TV Guide. By Malcolm Venable. April 15, 2020
NCIS: Everything We Know About Season 18 So Far.
NCIS’ bold season-ending episode was not — repeat NOT — a season finale in the eyes of producers, thank you very much, even if, for all intents and purposes, that stunning turn from Christopher Lloyd will be the last fans will see of the show for a while. Of course, coronavirus has dramatically upended all timetables for NCIS and pretty much ever other show on TV right now, and there’s no definitive return date set for the show to come back.
Actually, CBS hasn’t even formally announced the show has been renewed, even if we can be pretty confident the long-running series won’t call it quits anytime soon. So what’s on deck for when it does return? TV Guide spoke with executive producer Frank Cardea and Gina Monreal, a co-executive producer, who shared some insight on what we might expect…without giving too much away, of course.
Gibbs will be a more emotionally open leader.
As reported previously, Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon) experiences in the tear-jerking last episode will lead him to be more transparent about his emotions. Of course, emotional vulnerability is not something we’ve known Gibbs to be — and it’s doesn’t mean “weak” either. “One thing about the Gibbs character,” Monreal said, “he’s constantly evolving.” Added Cardea: “I think he’s going to be taking some risks and chances he never would have taken before.”
A big milestone episode will be a flashback.
NCIS was set to air its 400th episode this season, a monumental achievement the producers, writers, cast and crew had obviously been looking forward to.
PART 2.
Though plans were put on hold, that whopper of a birthday is going to be celebrated as soon as possible, and the plans are for that episode to be a flashback. “It’s about how Gibbs and Ducky met,” Cardea said. “It’s a case that brings them back. There are wonderful moments and we see how Ducky and Gibbs met under strange circumstances.”
Sloane is probably safe, for now.
There’s a theory among NCIS fans that Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane (Maria Bello) might be meeting her demise soon — supposedly in Season 17. According to the conspiracies, Sloane’s would-be death at the end of the season would’ve closed it on a dramatic note, keeping Gibbs in an unnerved state that’s more interesting for the series. Alleged details of her reported contract been part of sleuths’ story too. Clearly, it’s not possible for her to die in Season 17 since that’s now over, but when asked if Sloane might die as the show moves forward, Cardea laughed it off. “We never talk about what we’re going to do,” he said adding that if word got out that Sloane’s death was in the cards, they wouldn’t do it. That’s not quite a denial, but it’s also a hint this rumor doesn’t have much merit.
https://www.tvguide.com/news/ncis-everything-we-know-about-season-18-so-far/?PostType=image&ServiceType=twitter&ftag=COS-05-10aaa3b&UniqueID=1DEE84B0-7F8A-11EA-AEDC-03C2C28169F1&TheTime=2020-04-16T02%3A29%3A37
3. TVLine. By Matt Webb Mitovich. April, 17, 2020
Anything on NCIS? –McAdams
If you were perchance wondering if any of the four episodes not filmed in time for Season 17 featured any romantic developments for Bishop/Torres or, if they’re your kink, Gibbs/Jack, co-showrunner Frank Cardea told me, “Not specifically, no.”
https://tvline.com/2020/04/17/macgyver-spoilers-season-4-mac-riley-desi/
4. TV Insider. June 17th, 2020. By Kate Hahn
Mark Harmon & ‘NCIS’ Bosses: Gibbs Isn’t Just a ‘Cowboy’ in Season 18.
The Season 18 headline: “Gibbs unchained!”
Yes, NCIS big boss Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) will be bolder than ever when the military crime drama returns for its announced fall premiere. Not that the ex–Marine sniper has ever been afraid to let loose on lawbreakers. He’s fearless in raids. His restrained but pointed interrogations are legendary for eliciting confessions. Even his own Naval Criminal Investigative Service special agents tread lightly around him—especially when disobeying a dictum in his famous “rule book.”
The difference now is that the man who once ordered his team “Hug on your own time!” is getting in touch with those pesky things called feelings, which can be mighty motivators. “He’s still the cowboy we all know and love…but he’s no longer only the cowboy,” says executive producer Frank Cardea.
How did we arrive at this Gibbs? For a start, the stoic leader took an unexpected, arduous emotional journey in Season 17. His heart was cracked open by two important relationships: His presumed-dead daughter figure, former agent Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), made a surprise return, and he became a buddy to kid next door Phineas (Jack Fisher). The two storylines collided tragically when the boy’s mom turned out to be a terrorist Gibbs had to shoot dead to save Ziva. “Those things tend to make people take stock of their lives,” says executive producer Steven D. Binder.
5. Part 2.
On top of that, in the April 14 hour that served as the season ender (COVID-19 precautions shut down production before the final few episodes could be shot), Gibbs’ encounter with a World War II vet led him to talk, for the first time, about his own combat experiences (“[Kuwait] took something from me”) to techy agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray). Notes Harmon: “Sometimes someone else opening up about their experience makes it OK for that person to address their feelings. Once Gibbs gets to the truth, he doesn’t quit.”
The actor traces his bottled-up character’s un-bottling back to the end of Season 16, when he divulged his deepest secret—that he’d killed the man responsible for murdering his wife and child—to his team and later to a therapist. With Dr. Grace Confalone (Laura San Giacomo), “Gibbs went into personal detail, and I’m not sure he’s done that before. His team only knows part of the story,” Harmon says. “Still, for Gibbs, that’s big progress.”
What with an evolving core character and—let’s face it—an evolving world, NCIS’s producers are feeling the pressure to deliver big in the upcoming premiere, which CBS is hopeful will be ready to air as usual. “There’s been a lot of discussion. We want to get this right,” Cardea says.
No decision yet on what that opener will bring, but one firm goal going forward is to wrap up a mystery left dangling since Season 16. This unsolved crime seemed to crop up in a November episode when Gibbs disappeared for a few days after getting a text. According to Cardea, Gibbs’ explanations for his absence weren’t quite accurate: “Let’s just say he didn’t walk out in the middle of a case because it was sturgeon season or because Emily Fornell [the daughter of his good friend] left rehab. We are looking forward to paying this storyline off.”
