Clear your Monday nights, CBS' latest drama 'CIA' is a bonafide hit

Reel Perspectives

February 23, 2026

CBS

If your watchlist is craving something sleek, smart, and just a little dangerous, it's time to lock in on CIA — the newest high stakes drama from CBS.

If you loved Tom Ellis's magnetic presence in Lucifer, you'll be thrilled to see him back in full charm mode — only this time, trading devilish mischief for global espionage.

Premiering tonight, CIA dives straight into the shadowy crossroads of federal law enforcement and covert intelligence, delivering the kind of pulse pounding drama from Dick Wolf and the team behind CBS' hit drama, FBI.

When by-the-book FBI Special Agent Bill Goodman (Nick Gehlfuss) is loaned out to a clandestine CIA/FBI task force, he finds himself teamed up with secretive and roguish CIA Agent Colin Glass (Tom Ellis). Together they will work covert operations in New York, uncovering international plots, terrorist cells and geopolitical secrets. On CIA, Bill will learn the rules of this murky world on the fly as Colin leads him deeper into spy games where only one thing is clear – their work keeps America safe, even if no one will ever know what they did in the shadows.

In tonight's premiere episode, titled "Directed Energy," When a top-secret weapon is stolen in broad daylight from a U.S. defense contractor, CIA agent Colin Glass is paired with FBI agent Bill Goodman to investigate. Their new partnership gets off to a rocky start, but they soon realize their opposing viewpoints may be their greatest asset, on the series premiere of CIA.

Ellis and Gehlfuss have the chemistry and tension to anchor the cop buddy series with the right amount of tension that fuels every mission and adds just the right amount of humor to balance the intensity.

In addition to Ellis and Gehlfuss, Necar Zadegan stars as Deputy Chief of Station Nikki Reynard, Natalee Linez as CIA Analyst Gina Gosian.

If you're a fan of crime procedurals but want something with a little more global edge and personality, CIA hits the sweet spot.

CIA premieres on CBS at 10 pm EST and is available to stream on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs).