Few storylines were resolved beforeFBI: Internationalaired its final episode, and one of the most interesting characters in the last season drew the shortest stick of all. TheFBI: Internationalseries finalereceived criticism for letting nearly everyone but Mitch fall by the wayside. But a smaller member of theFBI: Internationalcastis often overlooked in the discussion.
Of the manyunanswered questions fromFBI: Internationalseason 4, it’s natural to get stuck on big issues like whether Vo or Raines will get the G14 promotion they’re vying for.Internationalalso left several character-based mysteries on the table, such as Smitty’s half-explored sexuality. But, although he was the finale’s star, the most frustrating unresolved storyline belongs to Wes.
FBI: International Season 4 Wrote Out Dean Bartlett In A Confusing Way
His Disappearance Wasn’t Foreshadowed Whatsoever
It might not rank asFBI: International’s biggest cliffhanger, but it’s left rather vague what happened to Dean Bartlett. While Wes ultimately travels back to the United States to meet his sister Delila,Dean himself is written out of the series offscreen with a single line of dialoguesaying that he’s gone to the UK to meet a pen pal.
Besides knowing he fractured 11-year-old Wes Mitchell’s jaw and later spent 20 years in jail,we never learn much else about Dean or how he met a UK woman while behind bars. It can be difficult to find pen pal programs for UK prisons, but viewers unaware of that are left clueless as to why she’s writing an American inmate.
On top of that, we never learn much about why Dean was locked up in the first place. Although he has a history of violent abuse,the fact that Bartlett’s movements are being tracked by FinCEN suggests a financial element to his crimes. Sadly,FBI: Internationalhad little choice but to leave these threads hanging or rush through their conclusions.
Why FBI: International Season 4 Couldn’t Give Bartlett The Story He Deserved
Dean’s Arc Was Too Heavy To Explore In So Few Episodes
HadInternationalnot joined the long list ofTV shows canceled in 2025,it’s quite likely that Wes Mitchell’s family plotline would have continued inFBI: Internationalseason 5. Through Wes meeting Delila (and likely her mother Cassie), several details about Dean’s background could have been explored further, including why he suddenly cared so much about Wes and Delila meeting.
Dean Bartlett could also have had a future storyline playing into why he was locked up for so long yet finally able to commute his sentence.The length of his sentence and FinCEN’s current interest in him suggest Dean was put away for something major, despite the lack of hard evidence he ever did time for his more violent offenses.
The California Board of Parole does refer to Wes as a “victim” when awaiting his statement before the commutation hearing, but it’s not clarified whether he’s a victim of the crime for which Dean’s been convicted or merely a victimized party with insights as to why Bartlett shouldn’t be released.
This might have played into his pen pal’s identity, potentially explaining why the United States Treasury Department cares who Bartlett’s shacking up with across the pond. Unfortunately,Dean’s appearance in only four episodes made it nearly impossible to address these questionsbefore theFBI: Internationalseries finale. To finish his story now, he’d have to appear elsewhere in the franchise.
Can The FBI Franchise Ever Finish Bartlett’s Story?
It Would Be A Hard Sell Without Wes Mitchell
The most imposing barrier to following up any story fromFBI: Internationalis that the remainder of the franchise remains primarily New York-based.Any further crimes by Dean could catch the FBI’s attention more easily if Wes remains in the Statesas he was last seen, but Dean’s current UK whereabouts would need to be taken into account as well.
Any need for foreign intelligence to become involved could rope theupcomingCIAspinoffinto the story, but that’s still a Manhattan-based show. Additionally,CIAlargely focuses on domestic terrorism, somethingFBI: Internationalnever associates with Bartlett. In short, while it’s possible for Dean’s story to continue in theFBIfranchise, it might not be worth getting our hopes up.
FBI: International
Cast
FBI: International follows the elite agents of the FBI’s International Fly Team as they travel globally to protect Americans. The series focuses on their complex missions, navigating international law, and challenges posed by various jurisdictions, demonstrating the high-stakes nature of their work.