6. Also, episodes on hold will resurface. One examines animal cruelty, and the milestone 400th reveals how Gibbs first came into the NCIS world and how he met its historian, longtime ally Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum).
As for the Gibbs of today, “as he grows more thoughtful about his choices and actions, that is going to make him more aware of his vulnerabilities,” Cardea says. “How he chooses to react to his new understanding of his weaknesses is another matter entirely.”
Gibbs unleashed, remember? After all, he may soften up, but he’ll never go soft on crime.
NCIS, Season 18, Fall 2020, CBS
https://www.tvinsider.com/937755/ncis-season-18-mark-harmon-preview/
7. Showbiz CheatSheet. By Perry Carpenter. July 8th, 2020
‘NCIS’ EP Confirms 1 Fan-Favorite Will Pop Up in Season 18.
NCIS executive producer Frank Cardea just confirmed that a fan-favorite is returning to the series in season 18. The series cut season 17 short due to the coronavirus pandemic and the cast and crew are set to return later this year. While producers have kept a tight lid on spoilers, Cardea revealed that Margo Harshman will be back in action as fan-favorite Delilah Fielding.
What happened to Delilah?
Delilah was first introduced as Timothy McGee’s (Sean Murray) wife in season 11 of NCIS. Over the years, she has appeared sporadically on the show and it’s always a treat whenever she gets a cameo alongside McGee.
Unfortunately, Delilah was absent for the entirety of season 17. In fact, the last time viewers saw her on the show was in season 16.
As NCIS fans will recall, Delilah was featured in an episode where she barely avoided a fight with an intruder who had broken into her home. Luckily, McGee was there to take down the man and Delilah got out of the situation unharmed.
The bad news is that Delilah did not have an appearance in season 17, which was shortened due to the virus. Hollywood halted production on movie and television sets last spring and it remains to be seen when the cast and crew will get back to it.
With things started to open up, Cardea recently discussed season 18 of NCIS and confirmed that Delilah will be back in action.
Cardea opens up about season 18 of ‘NCIS’
With NCIS forced to end season 17 early, some of the episodes from last season will be included in the upcoming run. According to Express, this includes an installment that is all about McGee and Delilah.
8. PART 2.
In a recent interview, Cardea and executive producer Gina Monreal were asked about McGee’s emotional clip with Gibbs (Mark Harmon) at the end of season 17. That question prompted Cardea to reveal that fans will see more of McGee in season 18 of NCIS, including a special episode with the character’s wife.
“It’s unfortunate, one of the episodes we didn’t get to shoot was a McGee-Delilah episode,” Cardea shared. “So that’ll be shot early on next year.”
Cardea did not reveal what the episode is about, but the fact that Delilah will be back for another season will undoubtedly excite fans. And that’s not the only thing the EP dished on season 18.
He went on to reveal that episode 400 of NCIS will be centered on how Ducky (David McCallum) and Gibbs first met. The installment will feature a 20-year time jump, and it will be very interesting to see how the series pulls off a younger version of the characters.
What’s ahead in season 18 of ‘NCIS’?
Apart from the Delilah cameo, season 18 of NCIS will continue Gibbs’ emotional journey following Ziva David’s (Cote de Pablo) shocking return from the dead last season. According to TV Insider, the new season will explore how much Gibbs has changed since Ziva’s return.
“He’s still the cowboy we all know and love…but he’s no longer only the cowboy,” Cardea shared.
Ziva’s appearance wasn’t the only thing that influenced Gibbs last season. He also made friends with a kid named Phineas (Jack Fisher), whose mom was actually a terrorist who was trying to kill Ziva. Gibbs had to kill Phineas’ mother to save Ziva, breaking his promise to the young boy.
“Those things tend to make people take stock of their lives,” NCIS executive producer Steven Binder added.
9. PART 3
Cardea also noted that fans will see a more “thoughtful” Gibbs in season 18, especially when it comes to weighing the consequences of his actions. The producer then teased that how Gibbs reacts to these new situations “is another matter entirely.”
Unfortunately, Cardea did not say whether or not Ziva will make another appearance in the new season.
Season 18 of NCIS is set to premiere on CBS later this year (barring any further delays).
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/ncis-ep-confirms-1-fan-favorite-will-pop-up-in-season-18.html/
10. ET By Philiana Ng. July 24th, 2020
‘NCIS’: Maria Bello Leaving in Season 18
Maria Bello is eyeing an exit.
The actress will depart NCIS in the upcoming 18th season, ET has confirmed. Bello, who joined CBS’ long-running procedural as Dr. Jacqueline Sloane in season 15, will appear in eight episodes before exiting the series.
Deadline first reported Bello’s exit.
NCIS was one of hundreds of productions forced to cut its season short due to the coronavirus shutdown, meaning its 20th episode — featuring guest star Christopher Lloyd — served as a makeshift season finale. Before the pandemic forced NCIS to hit pause, it was an episode away from filming its landmark 400th hour.
Wilmer Valderrama spoke with ET over Zoom back in April, where he shared he’s been texting with executive producer and star Mark Harmon during quarantine.
“He’s like my brother now, you know. We’re like best friends,” Valderrama said.
In addition to Harmon and Valderrama, NCIS stars David McCallum, Sean Murray, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen, Emily Wickersham, Diona Reasonover and Bello.
Barring any COVID-19 delays, NCIS is set for a fall return on CBS.
https://www.etonline.com/ncis-maria-bello-leaving-in-season-18-150238
11. Latest info from TV Insider:
NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles are tentatively slated to begin filming again — after production shut down in Los Angeles in March due to the coronavirus pandemic — on September 9 and September 3, respectively, Deadline reports. That would, of course, be while adhering to COVID-19 protocols and as long as it remains safe for the casts and crews.
https://www.tvinsider.com/945274/ncis-los-angeles-return-to-filming-2020/ 14th August 2020
The dates given are tentative, i.e. they may change, so please bear that in mind and don’t put your all your hopes on it.
