The FBI franchise has become a huge staple of the CBS primetime lineup. The three procedurals created by Dick Wolf -- the mastermind behind NBC's trio of One Chicago shows -- have delivered successful ratings on Tuesday nights and given CBS a property to rival its longtime NCIS universe. FBI, FBI: Most Wanted and latest spinoff FBI: International are bringing in plenty of viewers and seem like they'll be going for years to come.
However, they're also experiencing the same cast turnover that's happened with the NCIS shows. Just like Mark Harmon departed the original NCIS (although the door was left open for a cameo), FBI: Most Wanted star Julian McMahon stated that he was stepping down from the series after nearly three seasons playing team leader Jess LaCroix. Why did McMahon leaving the series and what did it mean for FBI: Most Wanted's future?
FBI: Most Wanted Had a Cast Problem Long Before McMahon’s Departure
Despite its success, FBI: Most Wanted has had several original cast members leave before the show has even finished its third season. Nathaniel Arcand’s Special Agent Clinton Skye left in Season 2 and Kellan Lutz’s Special Agent Kenny Crosby moved on after the Season 3 premiere episode. The show did a good job of handling their departures by finding suitable (if not better) replacements in Miguel Gomez’s Special Agent Ivan Ortiz and Alexa Davalos’s Special Agent Kristin Gaines respectively.
Yet replacing the lead agent -- and the show's main star -- was an entirely different problem. Jess LaCroix had been in charge since FBI: Most Wanted’s inception in 2020. Known for his ability to intuitively solve a case and get inside of suspects’ heads, Jess had been the heart and soul of the spinoff. That means McMahon's departure had a huge effect on a show that had already lost a large portion of its original cast. Dylan McDermott -- who previously recurred as crime boss Richard Wheatley on Law & Order: Organized Crime opposite Christopher Meloni -- succeeded him, playing the character of Remy Scott.
Jess Lacroix’s Death in FBI: Most Wanted Was No Surprise
Julian McMahon's last episode was Season 3, Episode 14, "Shattered." During the episode, Jess and his team investigated a murder trail left by a dangerous domestic abuser. In the final minutes of the episode, they tracked the killer to a hospital in New Jersey, where Jess found the man's wife in a parking lot. Out of nowhere, the killer appeared and opened fire, hitting Jess in the neck. The rest of the team quickly took the killer down, but the damage was done. Jess didn't survive his wounds.
McMahon's departure didn't come as a surprise, though. It was reported well in advance that he would be leaving to work on other projects. "Over the past few months, producers of FBI: Most Wanted and I have had discussions about my departure from the show in favor of additional creative pursuits and the transition of my character Jess LaCroix," the actor said in a statement to Deadline. Since the writers had plenty of time to plan, it looked like FBI: Most Wanted was setting up a happy ending for Jess. However, the series ultimately decided to go in a more tragic direction by unexpectedly killing its leader off -- just like The Rookie did to Mercedes Mason's Captain Zoe Anderson.
Julian McMahon's Future Remains Unclear
McMahon didn't announce what the other projects he'll be pursuing are, and it's also possible that he felt Jess's story had run its course. The Skye character being written out left Jess without his brother-in-law, and his late wife's parents also didn't appear in Season 3 after recurring for the first two seasons. The actor formerly played Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, so fans might assume he'll reprise the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with the MCU reportedly recasting the Fantastic Four that's unlikely.
In an interview with TVLine executive producer David Hudgins was asked if producers considered writing McMahon's character out of FBI: Most Wanted, rather than killing him. Hudgins said that they had, but ultimately their decision was simple: "Look, this is Most Wanted. We’re chasing the worst of the worst, the most dangerous of the dangerous, and there is a very real risk associated with the job. We ultimately decided that that was true to the premise of the show, that risk of being shot or killed in the line of duty. We just felt like it was appropriate and emotional and tragic." If nothing else, Hudgins was right about the "tragic" ending for McMahon's Special Agent Jess LaCroix.
FBI: Most Wanted airs Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. on CBS and streams on Paramount+.