‘FBI True’ EPs Craig Turk and Anne Beagan Talk New Episodes and Docuseries’ Impact on Real Agents (Exclusive)

Paramount+ docuseries FBI True centers on real FBI agents recalling the trauma, tragedies, triumphs, and truths about their real job. Each episode, different agents share stories of dangerous missions carried out by the FBI in the United States and worldwide. Some cases are public knowledge, while others are surprisingly quiet.

The series is currently airing on CBS as part of the network’s strike-affected fall 2023 schedule. This Tuesday, CBS will be airing a never-before-seen episode that will center on Operation Knockout, the biggest anti-gang operation in U.S. history. Ahead of the broadcast, PopCulture.com spoke with executive producers Craig Turk and Anne Beagan, who also worked on the scripted FBI series. They talked all about FBI True and its impact on not only viewers but real agents and much more.

PopCulture: The series only premiered in February but three seasons have aired already, with more episodes on the way. Did you ever think that it would be this popular?

Anne Beagan: People are really loving the authenticity and the platform to give agents a place to share their incredible stories with us. And it’s kind of lit up the agent community. We’re continuing to get phone calls and emails and texts from agents saying, “I’ve got this story, I’ve got that story.”

And the breadth and depth of the FBI is worldwide, and it’s such a huge community that it’s really exciting to hear stories that potentially we have never heard of that are coming our way because of the success of the show and how agents are responding to it.

Craig Turk: Anne brings up a great point. In these next couple of episodes that you’ll see on CBS, we’re featuring some of the most famous and, in some instances, most controversial cases the FBI has ever handled, like Ruby Ridge. And we did an episode, which we feel is so interesting and is such a different angle on the Ruby Ridge case that’s really never been made public before, both in terms of the agents who are talking and the footage that we have.

And then there are other cases, we have one coming up this week, like Operation Knockout. And it’s a much less known FBI case, but it is incredible, I think, one of the most deeply emotional, most involving cases we’ve ever put on film. So that balance has been really interesting, I think, even for us and probably even Anne, who spent over 20 years working at the FBI, and you get to really see the full range of what kinds of cases the FBI handles and why they matter so much.

PC: Kind of going into my next question, can you describe how it feels to hear these kinds of stories firsthand and the impact you think it could have on viewers, especially those who might remember some of these cases?

Beagan: Yeah, we’re hoping that viewers and even agents, agent viewers see these stories and are reminded of… Because they’re also going to be seeing stories and meeting agents through the show that they’ve potentially never met because the FBI is such a large organization. And we’re hoping that the viewer appreciates the breadth and depth of the FBI and what it takes to be in and complete successfully these investigations, and what the toll is emotionally, physically, psychologically on us as human beings, and what the dedication is and what the reward is, which is what the job is all about.

There’s no other profession that can compete with the mission of the FBI, in my opinion. I mean, I was an agent for 23 years, and some really great days and some really bad days, but no day felt like work. It was a calling. And I think that really comes through in our show.

PC: You sort of talked about this already, but what does the behind-the-scenes aspect involve in terms of bringing on the agents and making sure that they’re comfortable with retelling something that may be hard for them?

Beagan: Well, one of the things that we’ve heard makes them comfortable, I am one of the people behind the show. I’m an agent, I’m a family member. I’m a trusted person to them. But also, we have agents taking them on the journey in the episode. And so you’re in the hands of a trusted family member, which is a very different experience than speaking on camera to someone who you don’t know, you don’t know anything about, is not cut from this cloth, not from this family.

So there’s a comfort level there that helps, I think, draw out things that are uncomfortable and important to talk about. We’ve heard that from the agents. And some of them have thanked us for the experience that surprised them, that they didn’t expect to feel so open, and that it was sort of cathartic, especially for some of these really difficult cases that we have on the show.

PC: Working with actual FBI agents, and Anne being one yourself, is there anything that you found fascinating about their stories or their job that you never knew before, even now?

Beagan: Well, I think back to my original point, how honest and open some are just were willing to be about some of the most difficult things you can imagine. And I think the format of our show is a huge contributing factor in that. Craig, wouldn’t you agree? 

Turk: Oh, absolutely, absolutely. It really is special. And you’ll see Megan, in the Ruby Ridge episode, that we featured some agents who have never spoken publicly about this case before. And we said, “What was it that made you want to break the silence after all these years?” They said that the shows are really unique for being able to talk about cases that, as you said, are deeply personal and required incredible commitment and incredible sacrifice from these people.

It’s become a really special place, as Anne was saying, both for the agents who we feel really gratified want to come on the show and call and say, “Hey, we’ve got a great story to tell. We feel like this is a great place to tell it.” And engaging with the audience. We have this amazing community of people who are really dedicated to the show, and it’s been growing and growing. And the feedback we’re getting is really gratifying.

Beagan: Just one other thing to add, the other gratifying thing. This surprised us, me, us. We’re creating almost a reunion for these agents because many of them haven’t seen each other in years. And in a couple of instances on an investigation, an international investigation, the agents had never met in person until our show. And so we’re seeing agents reuniting with each other, exchanging phone numbers, taking selfies, talking about family and health and friends. And that’s a beautiful thing to see that it’s creating this community that’s living again within our show.

Even the episode [that just aired], “The Beltway Snipers,” I always remind the agents when their episode is going to be on CBS, that they’re having viewing parties with their families and friends and colleagues. And we shot that episode months ago. And the two, the detective and agent on it hadn’t seen each other since then. And there was this whole back and forth on text of how is it going, the holidays are coming, and what’s your kid for Halloween? It was beautiful. It’s this unexpected thing that’s happened from the fact that we’re bringing these agents together on the show.

PC: For my final question, is there anything that you hope viewers take away from FBI True?

Beagan: I will go first. I hope that viewers appreciate the dedication and the sacrifice and the beautiful reward that is a profession in the FBI. And I hope everybody wants to join Team America as a result.

Turk: I think that when people watch these episodes of FBI and True, I think, and I hope, that we’re helping to give them a sense for exactly what Anne is talking about, the incredible sacrifice and the incredible commitment that these agents have to making sure that justice is done. And the incredible reward.

I think that as you watch these episodes, there are just these harrowing situations that FBI agents find themselves in, and these really complicated, emotional, sometimes wrenching tragedies that they have to work through. But at the end of the day, when you see everyone sitting around this table, and you see the teamwork that it’s taken to get to the right result, and you see the bond that all these agents have, that’s special in a way that nothing else is. And if we can convey that, I think that’s a real win for us.

Beagan: I think it’s important for people to be reintroduced to who and what the FBI is. And I think our show is well on its way to doing that.