As soon as we have more specific definitive info we’ll let you know.
12. 26th August – 2020 .
NCIS fans – Likely it will air in the States but maybe not other countries in November.
TV Line – Fall TV Schedules. Trying for a November-ish premier for the following shows.
All Rise, Blue Bloods, Bob Hearts Abishola, B POSITIVE, Bull, THE EQUALIZER, Evil, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, MacGyver, Magnum P.I., Mom, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, The Neighborhood, SEAL Team, S.W.A.T., The Unicorn and Young Sheldon
13. According to Deadline.com article dated 28th August 2020, NCIS is expected to start filming Season 18 on 9th September; however, this has yet to be formally confirmed.
14. Brian Dietzen confirmed a couple of days ago that they were back at the set.
15. 18.9.2020 – Message from wilmervalderrama’s profile picture on Facebook
wilmervalderrama
Verified
Don’t wanna give anything away from #set… But… we just.. wrapped.. a little, episode.
#NCIS SEASON 18 we on the saddle.
16. 23.9.2020 – Message from Fred Tate. (David McCallum’s double) Facebook. Season 18
GAWD I LOVE CBS TV!
NCIS Season 17, and this is our 400th episode!
Very few shows make that season, or that number of episodes.
We’re the number one series on the air with over 54 million viewers worldwide, and the people at CBS gave us a surprise gift.
All of us!
Can’t say what it was, but it came at the best time possible.
Picture of envelope is on top in the photo, the actual interior card is below.
We wonder what it is…
17. TVLINE September 24th, 2020- question – Maria Bello.
Any indication how Maria Bello will bow out of her role as Jack during the new season of NCIS? –Michelle
“When we’re trying to figure out how to exit a character, one thing we always ask is: ‘What does that character deserve?’” co-showrunner Frank Cardea explains. “And the character of Sloane is a very strong character, and a passionate character, so we’re going to really have her go on something worthy of that.” But before she leaves the canvas entirely, viewers’ “ongoing wonderment about what’s going on between her and Gibbs” will be resolved, the EP assures.
18. EconoTimes Entertainment. Septemberr 23rd, 2020
‘NCIS’ season 18 release date, spoilers, cast: November premiere is likely; show picks up from Gibbs’ mystery mission.
The Mark Harmon-led series would have been slated to premiere this month, but the wait for “NCIS” season 18 could be extended to a few more months this year. It has also been confirmed that the show will pick up from the mystery mission Gibbs (Harmon) went on before season 17 abruptly ended due to COVID-19.
Since the cop procedural started in 2003, every season premiered within the second half of September of every year. But the pandemic forced Hollywood to halt productions of movies and TV shows as COVID-19 cases kept rising in the United States.
While a delay has been expected, it does not seem to be as much as some fans expected since “NCIS” season 18 is still expected to premiere before the end of 2020. A specific release date has not been announced yet, but CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl said in August, “Based on our current timeline, we hope to start rolling out our previously announced fall series as they become available in November.”
“NCIS” season 18 was one of the “fall series” renewed by CBS last May, so it is safe to assume that it is also slated to premiere sometime in November. An Instagram post by cast member Wilmer Valderrama confirmed that the work on season 18’s production has started earlier this month. The actor, who plays the role of Special Agent Nick Torres, shared a photo of the main cast members and producers conducting season 18’s first table read through a video conference.
Valderrama also tagged Maria Bello’s Instagram page in the same post suggesting her participation in “NCIS” season 18. However, it was also previously reported that the actress, who plays the squad’s profiler Jack Sloane, is set to leave the show in the upcoming season. Bello will only appear in eight episodes.
19. ART 2
The circumstances that will lead to Sloane’s departure are still unknown, and that is not the only mystery to unfold in “NCIS” season 18. Producers promised to start the new season with what would have been season 17’s final arc where Gibbs went on an unknown mission by himself and return with a serious bruise on his face.
Season 17 also hinted at a brewing Ellie-focused story arc as it was revealed she proceeded to accept the training offered by Ziva’s (Cote de Pablo) associate Odette (Elayn J. Taylor). If the show has taught fans anything, it is never good to keep a secret from Gibbs. Only “NCIS” season 18 can answer how Ellie’s secret assassin training would relate to upcoming cases that the squad is going to handle.
https://www.econotimes.com/NCIS-season-18-release-date-spoilers-cast-November-premiere-is-likely-show-picks-up-from-Gibbs-mystery-mission-1592651
20. CBS has officially confirmed Season 18 premieres on Tuesday 17th November, 2020 at its usual time.
21. NCIS — Episode 1 – “Sturgeon Season” – Gibbs and Fornell (Joe Spano) attempt to track down the leader of a drug ring who supplied drugs to Fornell’s daughter. Also, the team deals with the case of a missing cadaver from the NCIS autopsy room.
22. TV INSIDER. By Kate Hahn. October 13th, 2020
‘NCIS’ Episode 400 Digs Into Ducky & Gibbs’ Backstory.
There’s nothing quite like steely NCIS boss Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) in crusader mode. He’s a man on a mission in the military procedural opening five episodes, a storyline starting in late 2019 that explains the lingering mystery of where Gibbs went back in Season 17 when he got a text and suddenly excused himself from a case. He told colleagues he was going fishing — but returned a few days later with a black eye!
Turns out he and buddy/ex–FBI agent Tobias Fornell (Joe Spano) were pursuing the Canadian dealers who sold counterfeit opioids to Fornell’s daughter, Emily (Juliette Angelo), leading her to overdose and nearly die in the Season 16 finale. “They bring different energies to this chase,” says NCIS executive producer Steven Binder. “Gibbs has a bug up his butt about breaking the law and causing all sorts of chaos in communities with the drug situation. Fornell’s daughter has been hurt by this epidemic, so he’s a little more fiery.”
