CBSThe stakes were well and truly raised in FBI Season 7 Episode 20, with main character Maggie caught in a violent explosion. With one wrong move, the episode could have followed 9-1-1 Season 8’s scary example.
There are a lot of crime procedurals on at the moment – and not just on CBS – so let’s catch you up. FBI is a pretty simple premise, following Special Agents Maggie Bell and Zidan from the New York branch working together to keep the city and country safe.
Seven seasons on and women appear to be the main victims, with Season 7 Episode 20 taking things up a notch. Maggie herself was in the firing line, thrown after an explosion targeted a billionaire’s apartment.
Maggie survived, meaning her future in the binge-worthy TV show is secure (for now). But thanks to a rival storyline in 9-1-1, the a much bigger risk could have been taken.
FBI Season 7 Episode 20 could have killed Maggie like 9-1-1 did Bobby
With 9-1-1 Season 8 killing off Bobby (Peter Krause) in Episode 15, there was an easy precedent for FBI Season 7 Episode 20 to follow. Luckily for Maggie – and fans – that didn’t happen.
CBSLet’s look at the similarities. In the second half of Season 8’s contagion arc, Bobby was able to save the lives of his fellow team members after being locked in a lab with a deadly virus. It was only after Chimey had successfully taken the antidote that Bobby revealed he had been affected himself.
We’d previously seen Bobby, Chimney, Hen, and Ravi locked in an underground lab that had been experimenting with a deadly virus after they went in to put out a fire. Like the team leader he is, Bobby then performed life-saving surgery on Hen when her lung collapsed, and delivered oxygen to Ravi when he fainted after his tank went empty.
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He also helped treat Chimney, who had become infected with the virus, managing to slow the disease while sending Athena to track down the stolen vial of anti-viral. Of course, Bobby wanted Chimey to take the vial when it was found, knowing he wouldn’t do so if he knew Bobby was sick too. An expectant dad, there was no doubt in Bobby’s mind that Chimey’s interests were put first.
Fans then saw a heartbreaking goodbye scene between Athena and Bobby through a glass door. Bobby recounted his past of being a recovering addict while carrying the guilt of accidentally causing the deaths of dozens of people, including his wife and children.
He later told Athena, “LA was supposed to be my penance, not my home,” adding, “But then you said ‘yes’ to a dinner invitation, and I started to live again.” Fans then saw Bobby kneel down to pray, dying shortly after.
ABCThen there’s Maggie. In Season 7 Episode 20, someone blew up a billionaire’s apartment, with the bomb killing a father, mother, and nanny. The 11-year-old son was the sole survivor, with the victim’s former co-founder suspected of the attack. With CEOs dropping like flies, the last one standing took a young girl hostage.
Maggie and OA managed to get to her, with the suspect’s drone smart enough to track them. Ditching the vehicle, the group beelined for a warehouse successfully used as a bunker in WWII. The drone dropped another bomb, with Maggie thrown by the explosion. She survived – just – but was left severely shaken.
It’s unclear which outcome is worse: knowing you’re the one who’s left to die, or surviving and dealing with the trauma for a lifetime. Both shows prove TV is no longer scared of killing off its lead character, though whether 9-1-1 Season 8 can continue without its captain remains to be seen.
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