7 Ways ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ Could Write Out Jess

Meredith Jacobs February 10, 2022, 12:30 pm

Julian McMahon as Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix in FBI Most Wanted — Mark Schafer/CBS

The Fugitive Task Force is about to lose its leader.

Julian McMahon is leaving FBI: Most Wanted, with his last episode scheduled to air on March 8. (There’s only one other new episode with him until then; the CBS drama isn’t on March 1 due to the State of the Union.) And once the team loses Jess LaCroix, Dylan McDermott will be coming in soon after as a new character, in an April episode.

But how might Jess be written out? We take a look at the possibilities below.

Jess Dies or Is Seriously Injured on the Job

Perhaps Jess won’t have a choice in leaving the team. This is, after all, a dangerous job, and something could always go wrong. A suspect could kill him during his pursuit, or he could be injured to the point that he can no longer do the job (or at least be in the field). But the injury route, at least, does seem unlikely, given that’s how Kenny Crosby was written out when Kellan Lutz left after the premiere.

A Close Call Makes Him Reconsider His Life

Jess could come close to being forced out of the job, only for it to be a wake-up call for him and he decides that he doesn’t to risk his daughter, Tali (YaYa Gosselin), growing up without both of her parents.

Julian McMahon as Jess, YaYa Gasselin as Tali, Jen Landon as Sarah in FBI Most Wanted

Mark Schafer/CBS

He Moves to Be Closer to Tali

Tali recently left to attend a boarding school in Canada. While he came around to the idea and they established how often they’d stay in touch at the airport, having her in another country might just be too much for him and he could choose to follow her.

Jess Retires

After years on the job, maybe it’s time for him to just take time for himself and find a hobby. (But can you imagine Jess doing that?)

He Transfers

Leaving the Fugitive Task Force (and therefore our screens) doesn’t mean he necessarily has to leave the FBI. Jess could feel like it’s time to transfer to a unit that doesn’t require him to constantly be on the road.

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He Just Doesn’t Show up to Work One Day

What if it’s just business as usual at the end of the March 8 episode? Jess heads home, the rest of the team thinks he’ll be back the next work day, and then he just doesn’t show up, leaving them to wonder why (and the answer to then be revealed at the end of the following episode or later).

His Fate Isn’t Revealed Until the Episode After His Last Onscreen Appearance

Similar to the above scenario, it doesn’t seem like the March 8 episode is Jess’ last (whether with a bit of a cliffhanger or not). But then the next episode begins with the team briefly mentioning in dialogue what happened off-screen and why he’s not there.

FBI: Most Wanted, Tuesdays, 10/9c, CBS