Each episode also checks in on the NCIS team as they continue working despite Gibbs’ distraction. (The opening moments of the premiere find them in an extremely screwed-up situation!) One case involves treasure hunters, another a surprise for Special Agent Tim McGee (Sean Murray) and wife Delilah (Margo Harshman) while on their first vacay since having twins.
23. PART 2
In the fifth episode, the Gibbs-Fornell quest bursts into the bullpen. “Gibbs is working on the side on this thing until it comes to the forefront. Then he can’t hide it anymore,” Binder reveals.
If that’s not exciting enough: Episode 2 also happens to be the long-awaited 400th. It’s packed with cool backstory, flashing back to 1980 and the first meeting of young Gibbs, played by Mark’s son Sean, and medical examiner turned historian Ducky (David McCallum/Adam Campbell). Says executive producer Frank Cardea, “Ducky’s been Gibbs’ confidant for 17 [seasons]. We’ll have a better understanding why.”
https://www.tvinsider.com/951500/ncis-season-18-episode-400-gibbs-ducky-flashback/
24. TV Insider. By Meredith Jacobs.
NCIS’ Season 18: Wilmer Valderrama Teases Torres’ Family & Past.
NCIS has started work on Season 18, and series star Wilmer Valderrama is happy to be back.
The CBS procedural was among the first major network shows to return to set, and Valderrama knows that means they’re “part of a learning curve.” (For example, as he shared on social media prior to filming beginning, they had a virtual table read for the premiere.) There are safety protocols in effect due to the coronavirus pandemic, and he’s hoping that other shows can follow their example.
Here, Valderrama discusses getting back to work on Season 18, what’s to come for his character Special Agent Nick Torres, and his partnership with the National Kidney Foundation for the “Are You the 33%?” campaign.
You’ve started work on NCIS Season 18. Is there anything you can tease?
Wilmer Valderrama: That was a really sobering conversation, right? You’re going to expose yourself, and you’re going to go be part of a learning curve. … I know our studio has checked as many boxes as possible, and there are creative protocols and guidelines. It’s going to be a little bit of a song and dance, a lot of the stuff we’ve never done before. It’s going to be a test for efficiency. It’s going to be a test against creativity and being able to adapt to this new environment and new guidelines of how you do what you love. But it’s super necessary.
I think we’re excited to be at the forefront for that, and hopefully, we get enough things right that most productions can return to work and we can continue to bring more shows to your living room. But I’m happy to be able to return to work and so far, it looks like new episodes of NCIS will be back mid-November.
25. PART 2.
How would you describe Torres and Bishop’s relationship at the beginning of Season 18?
It’s interesting because there’s so many things Season 18 has to talk about, a lot to reflect in this moment. Our national community has been fighting for justice and things that really are important. NCIS is going to be very thoughtful and very responsible in how we portray certain stories and as we return to television. The exploration of relationships within the characters and all that stuff, it’s something that’s always a mystery. I certainly don’t think that we will do something the show has seen before, and we’re definitely trying to work on doing something different.
I don’t know what’s in store for any of the other characters, but for my character specifically, we’re going to be finding out so much more about his past this season. This season is going to really focus a lot on where he really came from, what was his upbringing and his family, so we’re going to get learn a little bit more about his family since Torres has been such a mystery to the audience for the last four years. It’s going to be fun to peel some of the layers off and really give the audience a little bit more justification of why he is the way he is. That excites me because as an actor, that’s what you want. You want to play those layers. You want to play the peeling of those layers and become more vulnerable because that’s what brings you closer to the other characters.
What do you think is keeping Torres with this team? He’s come a long way from the guy we first met undercover.
Yes, for sure. I think he saw a lot of himself in Gibbs [played by Mark Harmon] and that’s one thing that we’ve created by design.
26. PART 3.
Having him be a lone wolf for eight years of undercover work and then having him join a team that relies on one another and trusting one another — trusting is a thing that he’s never done. He’s never trusted anyone with his job. He just does all of the above to get the job done by himself. So, when he became a part of this team, he realized he had a lot more things in common with Gibbs than he expected.
And in the last season, you saw a lot of them come together as the veteran wolf coming in with the young wolf and you’re going to see that play out a lot this season, how Gibbs is going to seem a little bit and feel a little bit responsible for the restructuring of Torres’ morality. He’s going to be a major influence in how he evolves as a leader, and that’s what’s going to be really fun to watch is just seeing Torres boycott that, “I’m only here part-time,” but really, internally, he knows he’s learned to make them the family he never really had.
You’re losing Jack (Maria Bello) this season. However that happens, how do you think Torres will deal with that and how might his reaction be different when it comes to saying goodbye to a team member from a few years ago?
I don’t know much about that storyline, to be honest. I haven’t really been in the conversations specifically with the departure of that character. I don’t know much about what they have planned for that or can even confirm what it’s going to be even be because we’re been pretty focused on protocols and just going back to work and right now we’re trying to get through some of the episodes we couldn’t get to last season because we shut down [with] four episodes left. It’s a little bit of a mystery to me. We’re figuring it out as we go.
27. PART 4.
I will tell you that if that event really does happen, it’s going to be interesting for Torres because he’s learned to lean on them for different things, and he’s learned a lot from them. I think you’re going to see a more vulnerable Torres, and he’s not going to like it, and therefore, he may have some triggers. When vulnerability kicks in, he might become a little bit more dangerous and a little bit more short-tempered because he might just be a little bit angry at himself for even going there. That complexity you’re going to see play out for sure.
NCIS is 18 seasons in, and it still has quite the fan base. How are you hoping to use that as you work with the National Kidney Foundation to reach the American adults at risk for kidney disease?
