The murder of a beauty queen live, on air, during some sort of sparkly tiara-fest, will cause even the most jaded viewer to perk up, right? “FBI: Most Wanted” understands this, and so “Pageantry,” the December 3 offering, drops us right into the glittery, gruesome aftermath. This time, the Fugitive Task Force gets a Philly cheesesteak with a side of homicide as they hunt for the culprit behind the very public demise of an international beauty queen.
It’s a case that practically screams “media circus,” and the team is going to have to work double-time to cut through the noise and find the actual killer. Of course, internal tensions never take a night off, and it seems Hana’s Spidey-sense is tingling. She suspects Ethan’s hiding something, which is about as shocking as finding sequins backstage at a beauty pageant. But will this distraction hamper the investigation, or just more interpersonal awkwardness to the mix? Let’s be honest, probably both.
CBS clearly hopes viewers will find some perverse fascination in the juxtaposition of glamor and grim reality. And hey, maybe we will. But for this to be more than just a tawdry true-crime riff, “Pageantry” needs to offer more than just a parade of suspects and red herrings. Give us some actual character development, some witty banter, anything to elevate this beyond the standard procedural formula.
“FBI: Most Wanted” airs Tuesdays at 10:00 PM ET/PT on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
