Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

CNN Original Series Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia will examine the fragile, high-risk relationship between FBI Directors and then U.S. Presidents they serve, spotlighting the moments when that balance is pushed to the brink.

Each episode focuses on a defining confrontation that reverberated far beyond the Oval Office, starting with former FBI Director James Comey's own account of his infamous clash with President Donald Trump. Episodes also uncover the long-simmering fracture between J. Edgar Hoover and President Richard Nixon, the strained relationship between President Bill Clinton and FBI Director Louis Freeh, and the post-9/11 alliance between President George W. Bush and FBI Director Robert Mueller. Pulling back the curtain on pivotal clashes between FBI Directors and Presidents of the United States, the series traces how personal loyalties, political pressure, and questions of power have shaped the FBI's role in American democracy and national security through archival footage, expert analysis, and firsthand accounts.

Series details

• Title: Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia
• Format: Documentary
• Language: English
• Genres: Crime, History, Legal
• Premiere date: 2026-03-22
• Status in TVmaze: Running
• Network listed by TVmaze: CNN
• Network country: United States
• Typical episode runtime: 60 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 90472
• IMDb ID: tt40010626
• TVDB ID: 475743

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2026-03-22; final listed air date 2026-03-29; episode order: 4.

Source and licence

Adapted from Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.