‘FBI: Most Wanted’ Star Dylan McDermott Says ‘FBI’ Crossover Will Be a “Great Night of Television”

Whether you know him as a serial killer on American Horror Story or a corrupt businessman with close ties to the mafia in Law and Order: Organized Crime, Dylan McDermott has become a common face in the Ryan Murphy and the Dick Wolf universes. Now playing a standup FBI agent Remy Scott in FBI: Most Wanted, the actor is about to embark on his first-ever crossover episode consisting of his show, FBI and FBI: International.

McDermott first joined FBI: Most Wanted halfway through the third season when he took over the leading role from Julian McMahon — whose fan-favorite character, Jess, was ultimately killed off at the end of Season 3.

In the three-hour event, which airs on Tuesday, April 4, the three FBI shows from the Wolf universe work together to solve a case involving the abduction of an American architect in Rome that is somehow connected to a looming terror threat in New York City.

DECIDER caught up with McDermott to talk all things FBI: Most Wanted, how he’s adjusting since joining the show nearly a year ago, what fans can look forward to in the crossover episode and what kind of surprises we can expect from the rest of the season.

This is your first crossover episode since joining FBI: Most Wanted. What are you most excited for the fans to see?

It’s just nice to mix the worlds together working on the same case. I just think that that’s so much fun for the fans to watch, to have a three-hour block and see how it all finally ends up on FBI: Most Wanted. So mixing all three shows, the universe comes together. I think it’s really going to be a great night of television.

What are the biggest challenges of working on a crossover? 

It’s difficult because so much of it is scheduling. We’re still shooting it. Actually, I was shooting today. So it’s like the FBI: International shoots first and then they wait a couple of weeks and then FBI shoots and now we’re shooting FBI: Most Wanted. So it really is the scheduling and finding time for them to do their own shows and then come over to our shows. So all of that. It’s a military operation.

It’s almost been a year since you joined FBI: Most Wanted. What was it like joining a series that had already been established for three seasons? How have you adjusted?

I knew going into it that it wasn’t going to be easy because I think that Jess was a beloved character. Coming into the middle of a show, end of the season, there were all sorts of complications in there. But I felt like I had a good handle on my character. I talked to Dick about what I what I wanted my character to be. So I wanted him to come from loss. That was really huge for me. So I stepped in, luckily, coming off Organized Crime so they already knew my style of work. They were into it. They were happy with Organized Crime and the success of that show. So it really was sort of seamless because some of the same people had worked on the show and it wasn’t like I was going to an entirely different universe. So that was great.

I made the character my own. I made the show my own. I continue to work hard on it. Doing 22 episodes is a bear. How do you make every show great, every show interesting, every show compelling? That’s, I think the hardest thing about doing 20 – now for me, 23 episodes with the crossover. You know, having the stamina because I’m an actor that gives everything 100% every single time out. I don’t know how to walk through it. I don’t know how to pace myself. I give everything so now I’m exhausted.

The show deals with real-life issues. In the beginning of Season 4, there’s a school shooting situation. And there’s your character dealing with the loss of his brother. Is it hard to leave that heavy stuff at work after leaving? Do you have a way of coping with such difficult scenes and topics?

That’s a great question. It is, you know, it is a darker world. I also knew going into it watching the show, I knew what I was stepping into. That’s why I thought it would be important to bring humor into the show because it really didn’t have a lot of humor. And I thought, ‘Well, let’s infuse some fun into this show that didn’t look like a lot of fun was happening because of the cases.’ 

So I really try to put as many jokes in there and keep it as light as possible even though the subject matter is so dark because I think you need relief. You need a break sometimes because these cases are so awesome and so horrible that you need some kind of, like, fun.

You spent almost a decade on The Practice – a legal drama, before going on to star in Law and Order: Organized Crime and Law and Order: SVU. What is it about these police procedural/law dramas that keep drawing you in?

Well, you know on television – especially in network television – I think [with] the cop, the lawyer and the doctor, you’re going to have the most success. Just the close-ended cases of being a cop, a lawyer or a doctor, I think people respond to that better on network television because you don’t have to watch every single episode. You can come back. It’s like an old friend. You can come back. You know what you’re gonna get. You maybe miss a week or so and come back and watch another show. Maybe catch up on Paramount+, who knows. But I think it’s just one of those things that just works on television. I think because of the case.

How has working on FBI: Most Wanted been different from working on other crime dramas?

Well, you know, it’s Dick Wolf. The universe of Dick Wolf is a very special place. I think that his shows obviously stay on the air for a very long time. People love them. There’s Law and Order channels where they only play Law and Order, 24/7. So I think that Dick knows who I am from Organized Crime, guest-starring on SVU and now starring on FBI. I think he knows that he can trust me to carry this show. He gives me the content I need. And I sort of just fly. 

It really comes down to the character. If you know who you’re playing, you can have a lot of fun. I think people get in trouble when they don’t know exactly who they’re playing and for me, Remy is very specific. And I know exactly who he is. So therefore, I have the time of my life because I get to put everything into this guy.

You appeared on four seasons of American Horror Story, with the last time being in 2019. Will we see you again on the show or any other Ryan Murphy series? 

I hope so. I love American Horror Story. I think it’s amazing. And anytime Ryan calls, we have a great relationship. Like with Dick – I try to work with the best people because they make you better. And so anytime I get to work with people like Ryan Murphy or Dick Wolf, it’s always a yes.

Ryan Murphy is having quite a year between The Watcher and Monster: A Jeffrey Dahmer Story. As someone who’s worked with him for more than a decade, does it surprise you to see that his success is only growing?

No, not at all because I mean, Ryan works so hard. He’s a genius. I always say he’s the Andy Warhol of our time. So it’s not surprising, no. It makes complete sense. He has incredible taste. He has great relationships with actors. And this material is second to none. So no, it’s not a surprise at all.

What’s more fun to play – the serial killer ? Or the heroic FBI agent? 

I think they’re both fun. Before I came on FBI, I was playing a lot of questionable characters. So now I feel like I needed to go back to the hero for a while because it was important. You don’t want to play bad too long because you kind of wear out your welcome a little bit. So I was happy when I got the call saying that I will be taking over this show because it was time for me to play noble and to play good again.

Back to the fact that it’s been a year of playing the good guy – do you see yourself wanting to do another bad guy role in the near future?

You never know. I feel like you never know what’s coming as an actor, what role is next. Right now, I’m playing Remy. I’ve been really enjoying him. It’s been an incredible season. I got to go undercover a few times. The priest role is one of my favorites. So I’m fulfilled as an actor on the show because I get to do so much. So right now, you know, I’m in a good place.

Is there anything else you can tease about what’s to come in the rest of the season of FBI?

Yes, absolutely. Well, [Tuesday, April 11] is a very special episode. Not only does my dog Otis make a guest-star appearance, but my daughter as well. She is guest-starring on this episode coming Tuesday, and wait until you see what happens. We have a great scene together. So I’m very excited. She did an incredible job. And I can’t wait for the world to meet her.

What was it like working with your daughter?

Dream come true, to have her on set, to work together, to see how professional she is, to see how great she is, what a huge career she’s going to have. I couldn’t have been more proud. And Otis, my dog, did an incredible job, too.

The crossover event begins on April 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT with FBI: International, before going to FBI at 9 p.m. ET/PT and finishing with FBI: Most Wanted at 10 p.m. ET/PT.