When CBS announced its decision to cancel FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted in 2025, one of the first questions to enter the minds of the franchise’s fans was whether we would get to see the characters from the spinoffs ever again. Yes, FBI lives on through the flagship series, but just because a franchise lives on does not automatically mean that the characters from its spinoffs will pop up often, if at all.
Take the NCIS franchise, for example. While we’ve seen characters from NCIS: LA make several appearances within the franchise since its cancellation, the same cannot be said for NCIS: New Orleans and NCIS: Hawai’i. While the flagship show has mentioned characters from the series, NCIS has not directly brought back key characters from the spinoffs for guest appearances in the actual show. The same rings true for the One Chicago franchise. After Chicago Justice was canceled, it’s as though the franchise forgot the show as most characters never appeared again on its sister series.
While the door remains open, the sad truth is that many times after a spinoff is canceled, we tend not to see the characters much, if ever, in the franchise. This was looking to be the case with FBI as there have been no appearances from any FBI: Most Wanted or FBI: International characters through the show’s first episodes; however, that is finally about to change!
FBI: Most Wanted’s Shantel VanSanten will appear in the FBI season 8 midseason premiere
As confirmed by CBS, Shantel VanSanten will return as Special Agent Nina Chase in the upcoming winter premiere of FBI season 8, set to air on Monday, February 23, at 9/8c. Not only will Nina be back in action for her first appearance on FBI since FBI: Most Wanted ended, but the episode is going to be a major episode for Nina and Scola fans!
After years of will-they-won’t-they, Nina and Scola are finally going to walk down the aisle and exchange I do’s in front of their family and friends. It all begins when Nina returns and we learn she’s been leading an undercover operation which goes sideways. This results in the broader FBI team stepping in to assist with the case as they work to flip their only witness in time to find a rip crew at a cartel wedding.
The aftermath of the case inspires Nina and Scola to finally tie the knot, leading to the couple’s long-awaited wedding four seasons in the making.
This will mark VanSanten’s first time back on FBI since her guest appearance in season 7, episode 13, “Unearth,” which came between her time as a series regular on FBI: Most Wanted. Given that Nina originated on FBI before joining the cast of FBI: Most Wanted in season 5, fans had been hoping to see more of Nina on the flagship series and it seems that wish is finally coming true. The only catch is that it remains unclear how much we might see of Nina beyond her guest appearance in episode 11.
Hopefully, the writers will find a way to bring Nina back into the mix on FBI in more of a recurring or even series regular capacity. We’ve missed getting to see her on the main series and with FBI: Most Wanted no longer around, it would be nice to see her return to her former stomping grounds with a larger role in the second half of season 8 or even in the show’s already renewed ninth season.
No matter what the future holds, fans won’t want to miss the FBI midseason premiere and the chance to watch Nina and Scola finally tie the knot!