FBI: Most Wanted has already found its new male lead. Coming off the recent news that Julian McMahon would be exiting the series after nearly three seasons, it has been announced that Dylan McDermott will take over as lead on the FBI spinoff series.
This will keep McDermott in the Dick Wolf-produced universe. The actor had a recurring role on NBC’s Law & Order: Organized Crime, which is also overseen by Wolf. McDermott will succeed Julian McMahon, who portrayed Agent Jess LaCroix on the series for close to three seasons. McMahon’s last episode is set to air on March 8, 2022, and McDermott will make his FBI: Most Wanted debut in Episode 17 of the current season, which will air sometime in April. As of this writing, no details have been given about his role but he will be playing a new character, per “Deadline.”
McDermott was cast on Law & Order: Organized Crime after originally signing a one-year series regular contract to play Stabler’s (Chris Meloni) season 1 adversary. His character off Richard Wheatley was so well-received by fans that NBC and Dick Wolf approached McDermott about coming back. The end result was a pretty hefty deal to return, with “Deadline” reporting that his eight-episode recurring job for season 2 coming in as one of the most lucrative guest-star deals on network television. McDermott’s arc on the Law & Order series will play out as he transitions to FBI: Most Wanted.
Much like Dick Wolf has done with the Law & Order and Chicago franchises on NBC, he has turned the FBI brand into a big hit for CBS. FBI: Most Wanted is part of the network’s Tuesday lineup and it’s a Top 10 drama, averaging 8.8 million viewers.
McDermott is no stranger to television. He was the lead on David E. Kelley’s The Practice, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama and nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He was recently seen in Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood, which earned him his second Emmy nomination, and he also appeared on Murphy’s American Horror Story. In film, McDermott recently played Will Hodges in the critically acclaimed, King Richard.
What are YOUR thoughts on Dylan McDermott taking over for Julian McMahon on FBI: Most Wanted?