Spoilers ahead for Episode 4 of FBI: Most Wanted Season 5, called “Hollow.”
FBI: Most Wanted is by far the darkest of the three hit FBI shows on CBS, and the 2024 TV schedule delivered quite possibly the most gruesome episode of the year so far with “Hollow.” The task force headed upstate to hunt a serial killer who had been brutally killing and consuming – yes, really – Indigenous women. As if that wasn’t a big enough source of stress, Barnes was also facing problems with her wife at home. Actress Roxy Sternberg spoke with CinemaBlend about what went down… and what she was surprised could air on network TV.
The case of the week was gruesome enough when the agents only knew that there was a killer targeting women who wouldn’t be missed until it was too late. It got much grosser when they realized that he was harvesting the organs of the women to eat, and abducted a pregnant woman with the intention of eating her nutrient-rich placenta. Barnes dropped a line about “human foie gras,” which I noted to the actress is not something you’d expect to hear from many shows on TV. She responded:
The women of the task force made a disgusting discovery when they tracked down the killer’s home and opened his freezer to discover some human organs being kept on ice. That wasn’t even the pinnacle of the gore, as they would discover a shack in the woods that I for one couldn’t believe made it to the airwaves on CBS. When I mentioned as much, Sternberg agreed and said:
The five seasons of FBI: Most Wanted so far (which are available streaming via Paramount+ subscription) have frequently ripped or at least borrowed from real-life headlines. While there are tragic real-life statistics about murders of being murdered and going missing, “Hollow” hit a bit harder for Roxy Sternberg without as much of a frame of reference. And who can argue that it was “awful” and “disgusting” for the characters to process?
Unfortunately, the serial killer wasn’t the only problem that Barnes had to deal with in “Hollow,” although her other struggle was domestic rather than despicable and murderous. The first home scene of the episode showed that Charlotte was busy outside of the home due to a trial in Washington, D.C., and not quite putting a lot of stock in her wife’s attempts to plan a date night. At first, it seemed like they just weren’t on the same page due to two very busy careers. By the end, though, there was a more heartbreaking reveal: Charlotte dropped the bombshell on Barnes that she’d met somebody else.
Roxy Sternberg opened up about how she approached that final scene with her co-star, Fedna Fedna Jacquet, with the reveal:
“We need to talk” rarely leads in any good directions on the small screen, and that proved to be the case in “Hollow” as well, even though Barnes initially had no idea what her wife was going to say. Roxy Sternberg continued:
It was playful to a certain point, but even Barnes’ best efforts to deny that something was off were foiled by the end. Charlotte looked heartbroken in her own way, and clearly took no joy in breaking this news to her wife. In fact, it showed a clear difference between the two women. Sternberg explained:
Barnes has proved capable of many incredible feats over the years of FBI: Most Wanted so far, but achieving a healthy work/life balance hasn’t been one of them, even when she took some time off in the wake of Jess’ death. Roxy Sternberg touched on the Jess era of her character’s life as she continued, saying:
Barnes and Charlotte’s marriage survived when the agent went through the pain of Jess’ death after he was killed off in Season 3, and survived the frequent cast changes that led to Shantel VanSanten’s Nina Chase as the newest member of the team. Was “Hollow” the end of their relationship? Only time will tell, but Charlotte saying that she met somebody doesn’t necessarily have to be the death knell of their marriage. There are plenty of questions that need answers first.
Keep tuning in to CBS on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of FBI: Most Wanted, following FBI: International at 9 p.m. and FBI at 8 p.m. All three are available streaming via Paramount+, with Most Wanted also available streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.
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