Some minor spoilers for FBI can be found throughout this article.
Throughout FBI’s eight-season run, the CBS procedural has touched on a handful of topics that have hit serious and important notes. That’s continued as Season 9 hit the 2026 TV schedule. This week's episode dove into domestic violence, and star Juliana Aidén Martinez told me that while she was frustrated over the storyline, it ultimately led to something pretty awesome.
Martinez joined FBI during Season 8 as Special Agent Eva Ramos. While it is only the second season she’s been on the show, we've been slowly been learning more details about her personal life. Monday’s episode, “Ultimatum,” dug deeper into her family life when her mom called her for help to leave her abusive partner. Unfortunately, by the time Eva got to her mom’s house, she no longer wanted to leave.
This is something that’s been going on for four years now, and Eva wanted to be done with it all. For Martinez, she tells CinemaBlend that the story made her just as upset as Eva, maybe even more:
For me, I was really frustrated with the situation when I read it. Actively, my body wanted to get up. I cried. I was just like, ‘I don't understand. There has to be a way to fix this.’ Then I took a step back, and I was like, ‘That's probably such a relatable experience.’ When we think about it, statistically, every person knows someone that has been affected by domestic violence, whether they're aware of it or not.
FBI has had a lot of gruesome cases, but this kind of storyline can be particularly difficult to tackle. Having the kind of passion and frustration that Martinez had definitely helped fuel the episode, even if it was tough to get through.
For the actress, it came with an unexpected benefit: she learned about what New York is doing to help victims. Not only that, but Martinez was able to work alongside The Crime Victims Treatment Center to be able to tell the story authentically.
Through this episode, I've connected with the Crime Victims Treatment Center, which is New York State's first program created to support victims of sexual assault and violence. And it was actually really through connecting with them and learning what you do in this type of situation, which sometimes the most powerful thing you could do is give a person their autonomy and listen rather than to act on their interest.
Working alongside the CVTC gave Martinez a new perspective on the situation and how to better channel what Eva and her mom were going through. Even though it was a hard episode to film, being able to have that kind of knowledge and understanding will not only help Martinez in future episodes, but will maybe even impact Eva as a character.
That really informed me on Eva's interactions throughout the episode, and taught me what to do, right? And how to be a better supporter, better ally, better friend, daughter, etc. Because I was really upset and I was like, ‘Wow, what a relatable experience that you would want to do something about it.’
I don't know what will happen with the two in future episodes, Martinez is hopeful the resolution to this storyline will be satisfying. Fans have not seen much of Eva’s personal life and her family, and this small taste shows how much she cares for her mom. It’s why she initially told her she was done, because she didn’t want to see her in pain. If Martinez has her way, Eva and her mom will both be taking center stage again in the near future:
I would say the most important female relationship you have in your life as a daughter is your mom, and how much we love our mothers and vice versa. To me, the relationship between a mother and a daughter is so sacred, and it's also really powerful. And I hope, my fingers are crossed that we get to see that relationship evolve. We really see it evolve from the beginning of the episode to the end of the episode.
The popular crime procedural has delved into heavy topics before, and there’s no telling what will be next. The series doesn’t seem to shy away from emotional storylines no matter how hard they may be, but that’s what makes the series so great and so exciting. You never know what could be next. A major exit? Another storyline that ties in with real life?
Tune in to new episodes of FBI on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription to see what happens.
