Pratik Handore
‘Class of ’09’ is a suspense thriller series created by Tom Rob Smith for FX on Hulu and revolves around a group of FBI Agents. In the series, FBI Agent Ashley Poet and her former classmates from the titular batch of agents must deal with the introduction of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system and its effect on the criminal justice system in the United States. Given the series’ broader scope and non-linear narrative structure, viewers must be curious to learn when and where ‘Class of ’09’ takes place. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Class of ’09 Takes Place In Three Time Periods
‘Class of ’09’ follows a group of FBI Agents as they go through the highs and lows of working in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and explore the perils of the Law enforcement agency and the criminal justice system in the United States. However, the story becomes complicated because of the history between agents such as Tayo, Poet, Lennix, and Hour. Moreover, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) system used by Tayo (Brian Tyree Henry) also poses serious moral and ethical questions about the state of the criminal justice system. The complex and nuanced structure of the narrative’s thematic aspects is done justice only because of the distinct division between the show’s events.
The series unfolds over three different time periods. The first is set in the year 2009 and referred to as The Past. It follows the main characters as trainees in the FBI recruitment program and shows them learning the trade while developing a bond with each other. The second time period is The Present and takes place in the year 2023. It follows the main characters in their fledgling FBI careers leading up to a shocking event that affects the entire agency. The third and final time period depicted in the show is The Future which takes place in the year 2024. In The Future, the main characters deal with the rapidly changing nature of their agency due to the introduction of an AI that predicts criminal activity before the crimes are committed. The narrative jumps between the three timelines, resulting in a non-linear narrative that keeps the viewers suspended in the suspense-filled narrative.
Class of ’09 Is Set in Several US States
Since the story of ‘Class of ’09’ unfolds over three different time periods, the locations change to depict the fluid nature of the main characters’ jobs. As a result, the series does not have one specific setting. However, each of the timelines – The Past, The Present, and The Future – has some recurring settings that add to the narrative threads and amplify the urgency of the characters’ situations. The Past is set at The FBI Academy, a law enforcement training and research center. It is located near the town of Quantico in Stafford County, Virginia. The Present timeline features several locations, but the most prominent is Montana, as Tayo travels to the state to deal with the leader of a separatist organization.
Other locations during The Present timeline include locations such as Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, California. The locations in The Future timeline are murkier as no specific city is mentioned during these events. However, given that Tayo is the FBI Director in The Future, it is likely that most of the scenes featuring him take place in Washington, D.C., since the FBI Headquarters is located there. Filming for the show’s debut season occurred in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, Georgia, and Los Angeles, California. Hence, it is safe to say that Atlanta and Los Angeles are also among the settings for the show’s events taking place across different timelines.
Read More: Where is Class of ’09 Filmed?
