CIA: Everything You Need to Know About the New FBI Spinoff

A new chapter in the FBI franchise is taking viewers inside the intelligence community. The CBS Original series CIA follows operatives navigating covert missions and escalating global threats, where decisions made behind closed doors can send tremors across borders. At the center of the series is a tense collaboration between the FBI and the CIA – two institutions with very different rules and very different priorities.

At its core, CIA follows an agency case officer (Tom Ellis) and an FBI special agent (Nick Gehlfuss) forced into collaboration when national security is at risk. The drama pairs case-of-the-week investigations with the tension and secrecy of global-intelligence operations.

If you’re searching for everything you need to know about CIA, this guide covers it all – from premiere date and release format to the cast, trailer, and where to watch.

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When and where to watch CIA

CIA premieres Monday at 10 PM ET/PT on CBS. Paramount+ is the primary streaming home of the show.

Here are the details on when and where to watch CIA:

Show: CIA Season 1
Premiere date: Monday, Feb. 23, 2026
Release schedule: New episodes on Monday nights through the season finale
Time: 10 PM ET/PT
Channel: CBS
Streaming: Paramount+*

*New episodes of CIA Season 1 can be streamed live on Paramount+ as new episodes air on CBS via the Paramount+ Premium plan, or they can be streamed on the day after they air via any Paramount+ plan.

What is CIA about?

CIA is about the complicated intersection between domestic law enforcement and international intelligence. It is an all-new show from the FBI universe.

When a top-secret weapon is stolen in broad daylight, CIA case officer Colin Glass (Tom Ellis) and FBI Special Agent Bill Goodman (Nick Gehlfuss) are thrust into a reluctant partnership.

Unlike most traditional procedural dramas, CIA expands beyond domestic investigations to include global stakes and covert intelligence work. While it retains the structural familiarity of the FBI franchise, it introduces a sharper espionage edge.

Cast and creative team for CIA

Cast of CIA

Here is the CIA Season 1 regular cast:

Tom Ellis stars as Colin Glass, a seasoned CIA case officer who thrives in gray areas and covert missions. Ellis is known for his lead role in Lucifer.
Nick Gehlfuss plays Bill Goodman, an FBI special agent whose by-the-book approach contrasts sharply with Glass’s intelligence-world instincts. Gehlfuss previously starred in Chicago Med.
Natalee Linez portrays Gina Rojas, a CIA analyst whose intelligence insights often drive operational decisions.
Necar Zadegan appears as Nikki Reynard, the deputy chief of the CIA’s New York station, balancing political realities with operational demands.

Guest star Jeremy Sisto reprises his role as Jubal Valentine from FBI, creating a crossover connection between the two series.

Creative team behind CIA

CIA comes from creators Dick Wolf and David Hudgins. Wolf is the iconic, Emmy®-winning architect behind the FBI and Law & Order franchises.

Is there a trailer for CIA?

Yes. There is a trailer for CIA Season 1. It teases explosive global threats, inter-agency conflict, and the uneasy partnership between Glass and Goodman. You can watch the CIA official trailer here:

CIA first-look photos

CIA first-look photos from the show’s premiere showcase high-stakes intelligence operations and character dynamics within the CIA’s New York station.