Meet Joel: The New Character in FBI Season 7 – But Can We Trust Him?

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Be advised that the following discussion contains plot details for Episode 12 of FBI‘s seventh season, titled “Manhunt.” This episode can be streamed with a subscription to Paramount+.

The FBI unit was investigating a crime as intense as a Law & Order: SVU case, elsewhere in Dick Wolf’s TV world. Time was running out to rescue a young girl and dismantle a sex trafficking network. This week, OA was absent, with Maggie working alongside Scola following his latest advancement. Throughout the episode, she formed an unexpected alliance in “Manhunt,” which I found suspicious for most of it.

To put it simply, it wasn’t until the final scene that I was convinced FBI wouldn’t trick us by making the newcomer a villain. It seems that Joel, the 911 operator, could potentially be beneficial for Maggie in Season 7, provided my suspicion about him is unfounded.

In the episode, it wasn’t until the very end that we saw Joel, portrayed by Bill Barrett, on screen. Prior to this, he was merely a voice speaking to Maggie, assisting in connecting a vulnerable girl to 26 Fed for their attempt to rescue her before tragedy struck. The case was quite tense, and I found myself questioning whether Joel’s empathy was genuine or if he was manipulating the situation to gather information to benefit the traffickers and keep them one step ahead of the law enforcement.

When Joel went to visit the woman they saved at the hospital right before she was discharged, I had a feeling he might have been there to keep her quiet. Maggie has faced one challenge after another this season, and losing custody of Ella was heart-wrenching, so I wasn’t optimistic that something positive would occur for her.

However, Joel appeared to genuinely visit the victim, and his courteous demeanor made his suggestion to buy Maggie some hospital coffee seem quite endearing. If we assume that he is truly a good person and not orchestrating some elaborate scheme, I believe he could turn out to be beneficial for Maggie as Season 7 unfolds.

In essence, letting go of her dual role as Ella’s mom and field FBI agent was a considerable sacrifice at home, though it may have been beneficial for the child in the long run. Furthermore, while there have been suggestions that Maggie and Erin are reconnecting as sisters, it’s important to note that her deepest connection on the show has consistently been with OA.

Among my favorite TV relationships is the bond between OA and her confidante, Gemma. Unlike his professional life, OA finds solace in discussing matters outside of work with Gemma. Interestingly, Scola’s partner is also an FBI agent, but Nina works for a different team, sharing screen time with Shantel VanSanten on another show. With Tiff now departed following a heartwarming farewell with Maggie, both Jubal and Isobel hold senior positions and aren’t exactly peers to Maggie in the traditional sense.

It appears to me that Maggie might benefit from having someone to confide in who isn’t a superior or a colleague entangled in the same challenging cases as she is. Could Joel possibly become for Maggie what Gemma was to OA? Although we can only guess following his single appearance with no assurance of his return, I’ll attempt to have faith in the character and wish for Maggie to establish a bond with him. She truly deserves some positive development in her personal life.

Check if Joel brings fresh episodes of FBI on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS, with FBI: International following at 9 p.m. ET and FBI: Most Wanted airing at 10 p.m. ET. Among these three series, only FBI has been renewed beyond the 2024-2025 TV schedule, so fans can anticipate more of the original show in the near future.

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2025-02-19 06:07