We artists sometimes don’t realize how much responsibility we have with our fan base or the fans of our shows. In general, once you dive in a little closer, you realize you have a lot more in common with your audience than you think. Specifically when it comes to organizations like the National Kidney Foundation, what I’m so proud about it, it really talks to and directly targets a demographic that’s very dear to my heart. All minorities and a lot of communities of color across the United States have been the most vulnerable in a lot of these historical moments we live in, and when you talk about kidney disease, it’s one more element you definitely want to make sure you are up to date on because it really could affect a lot of stuff in your life.
In this moment of COVID we live in, I think about, if ever the case you get COVID, you want to make sure everything’s working according to how it’s supposed to be and at full capacity so you’re able to really make it to the other side. … You talk about millions of adults in the U.S. who are walking around with kidney disease right now and don’t even know they have it.
28. PART 5.
The partnership was great because it helped to reach that 33% who are at risk for kidney disease. We’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, so it was critical for me to raise visibility for Hispanics or Latinos who are 1.3 times more likely than others to develop kidney failure. That was a passion of mine because my father and friends and family members are in that category of high risk.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, or just a family history of kidney disease are all the high-risk factors. This “Are You the 33%” campaign was important. The idea was to drive people to take a simple one-minute quiz at MinuteForYourKidneys.org. … If you are [at high risk], thankfully we’ve created a road map for what’s the next step. Obviously visit your doctor and ask the hard questions. … Kidney disease has no symptoms, so you don’t even know you have it until it’s just too late.
https://www.tvinsider.com/949232/ncis-season-18-wilmer-valderrama-nick-torres-preview/
29. TV Insider. By Kate Hahn. 12th October, 2020
Inside ‘NCIS’ Episode 400: Gibbs & Ducky’s Meet-Cute, Personal Choices & More.
One is a former Marine from small-town Pennsylvania who is a man of few words and many rules. The other is a charming, loquacious Brit, intuitive about what people need to hear and overgenerous with information they don’t (like how Zulus ward off evil and what makes barbershop music unique). So how on earth did NCIS boss Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and medical examiner-turned-historian Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum) end up friends? NCIS’s landmark 400th episode — airing November 24, a week after the Season 18 premiere — takes us back.
The 400th delivers everything we love about TV’s No. 1 entertainment series, which averaged 15.3 million viewers last season: bumpy, relatable work relationships, long and tangled character histories, surprising stories with flashes of humor and engrossing (sometimes gross) cases — including the one that crops up in the episode’s two time periods, late 2019, when Gibbs and Ducky reflect on their meeting, and 1980, when it happened.
It’s worth noting that this is no ordinary friendship. Not only have the men solved countless cases together, but they’ve helped each other survive kidnappings, the tragic deaths of colleagues, and even the plague.
“There’s a strong connection between them on an intellectual level. In the NCIS family, Gibbs is the father figure to the sometimes unruly team; Ducky is a wise uncle whom he can turn to for advice,” McCallum says. In Harmon’s view, Ducky acts as “a peer and a friend” to Gibbs.
We’ve seen flashbacks to the men’s younger selves before, but this is the first time we’ll see them together. The same guest actors return — Mark’s son Sean Harmon as Gibbs, Adam Campbell (Great News) as Ducky.
30. PART 2.
McCallum recalls his counterpart asking for one word to describe the character: “I told him ‘enthusiasm — about everything. He’s positive and likes to solve problems, which is why he’s a pathologist.'”
The Ducky of 1980 has sworn off medicine, disenchanted. While serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Afghanistan, he volunteered to work in a refugee camp but found himself repeatedly treating a torture victim — one he eventually killed as an act of mercy. (See: Season 6’s “Broken Bird.”) Gibbs, only a few years into his stint with the Marines, is trying to decide whether to cement his relationship with girlfriend Shannon (Darby Stanchfield). Fans know she does become Mrs. Gibbs — and that he loses both the love of his life and their daughter in 1991, when a drug dealer assassinates them. But at this time, explains executive producer Frank Cardea, Gibbs and Ducky “are at crossroads in their lives. They [will] help each other find their life paths.”
Adds executive producer Steven D. Binder “Gibbs is someone who has trouble with relationships and is not the most social of people. That’s where Ducky comes into play. We get into a lot of Gibbs’ psychology.”
The fateful first encounter, in Washington, D.C., sounds like a meet-cute from a rom-com. “In England, they drive on the other side of the road. That confuses Ducky when he’s in America,” says Binder, who wrote the episode. Still, despite their vehicular incompatibility, “They like and are curious about each other.”
Soon enough, the men are working together to catch a thief — unsuccessfully, it later turns out. Gibbs isn’t an agent yet but gets involved via the NIS, the precursor to NCIS. Get ready for the ’80s version of familiar sets.
31. PART 3.
You’ll see the origin of those glaring orange walls in the squad room, plus an “iconic piece of wardrobe,” per Cardea. Even better, you’ll see other characters! “Some will be very in-your-face and easy to identify. Some will be quick, so you’ve got to watch closely,” Binder says. “We wanted to gather as much of the show’s history as we could and put it in one episode and celebrate it.”
In the present-day story, Gibbs is not celebrating the fact that he and Ducky never got their man. “It’s always stuck in his craw,” Binder says. “He gets a chance to rectify it, maybe, if it ends well. That’s the plan.”
But his pal questions his methods. “Ducky is concerned about Gibbs’ obsession with one aspect of the case,” says McCallum. “When Gibbs gets a bee in his bonnet, he sometimes cuts people out. He can do things which aren’t logical and are sometimes unethical.”
Personal choices from the past also resurface, bringing Gibbs pain. “He’ll be asked, ‘Is it better to have loved and lost or never loved at all?'” Binder says. Fans won’t forget his answer in that moment — much like Harmon’s unforgettable moment meeting McCallum. It was for the 2003 JAG episode “Ice Queen,” which served as a back-door pilot for NCIS. “I can’t imagine I’m shaking the hand of Illya Kuryakin,” a starstruck Harmon said to the Man From U.N.C.L.E. legend. “To which David replied, ‘Good God, man, that was 40 years ago!'” Or, in NCIS terms, only about 1,000 more episodes. It could happen!
https://www.tvinsider.com/953313/ncis-episode-400-mark-harmon-david-mccallum-preview/
32. CBS has reduced the number of episodes for 2020-2021, this means Season 18 of NCIS will only have 16 episodes instead of 24.
