‘FBI True’ EPs Explain How the True Crime Series ‘Snowballed in a Beautiful Way’ [Exclusive]
FBI True docuseries not only offers a unique perspective of how FBI agents solve true crime cases, but it has also become a connective gateway for the law enforcement community that producers hope to continue to nurture.
From executive producers Craig Turk’s Thinking Hat Productions, Anne Beagan’s Anne Beagan Productions, and Shawn Efran’s Efran Films Canada, FBI True peels back the layers of notorious and gritty cases from the eyes and hearts of the agents who worked them.
Through interviews and features on the show, the series has spun a community of connectivity that was a happy surprise for producers.
“One thousand percent with the agent community itself and beyond,” Beagan told Showbiz Cheat Sheet about how the series is connecting agents.
“And when I say with the agent community itself, we had a case. It was an international serial killer case and the agent from New York and the agent from Montenegro had never met in person until they came on to talk about the case on our show,” she said.
“Another example of a reunion is actually the Golden State serial killer case. Julia Cowley and Larry Pool, who are our guests on the show, haven’t seen each other in years. After we filmed that night and I went back to the hotel, they were sitting in the lobby just having a cup of tea, catching up. It was beautiful,” she recalled. “And I see people taking selfies and exchanging phone numbers and saying, you should talk to so-and-so. Here’s what he or she is doing now. And so it’s really kind of snowballed in a beautiful way.”
‘FBI True’ EPs hope the series inspires a new generation of agents
What really took the FBI True EPs aback was the overwhelming interest in attending this season’s premiere party. “Typically we have a little viewing party, but by the time this thing got rolling, we had like 100 people. People flew in from all over the country, from Florida, Washington, D.C., from New York. People came from Texas,” Turk recalled.
“It was agents who had been on the show, people who have just been helpful to us behind the scenes. And it was such an amazing feeling because it really has become this family. Agents who had been on different episodes and probably had never crossed paths at all in the FBI, but now kind of feel like they know each other,” he said.
FBI True producers have also heard from FBI officials, raving about the series. “We’re so honored to have that support and to hear that they recognize that it is a wonderful show and it’s giving a voice to these incredible stories,” Beagan said. “It’s reintroducing people to who and what the FBI is and does. And I personally hope it inspires a whole new generation of young folks to want to sign up for Team America.”
How do they select cases to be featured on ‘FBI True’?
Beagan and Turk also explained how they select the cases to be featured on FBI True. “Sometimes there are cases that we have had our eye on for a while,” Turk said. “Chelsea bombing, Boston Marathon bombing, Ruby Ridge. These sorts of signature cases that the FBI has handled. And so this is what we’re always really excited to pursue. Sometimes there are cases in which we’re not as familiar. Anne will say, ‘Here’s a great case that we talk about inside the FBI that people may not know.’ Or she’ll say, ‘I have a rock star agent who has a bunch of interesting cases.'”
For instance, tonight’s episode investigates the Golden State Killer and how agent Julia Cowley led the way to cracking the case.
“With regard to this particular case, Julia Cowley is a rock star profiler, and agent,” Beagan said. “And also I thought this case was fascinating because it was an example of a case that was really kind of stuck until Julia came in. And her profile was really pivotal in helping to shift the direction of the case of the investigation.”
Tune in to CBS’s FBI True on Tuesday, October 17 at a special time 10:28-11:00 PM, ET/PT on the five-year anniversary of the killer’s arrest.
