The FBI has never been more, well, attractive.
Before you laugh out loud, allow me to explain. Last Sunday night, after watching “Once Upon a Time,” I stopped paying attention to the television, but left it on to provide some background noise for me while I caught up on some work. However, when 9 p.m. hit, I suddenly found myself completely engrossed in a show I had never seen before.
ABC’s freshman hit “Quantico” is most certainly not background noise.
“Quantico” opens with the biggest terrorist attack on American soil since Sept. 11: the bombing of Grand Central Station in New York. The FBI’s top suspect also happens to be their top recruit: trainee Alex Parrish (Priyanka Chopra). She’s a self-assured and capable woman who went to Quantico to discover the secrets of her deceased father, a former FBI agent, and discovered she was born to be an agent herself.
One problem, however: Alex Parrish is innocent.
The real terrorist is a member of her class from Quantico, and each person — including Alex — has secrets. Ryan Booth (Jake McLaughlin), an ex-Marine carrying a torch for Alex, is also spying on her under special orders. Nimah Amin (Yasmine Al Massri), a Muslim woman personally recruited into the FBI struggling with mistreatment and prejudice due to her faith, and her identical twin sister are both studying at Quantico … as the same person. Simon Asher (Tate Ellington), who may or may not be gay, hid the fact that he spent some time in Gaza. Brazen and cocky Caleb Haas (Graham Rogers) seems to only be at Quantico because of his parents’ legacy. Shelby Wyatt (Johanna Braddy), a Southern belle who knows how to handle a gun and lost both of her parents on Sept. 11, takes phone calls from a mystery man and refuses to tell anyone about them.
The cast of “Quantico” is incredibly diverse, and the writers get it right. Alex’s voice still carries echoes of Chopra’s Indian accent, but she isn’t presented as the resident minority woman. She also doesn’t get her femininity stripped away to make her appear “strong.” Nimah wears her hijab with pride, and is presented as a strong, assertive woman whose religious faith doesn’t weaken her in any way. Even Shelby, who looks like she could be a supermodel, isn’t just there to be cute and act ditzy; she is there to work.The characters are not stereotypes or caricatures; they are human beings with strengths and weaknesses. And in a world where television is further behind in representation than it should be, that’s refreshing.
“Quantico’s” ensemble is thrilling to watch on screen. Each actor could lead a series on their own, and that depth does a lot for the show. Aside from Chopra’s star-making performance at the show’s helm, Al Massri and Aunjanue Ellis, playing Quantico’s Deputy Director Miranda Shaw, give stunning performances.
The show is split into two time periods: the trainee’s 20 weeks at the FBI Academy and the aftermath of the Grand Central bombing. The flashbacks and flash-forwards are seamlessly intertwined, somehow telling a singular narrative through two stories.
Every subplot is worth investing in, and every character is fleshed out and complex, in no small part because of the clear effort put in by the entire cast. They’re helped by a fantastic team of writers. The dialogue is natural, crisp, and the plot doesn’t sludge along. The writers know where their story is going, and how they want to get there.
A key component of “Quantico’s” masterful storytelling is the relationship building throughout the four episodes that have aired so far. The character-to-character dynamics are all unique, and they all stem from real, believable places. Shelby and Caleb, aside from their mutual attraction, bond over their desire to overcome everyone else’s judgments. Ryan and Alex bring out the playfulness and competitiveness in each other, as well as being confidants. Each and every member of the class wants to be the best; they are driven to not only succeed but also to excel. That kind of bond, a bond forged in fire, is television gold.
Its ratings speak for itself. “Quantico’s” pilot attracted 7.1 million viewers, and unlike many other freshmen series, continued its momentum through its later episodes, earning a full-season order from ABC in early October.
“Quantico” airs at 8 p.m central Sunday nights on ABC.