All the CBS series have had their episodes reduced.
Read the news here on TVLine dated 27th October 2020:
https://tvline.com/2020/10/27/cbs-shorter-seasons-ncis-blue-bloods-neighborhood-covid/?fbclid=IwAR0U99UuiSjM6RcEolJisCW3Iy1RbFjG1cvrRcOMzxOhu_bmf26PRAtsr28.
Next Page…
PAGE 2
33. CBS has confirmed that Victoria Platt will join the NCIS cast in the first episode of the new season playing the character of Veronica “Ronnie” Tyler, another special agent.
34. Newsweek. November 10th, 2020 By Samuel Spencer.
‘NCIS and NCIS Los Angeles’: Why the Episode Paid Tribute to David Bellisario.
NCIS: Los Angeles paid tribute to a former producer in its Season 12 premiere, which ended with a title card to David Bellisario, a television producer who worked on NCIS: LA, original NCIS, its precursor JAG as well as Quantum Leap and Magnum, P.I.
After working on 11 seasons of NCIS: Los Angeles, Bellisario died in August 2020 after a battle with brain cancer. The producer was 63.
Bellisario had been literally part of the NCIS family since its beginning. His father is Donald Bellisario, who created all of the shows that David worked on. He is also the step-brother of Sean Murray, who plays Timothy McGee on the original NCIS.
On NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12, Episode 1, which is streaming now on CBS All Access, a title card at the end of the show paying tribute to the producer read: “David Bellisario. In loving memory of our friend, and colleague, whose gentleness and wisdom will be forever cherished.”
An LA Times obituary previously paid tribute to the Emmy-nominated producer. It read in part: “David understood that working for his father meant working twice as hard; he was committed to proving to himself and others that he was deserving of the position.
https://www.newsweek.com/ncis-los-angeles-david-bellisario-title-card-death-ncis-la-1545920?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2fz3FDCKSqo-M5qg_35E6P0hUHxsJ3SG6YZuxtAfPKL418rypYok5ztCI#Echobox=1604913681
35. TVLINE. By Matt Webb Mitovich. November 12, 2020.
NCIS Bosses Preview Season 18’s Backward Time Jump, Episode 400’s Young Returns and [Spoiler]’s Exit.
CBS’ NCIS opens Season 18 inches closer to Episode 400 — this Tuesday at 8/7c, with a narrative twist that will transport us and Gibbs one year into the past.
In the season premiere, which pretty quickly flashes back to this time last year (and stays there), Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) and Fornell (returning guest star Joe Spano) attempt to track down the leader of a ring who supplied drugs to Fornell’s daughter, nearly killing her in the Season 16 finale. Meanwhile, the team back home deals with the case of a missing cadaver.
TVLine invited executive producers Frank Cardea and Steven Binder to tease the timey-wimey episodes ahead, and more.
TVLINE | Frank, when you and I last spoke, you were hoping that Episode 400 would still air as No. 400, even with the pandemic-related delays. Did your dream come true?
FRANK CARDEA | Yes, it did. We actually shot them out of order, but it will air as 400 (on Nov. 24, titled “Everything Starts Somewhere”).
TVLINE | Is it still going to feature a Young Ducky and Young Gibbs?
CARDEA | It most certainly will. And it’s written by the great Steve Binder.
TVLINE | Steve, what juncture in the Gibbs/Ducky relationship will we visit?
STEVE BINDER | Well, the story revolves around their first meeting and they’re at a crossroads in their lives, each of them. I won’t go into the exact nature of the crossroads, but it’s a very pivotal moment in both of their lives and they’re able to help each other get on the path that leads them to where we find them in the present day.
TVLINE | Did you recycle the previous young versions of them?
BINDER | Oh, we recycled both of them! Yes, Adam Campbell
plays Young Ducky, and he’s just fantastic, and Sean Harmon plays Young Gibbs.
36. PART 2.
CARDEA | Sean looks more and more like his dad every day.
BINDER | And really sounds like him, too. That’s the thing that threw me. Sometimes he’d call and I was like, “OK, who am I talking to?”
NCIS Season 18 Jack GibbsTVLINE | Is the NCIS team living in any semblance of a COVID world?
BINDER | We had an episode last year called “Musical Chairs” where Gibbs disappears from the squad room to go on a mission, and then he shows up at the end of the episode with a black eye. We are going to pick up the season with that mission that Gibbs was on, back in time, so we’re actually in a pre-COVID world for a little while.
CARDEA | The first five episodes are set in that November/December 2019 period.
TVLINE | So in these first episodes, for example, we haven’t met Christopher Lloyd’s character yet.
BINDER | No, but we’ll use that [Pearl Harbor] episode as sort of a very strong memory point in the audience for when we pivot to the present. The really bad version of that is “Gibbs comes back from Hawaii in sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt!,” but of course Gibbs would never wear something like that. But we’ll use that to sort of jump us back to the present, and we will be in a COVID world at that point. That won’t be until January, February. Probably February.
TVLINE | I would like to request generous use of chyrons so we can keep track. “This episode is set in the month and year….” and such.
BINDER | We try to write these in a way where even if you were not following the timeline per se, you still have an episode where there’s a case and a body. It’s all the things that people love about NCIS without having to be caught up with exactly where and when you are. Hopefully we’ve succeeded at that.
TVLINE | What do you want to say about the storyline that will take Maria Bello off the show?
37. PART 3.
BINDER | You know, one of the things we always ask when we’re trying to figure out how to exit a character is, “What does that character deserve?” Sloane is a very strong character, she’s a passionate character, and we’re going to really have her go out on a note worthy of that. I’ll say that.
