Following FBI: Most Wanted's Emmy Nominations, Executive Producer Talks Importance Of Practical Stunts: 'We Don't Cheat'
Here's how the FBI: Most Wanted team earned the two Emmy nominations!
FBI: Most Wanted is a top show on television when it comes to high-stakes crime drama, and has been going strong through many challenges (and cast changes) over the four seasons so far. Season 4 actually took CBS' hit to new heights, as the show was nominated for not one but two Emmys: Outstanding Stunt Performance and Outstanding Stunt Coordination. Executive producer Ken Girotti spoke with CinemaBlend about the nominations and Most Wanted's approach to its remarkable stunts.
In recent years, network TV shows aren't nominated for stuntwork quite as often as streaming and premium cable series, so FBI: Most Wanted's dual nominations for the 2023 Emmys show just how much the CBS drama has distinguished itself. When I spoke with EP Ken Girotti about the nominations, he shared his thoughts on bringing a network TV show from the 2023 TV schedule to the pool of Emmy contenders with stunt coordinator Declan Mulvey:
Attention to detail is especially impressive for a show like FBI: Most Wanted, which ran for 22 action-packed episodes in Season 4 and included moments ranging from flipping a full-sized ambulance over a static camera to stunt sequences that took multiple acts to complete. Ken Girotti went on to note the challenges of delivering the high-quality stunts for nearly two dozen episodes of Season 4:
As Ken Girotti noted, FBI: Most Wanted just doesn't have the time to rely on visual effects, and they have to "do it for real" to "make it work." With Most Wanted responsible for expanding the FBI franchise as the first offshoot of the original while also standing on its own and delivering action week in and week out, the show has certainly found a recipe for its own success. When I noted that viewers can appreciate practical stunts over visual effects, the executive producer continued:
As part of the TV magic of FBI: Most Wanted, the show films in New York even as the agents travel all over the country while pursuing the worst of the worst fugitives. While what the team accomplishes looks great for fans watching from home, it comes with unique challenges. Girotti continued:
Safety is the priority when it comes to stuntwork on FBI: Most Wanted, even if the finished product always looks suitably harrowing for viewers from home. As Ken Girotti said, the show doesn't "cheat" by taking the easiest route that doesn't look as good, which has made this project a standout for stuntwork on the small screen that earned its Emmy recognition.
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When I mentioned in our interview that the scale of the action seems film-quality rather than what viewers might expect to find on television, the executive producer credited Declan Mulvey and the various departments of FBI: Most Wanted for a "really smooth and deep and trusting collaboration." Girotti elaborated:
The finished product of the stunts on FBI: Most Wanted is certainly a team effort, leading up to the Emmy nominations. The executive producer went on to detail what exactly stunt coordinator Declan Mulvey does in the process of bringing a stunt from script to screen, saying:
Only time will tell whether FBI: Most Wanted will win in the categories of Outstanding Stunt Performance and Outstanding Stunt Coordination at the 2023 Emmy Awards, but there's no denying that the show puts in the work week in and week out to deliver film-quality stunts on CBS. You can find the fourth season streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, and look forward to when FBI: Most Wanted will return.
Like sister series FBI and FBI: International, Most Wanted was renewed for the 2023-2024 TV season, but production has not yet begun on Season 5 due to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike. You can also check out a look behind the scenes at the spring's Season 4 finale, including star Dylan McDermott (and his dog) on set.
Laura turned a lifelong love of television into a valid reason to write and think about TV on a daily basis. She's not a doctor, lawyer, or detective, but watches a lot of them in primetime. CinemaBlend's resident expert and interviewer for One Chicago, the galaxy far, far away, and a variety of other primetime television. Will not time travel and can cite multiple TV shows to explain why. She does, however, want to believe that she can sneak references to The X-Files into daily conversation (and author bios).