TV · in order
FBI Franchise Watch Order
The FBI universe is four shows: FBI (2018, ongoing), FBI: Most Wanted (2020 to 2025), FBI: International (2021 to 2025) and CIA (2026, ongoing), 355 episodes through May 2026. Watch in premiere order, interleaving at the backdoor pilot and the three multi-part crossover events.
FBI Franchise Watch Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Release order at the show level is simple: FBI (2018), then FBI: Most Wanted (2020), then FBI: International (2021), then CIA (2026). There is no separate chronological order worth listing, because in-universe time tracks broadcast time exactly, so a story order would be identical episode for episode. The real work is the interleave, and only four hard junctions exist.
Junction one is the backdoor pilot: FBI S1E18 'Most Wanted' (April 2, 2019) introduces Jess LaCroix and the Fugitive Task Force, so finish FBI season 1 before starting Most Wanted at its own S1E1. Junction two is the March 24, 2020 two-parter, in this fixed order: FBI S2E18 'American Dreams' first, then Most Wanted S1E9 'Reveille', which means you want Most Wanted S1E1 through E8 watched beforehand. FBI S2E19 'Emotional Rescue' closes that season and doubles as the franchise's lone One Chicago touchpoint, with Chicago P.D.'s Hailey Upton guest starring; it works fine without any Chicago P.D. context. Junction three launches International on September 21, 2021, again in fixed order: FBI S4E1 'All That Glitters', then Most Wanted S3E1 'Exposed', then International's own 'Pilot', which aired at 10pm that night as Part 3 of the event. Starting International standalone drops you into the final third of a story. Junction four is 'Imminent Threat' (April 4, 2023), and it starts in International: S2E16 is Part One, FBI S5E17 is Part Two, Most Wanted S4E16 is Part Three, so anyone following FBI's own episode list lands on Part Two cold.
Everything else is parallel seasons where order between shows is preference, not requirement: FBI S3 and Most Wanted S2 (2020 to 2021) share no crossover, and nothing after April 2023 does either. The short seasons are complete, not missing episodes: FBI S2 and Most Wanted S1 ended abruptly in spring 2020 for COVID reasons, and FBI S6, Most Wanted S5 and International S3 are all 13-episode strike seasons that premiered the same night, February 13, 2024. Most Wanted and International both wrapped for good on May 20, 2025, so they are closed binges now. CIA is the inverse trap: there is no backdoor pilot for it. The planned introduction inside FBI was scrapped and it launched straight to series on February 23, 2026, tied in through characters rather than an episode junction (Jubal Valentine in the CIA premiere, Isobel and Maggie in CIA 1x07, CIA's Nikki Reynard in FBI S8E16). Watch its 12 episodes any time after you know the FBI team, ideally alongside FBI season 8. And search your streaming app for 'CIA', not 'FBI: CIA'; the shorter title is the official one.
How many episodes is FBI?
FBI has 357 episodes across the 4 series entries tracked in this guide.
- FBI 158 episodes 2018-2026
- FBI: Most Wanted 108 episodes 2020-2025
- FBI: International 78 episodes 2021-2025
- CIA 13 episodes 2026
Timeline 2018-2026
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 2018 FBI
- 2020 Most Wanted
- 2021 International
- 5-year gap
- 2026 CIASeason 9CIA Season 2
Where to play it today
- US: FBI (seasons 1 to 8) and CIA stream on Paramount+, with new episodes next day during the season
- US: FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International stream on Peacock, so a full franchise run currently needs both services
- All four shows also sell by season on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home; availability shifts, and homes vary widely outside the US, so check locally
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for FBI.
Frequently asked questions
How many FBI shows are there?
Four: FBI (2018, 8 seasons and 157 episodes so far), FBI: Most Wanted (2020 to 2025, 6 seasons and 108 episodes), FBI: International (2021 to 2025, 4 seasons and 78 episodes) and CIA (2026, 12 episodes so far). That is 355 episodes total through May 2026.
Are any of the FBI shows finished?
Yes. Most Wanted and International are both complete: their series finales, 'The Circle Game' and 'Gaijin', aired the same night, May 20, 2025. Both are closed binges now. FBI and CIA are ongoing.
Do I have to watch FBI before FBI: Most Wanted?
Effectively yes for the start: Most Wanted's origin is the backdoor pilot FBI S1E18 (April 2, 2019), which introduces Jess LaCroix, and its S1E9 is half of a two-part crossover with FBI S2E18. Starting Most Wanted at its own first episode skips the team's origin.
Is CIA an FBI show?
Yes in universe, no in name: it is officially titled just 'CIA', shares showrunner Mike Weiss with FBI, and pairs an FBI agent (Nick Gehlfuss's Bill Goodman) with Tom Ellis's CIA officer. It traded guest crossovers with FBI in 2026 (Jubal in the CIA premiere, Isobel and Maggie in CIA 1x07, CIA's Nikki Reynard in FBI S8E16), but it had no backdoor pilot; it launched straight to series on February 23, 2026, so do not hunt FBI season 8 for an entry point episode.
How many FBI crossover episodes are there?
One backdoor pilot (FBI S1E18) plus three multi-part events: the two-part 'American Dreams' and 'Reveille' (March 24, 2020), the three-part September 21, 2021 event that launches International, and the three-part 'Imminent Threat' (April 4, 2023), which starts in International. The 2026 FBI and CIA appearances are single-episode guest spots, not events.
Do I need Law & Order or One Chicago first?
No, not required. No Law & Order crossover has ever aired, and the FBI universe stands alone story-wise, with one exception worth knowing: Chicago P.D.'s Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) guest stars in FBI S2E19 'Emotional Rescue' (March 31, 2020), a formal Chicago P.D. to FBI crossover set up on Chicago P.D.'s side. The episode works standalone without any Chicago P.D. context.
When do FBI and CIA come back?
FBI season 9 premieres Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8pm ET on CBS, followed immediately by CIA season 2 at 9pm ET.
Where can I stream the FBI shows in the US?
FBI and CIA on Paramount+; Most Wanted and International on Peacock. You currently need both services for a full franchise run, though availability shifts.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, api.tvmaze.com, soaps.sheknows.com, deadline.com, wolfentertainment.com, collider.com, tvinsider.com, justwatch.com
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