TVLINE | You’ve got several options just based on the character’s established history, so…
BINDER | Yes, and we’re going to dive into some of that history, for sure.
TVLINE | Do you feel like Jack is someone that you need to replace right away, in the capacity that she serves the team? Or is that something you’re going to deal with a bit further down the line, when you have a screaming need for such a character?
BINDER | I think the latter. There’s a core team, and I think it was a function of Maria that we were able to find so much to give her to do. If it’s not Maria [in the role], then I don’t know if we need to necessarily fill it right away.
TVLINE | Are there any personal storylines for any characters early in the season?
CARDEA | There are. We haven’t visited with McGee and his wife in a while, so they have a personal story early on — around the fourth episode, while we’re in that flashback time period.
TVLINE | When you teased a “reveal/development” in what was supposed to be last season’s finale, some fans speculated it would circle back to the Ziva storyline. Are there any plans to revisit Ziva and/or her ex-CIA confidante, Odette (played by Elayn J. Taylor)?
BINDER | The Odette storyline certainly could be an independent story from Ziva. They’re not necessarily tied up one and the other, and we certainly have laid some pipe for continuing Odette’s storyline.
38. PART 4.
TVLINE | I have a reader asking if we’ll see Mr. Robert Wagner this season (as DiNozzo Sr.).
CARDEA | RJ is always anxious to be on the show and we’re always anxious to have him — but with actors of that age, we’re just waiting to see where the COVID goes. RJ turned 90 in February—
BINDER | And he would have to travel.
CARDEA | — though he’s the youngest 90-year-old I’ve ever met. When you talk to him on the phone, he sounds like he’s 30. He’s not quite ready to come back yet, but you could certainly see him in the latter part of the year.
TVLINE | Is there any sort of a recurring adversary this season?
BINDER | Not as of yet. It will be made clear in the premiere that there has been a recurring issue that Gibbs has been working on and is going to attempt to resolve, and of course it will be embodied in an adversary, but we’re going to deal with that and put that to bed mostly in the pre-COVID timeline.
NCIS Ratings LowTVLINE | And lastly, anything on the romantic front for any of the characters?
CARDEA | Yes, in a couple of areas.
BINDER | Sloane is of course leaving, so there’s been an ongoing wonderment of what’s going on between her and Gibbs — and I think we’re going to find that out. If it’s not now, then never, so I think it’s going to be now.
CARDEA | We also always toy with the Bishop/Torres relationship, and there’s an episode that they’re featured prominently in.
https://tvline.com/2020/11/12/ncis-season-18-preview-backwards-time-jump-sloane-leaving/
39. Spoiler TV.
NCIS – Episode 18.02 – Everything Starts Somewhere (400th Episode) – Press Release
FLASHBACKS REVEAL THE MURDER CASE THAT FIRST INTRODUCED GIBBS TO NCIS AND HIS INTRODUCTION TO A NEW-TO-THE-U.S. DUCKY, ON THE 400TH EPISODE OF “NCIS,” TUESDAY, NOV. 24
Sean Harmon, Mark Harmon’s Son, Guest Stars as Young Gibbs;
Adam Campbell Guest Stars as Young Ducky.
GUEST CAST:
Adam Campbell (Young Ducky)
Sean Harmon (Young Gibbs)
Vito D’Ambrosio (Jonny Zucado)
Thomas Crawford (Doctor Walter Magnus)
Dajuan Johnson (NIS Special Agent Edward Scott)
Gabrielle Walsh (NIS Special Agent Michelle Stamos)
Matthew Furfaro (Young Jonny Zucado)
Louis Mustillo (Emilio “Freckles” Zucado)
Jered Solow (Young Freckles)
Franco Fox (Henchman)
Ben Turner Dixon (Young Franks)
WRITTEN BY: Steven D. Binder
DIRECTED BY: Terrence O’Hara
40. TVInsider. By Meredith Jacobs. 17th November, 2020.
‘NCIS’ Reveals How Gibbs Got That Black Eye, But Introduces a New Mystery (RECAP)
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Season 18 premiere of NCIS, “Sturgeon Season.”]
NCIS Season 18 is playing in two timelines in the premiere: March 2020 and November 2019. So why, exactly, does Gibbs (Mark Harmon) shoot McGee (Sean Murray) twice to stop him from stopping a plane in the former?!
First, “Sturgeon Season” goes back to “Musical Chairs” in November 2019, when Gibbs used that as his excuse to leave in the middle of a case. (Because Gibbs would leave work to go fishing.) What he told Jack (Maria Bello) — that he needed to help Fornell (Joe Spano) after Emily left rehab — is “not quite true,” but “not quite a lie,” the men say as the premiere offers a look into that mission of theirs. She’s completed the program, but Fornell can’t leave the past in the past. He has a lead on the errand boy who supplied the counterfeit opioids that almost killed his daughter, and he hopes that guy can lead them to “the head of the snake.”
Gibbs agrees, as long as they “do it the right way.” Fornell agrees, which lasts about as long as it takes to see anyone connected to the case heading into a clinic. The former FBI agent wants to jump on bringing in the doctor selling drugs on the black market, then the errand boy, Josh, instead of going with the original plan of following him.
Gibbs eventually agrees to let Fornell go inside as a guy looking for pills for a bad hip while he listens on the phone. But Fornell is distracted when he sees a girl near Emily’s age waiting in the chairs, and Gibbs intervenes.
41. PART 2.
Fornell is “Uncle Ed,” who’s not all there, and as Gibbs pulls him out of the clinic, he takes an elbow to the head (hence the black eye he had when he returned at the end of “Musical Chairs”).
What’s worse is Josh’s car is gone when they step outside. Fornell swears he’ll make up for them losing two days of work by staking out the clinic himself and he won’t make a move without Gibbs. “Kid, the next time I say, ‘Let’s go someplace like Bolivia, let’s go someplace like Bolivia,'” Gibbs says.
