next day on Paramount+.
Behind-the-Scenes Changes
The road to getting CIA on air has seen some behind-the-scenes turbulence. The show was originally developed as a backdoor pilot within FBI‘s seventh season, but CBS opted for a straight-to-series order in April 2025 instead.
Several creative changes occurred during production. Showrunner duties shifted from David Hudgins to Warren Leight (Law & Order: SVU), and then to Mike Weiss, who currently runs both FBI and CIA. Eriq La Salle directed the pilot and served as an executive producer but has since left the series, though his pilot episode remains intact.
Tom Ellis addressed the show’s relationship to its parent series, explaining why he deliberately avoided watching much of FBI before filming:
“I 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 do.”
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What to Expect from the Series
The show promises to balance two storytelling modes. Each week brings a fresh investigation, following the procedural format that has made the FBI franchise successful. But underneath the case-of-the-week structure, longer arcs explore the tensions between intelligence gathering and law enforcement, as well as the developing relationship between the two lead characters.
Tom Ellis teased the show’s approach in a conversation with TV Insider:
“CIA is just one big lie.”
He contrasted it with his work on Tell Me Lies, noting that CIA moves at a much faster pace: “We’re on the go from the first beat and then we keep going.”
The series also benefits from input from writers like David Chasteen, who previously worked for the CIA, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the intelligence procedures depicted on screen.
CIA premieres tonight, February 23, at 10 p.m. ET on CBS, with streaming available February 24 on Paramount+.
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on your favorite CBS dramas and streaming releases.
