‘FBI’: John Boyd Teases Scola & Nina’s ‘Beautiful Moment’ in ‘Cathartic’ Episode

Let Us Be Your JOC

For exclusive news and updates, subscribe to our FBI Newsletter:

The FBI midseason premiere is going to be a tough one for Scola (John Boyd).

The January 28 episode, titled “Descent,” will see the investigation into an assistant U.S. attorney’s death lead the team to a related airline whistleblower scandal—and the chilling discovery that the clock is ticking to thwart terrorists from crashing numerous in-flight commercial airplanes. This brings up memories for Scola, whose brother was a 9/11 victim, and the case pushes him hard to prevent another catastrophe.

Below, Boyd previews the emotional episode.

This is going to be a tough case for Scola as it brings up memories of his brother. What can you preview, and how will we see that affecting him throughout the episode?

John Boyd: We find out at the beginning of the case that there’s this letter that’s been on Scola’s desk [and] Maggie [Missy Peregrym] and OA [Zeeko Zaki] are giving him grief about the fact that he won’t open this letter that’s been on his desk for a month. And we go through the case and we find out that they’re trying to thwart a terrorist network that’s hijacking planes, and that’s obviously something that hits home pretty deeply for Scola and the entire country. And I think going through the case, Sola finds himself, by the end, ready to see what’s in that letter, and what is in that letter is a huge cathartic answer and piece of his story that everyone’s always wondered that we’ve never gotten to know. So it’s a great story and I’m excited for the fans to see it.

Bennett Raglin / CBS

Because this show moves so fast due to the nature of the cases, the agents don’t really have time to stop and talk about how something’s affecting them. Is that what we’re going to see in this episode with Scola?

Yeah, I mean, particularly with this storyline, because we all know what it means. It’s so ingrained in the DNA of Scola. It’s such a part of his story that we don’t really have to stop and tell our audience, Hey, this is how he’s feeling, because it just means all that stuff that he’s carrying, that’s so many years and all of that grief is bubbling up. It’s coming up and we know it’s in there. We’ve seen him rage before. We’ve seen him deal with it in those ways. But the question that’s left here is, what’s going to happen? What does this mean for him? So, yeah, it was exciting to play. It was exciting to get to tell the story that way because we know him better now, so we don’t have to stop and tell our audience, “Hey, here’s a scene where you find out what I’m feeling about it,” because we find out, we know. And also there’s a beautiful scene where he’s dealing with a terrorist and asking her to land these planes. And really, it’s a cool convention of storytelling. I think they just did a beautiful job writing it.

I was going to bring up that scene. I think it’s the most emotional we’ve ever seen Scola when talking to a suspect. 

Yeah, I had a great time doing that scene because we got there and I realized, they’re the same. They carry the same loss. Even though they’re on opposite sides, they’re the same. They have to see one another’s humanity in it, and he has to ask her. And it’s a cool ask Scola has to ask someone to do something and connect on a human level in order to get a break in the case.

Shantel VanSanten guest stars in this episode. What can you say about what brings Nina around and what we’re going to see from her and Scala?

Yeah, it’s a great little mini crossover to have Nina there. We get to see Nina in the bullpen hanging out. We get to see Nina back at the house after the case. And I think there’s a beautiful moment in their relationship, a maturity level that Scola has reached in his relationship, that he knows that he can ask his partner for help at the end of this. He is able to realize he’s mature enough, he’s grown enough, that he’s able to say, I can’t do this alone and I need your help. And he asks her to read this letter.

Scola has not had luck with partners this season since Tiffany (Katherine Renee Kane) left. 

Who knew, maybe he’s too rough around the edges. Maybe it’s him.

Related

'FBI' Interview: Zeeko Zaki on That Major Death for OA, What's Next With Gemma (Exclusive)

Syd (Lisette Olivera) is the latest to leave, so what can you say about how she’s written out and what that means for Scola now that he’s without a partner again?

Yeah, so we find out at the beginning of the episode that Syd’s been picked up by some higher-ups that were super impressed, and they pull her out of there and here Scola is left to fend for himself again, but at this point, he’s ready to do it. He’s down for the cause and I get to match up with OA and Maggie a little more, which is great. Who doesn’t want to get to be their partner for a little bit? So he’ll be OK.

Yeah, I was going to say, I really am liking the three of them working together. How long is that going to continue versus them trying to find someone for Scola?

It’s going to continue. As long as Maggie and OA aren’t like, “We don’t want you in our Tahoe anymore. Get out of our car. Go find your own person.” Yeah, no, there’s a few. It’s been cool. It’s been interesting to just let things breathe and define Scola again as kind of this solo stag agent. It’s been fun for me to rediscover him. In a partnership, you are so coordinated with one another. You’re so connected in movement and hearing one another to not have someone, the guy goes through it, for sure.

What does he want in a partner then at this point? Or is he kind of finding that he doesn’t want one?

No, I think that Scola wants a partner. I think that Scola wants a partner. The only requirement for being Scola’s partner would probably just be you care about the damn case. That’s all. Scola is the kind of guy that if you care most about doing this job, you can’t really lose. Don’t get us killed and you care, he’s in. …There’s this little bit of the Goldilocks, partners not working and he wasn’t ready. And then the other guy was kind of too — he didn’t fit and people teasing him about it. It’ll be fun to see where it lands.

FBI, Midseason Return, Tuesday, January 28, 8/7c, CBS

From TV Guide Magazine

What to Expect From 'The Hunting Party's Love Triangle and Mystery

Manifest alum Melissa Roxburgh and the showrunner of NBC’s Hunting Party tease TV Guide Magazine about what’s ahead for the “government conspiracy that just keeps unfolding” — plus, the series’ “good” love triangle. Read the story now on TV Insider.