The first major casting news for FBIseason 8 continues an odd and frustrating trend for the CBS franchise. This pattern kicked off with the unexpected departure of Katherine Renee Kane, who played Special Agent Tiffany Wallace. The actress joined FBI in season 3, filling the void left by original cast member Ebonée Noel as Kristen Chazal.
Kane left FBI after the season 7 premiere, citing a desire to pursue other career opportunities. Wallace’s explanation unfolds in much the same manner, with the character explaining that she feels the need to leave her work with Stuart Scola (John Boyd) behind. But since her farewell episode, FBI has struggled to find Tiffany’s replacement in an ongoing trend.
Dani Is Scola’s Third Short-Lived Partner Since Tiffany Left In FBI Season 7
The Show Even Went A Little Meta With It
Emily Alabi will be leaving FBI season 8. The actress, who plays Special Agent Dani Rhodes, will appear in the upcoming season to wrap up her character’s story. The news makes it the third time a high-profile replacement for Tiffany didn’t last, either for story purposes or because of decision-making behind the scenes.
Sofia Ortega (Adriana Ducassi) was Tiffany’s first replacement. She lasted only an episode, deciding that she wasn’t a good fit for the job. Among other temporary partners, whether there was a lack of compatibility or it was only a momentary fix, Scola was also paired with Syd Ortiz (Lisette Olivera).
Ortiz, a trained Behavioral Analysis Unit Agent, appears in a handful of episodes and has a rocky tenure. She doesn’t have a lot of field experience and makes mistakes early on. Reports indicated that producers wanted to go in a different direction after the casting was announced, explaining that Ortiz was too young as a character to fit as Scola’s long-term partner.
Casting Alabi, known for her work on S.W.A.T. and the Magnum P.I. reboot, seemed to go in the direction of bringing in a character with life experience. Dani Rhodes is even there for the FBI season 7 finale, in which the main characters aren’t sure who they can trust. It should have solidified her place in the group. Instead, it looks to be another temporary fix.
Why It’s So Difficult To Replace Tiffany In FBI
It’s Been Done Before
Character replacements are baked into the premise of FBI. Emmy nominee Connie Nielsen appeared in just the first episode of FBI as the team’s supervisor, before she was replaced in the role by two-time Emmy winner Sela Ward. In the role of Dana Mosler, Ward departed the CBS procedural after a single season. She was replaced by Alana de la Garza as Isobel Castille.
Garza remains with the show, though FBI cast members have come and gone. The series has remained sturdy throughout, already renewed up to season 9. It could be that the producers are trying different approaches to see what works best. But after so many attempts, the revolving door of Tiffany Wallace replacements sticks out.
Perhaps the best way forward is for FBI to acknowledge the unease and have Scola double down on how much he misses Wallace to start season 8. The feeling will eventually settle, but it’s a way for the writers to let the audience know that this particular replacement hasn’t gone smoothly and that Katherine Renee Kane is missed.