With that, Gibbs returns in time for Palmer to catch him up on what he’s missed: a body, Marine Corporal Richard Darby, that NCIS Special Agent Ronnie Tyler (Victoria Platt) from the night shift brought in, has gone missing. And then Palmer’s car explodes, from a somewhat basic device on the door. Long story short, Ronnie stole the body after the killer forced her by kidnapping her daughter. The team gets her daughter back. (The killer tried to rob Darby after catching wind he’d closed his bank accounts and taken his life savings out in cash.)
Meanwhile, Fornell continues to watch the clinic in hopes of spotting Josh. He can handle it, he assures Gibbs over the phone. “My emotions are completely in check, Gibbs, and I’m sticking to the plan,” he promises.
But the final scene reveals that’s not exactly true. Gibbs checks back in with Fornell, who has found Josh, but there’s a problem: he won’t be much help because he’s dead. “What’d you do?” Gibbs asks. “Nothing,” Fornell says as he grabs a keychain off the errand boy. “Check back with me in two weeks. Two weeks tops, that’s all I need, and I promise everything’s going to make sense.”
https://www.tvinsider.com/957137/ncis-recap-season-18-premiere/
42. TV Spoilers
Short videos of episode 2 – Everything Starts Somewhere.
https://www.spoilertv.com/2020/11/ncis-episode-1802-everything-starts.html?utm_source=followistic&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=followistic#flw_c=email&flw_n=5fb906cd49f348126dc22a7b
43. Nov 28 2020, 12:31 AM EST (edit my post) GoodDay -Video interview. 23.11.2020
NCIS’ 400th Episode! Sean Murray Joins Us…
The hit CBS show “NCIS” is about to hit a major milestone with it’s 400th episode! One of the stars, Sean Murray, joins Cody to tell us about the upcoming season!
https://gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com/video/4896351-ncis-400th-episode-sean-murray-joins-us/
44. Spoiler TV 6.12.2020
NCIS – Episode 18.03 – Blood and Treasure – 3 Sneak Peeks, Promo, Promotional Photos + Press Release
Photos and videos.
“Blood and Treasure” – The discovery of two dead bodies in a forest leads the NCIS team into the wild world of modern-day treasure hunting. Also, Gibbs and Fornell get deeper into their search for the opioid kingpin, on NCIS, Tuesday, Dec. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
https://www.spoilertv.com/2020/11/ncis-episode-1803-blood-and-treasure.html?utm_source=followistic&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=followistic#flw_c=email&flw_n=5fcd03d849f348126dcc614a
45. TV Insider. 30th November, 2020. By Meredith Jacobs.
‘NCIS’: Fornell Has a New Uniform in His Search for the Opioid Kingpin (PHOTOS). By Meredith Jacobs.
What exactly has Tobias Fornell (Joe Spano) been doing for the two weeks he asked Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) to give them for the search for the opioid kingpin? Presumably he’s been undercover.
As we’ve seen thus far in NCIS Season 18, Fornell is very determined to take down the ring that supplied the drugs that nearly killed his daughter. In the premiere, the two of them tried to track down the “errand boy” involved and, by the end of it, Fornell did have eyes on him — his dead body, that is. He took a keychain out of the boy’s pocket before telling Gibbs to check back in with him in two weeks. “I promise you, everything’s going to make sense,” Fornell insisted.
That two weeks should be up in the Dec. 8 episode, “Blood and Treasure,” since a week had passed in the previous one, “Everything Starts Somewhere.” And as the photos show, it looks like Fornell is undercover staking out a burger joint. What exactly will he have to tell Gibbs?
Elsewhere in the episode, the team’s case leads them to the world of modern-day treasure hunting after two dead bodies are found in a forest. Scroll down for a look at that and Gibbs and Fornell’s ongoing mission.
Fornell –
“What can I get you? Burger? Fries? A lead? Answers to where I’ve been these two weeks?”
https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/ncis-season-18-episode-3-blood-treasure-photos/#9
46. NCIS star Maria Bello leaves fans in tears with message after filming final Sloane scenes. By Alex Davies.
NCIS star Maria Bello – who’s best known to CBS viewers as Jack Sloane – has left fans heartbroken after confirming she’s filmed her final scenes on the show in a touching social media post.
Prior to NCIS’ highly-anticipated return to CBS with season 18 last month, it had already been confirmed Jack Sloane (played by Maria Bello) would be saying her goodbyes in the coming episodes. Now with season 18 three episodes in, Sloane’s exit is nearing ever closer, a prospect daunting to a majority of fans. Ahead of what promises to be an emotional farewell, actor Bello has already got the waterworks going amongst the fandom with a heartfelt message published on her Instagram.
Heading into the next episode of NCIS, episode four of season 18, the exact circumstances surrounding Sloane’s exit remain well under wraps.
There are a number of theories circulating as to how she may leave, however – whether it be to do with daughter Faith (Kate Hamilton) or a more deadly exit.
But before fans get to say goodbye to the team’s Forensic Psychologist, Bello issued a statement to bid the character farewell and extend her gratitude to the cast, crew and fans.
“And that’s a wrap for Jack Sloane @ncis_cbs!!!” Bello began, sharing a series of snaps from her time on the CBS drama.
“I’ve learned many things on this journey for the last three and a half years.
“I learned about commitment and community. I’ve learned that the woman I am enjoys process over product. I’ve never worked with a kinder, more generous group of people.
“I only had the privilege of standing by Dom’s side during cancer because my producers worked so hard to make sure I was there for every treatment.
47. PART 2.
“I made a speech today for our crew. Though in our business, like many, there are quite a few ******** – there is not one on the set of NCIS – in front of or behind the camera.”
Bello went on to add: “Only a profoundly decent group of people who care more about each other and the world in general than what is in it for them.
“I understand why this show after 18 years is the most-watched in the world – you must all feel our love.”
The actor then encouraged fans to stay tuned in, teasing many more seasons are in the pipeline.
“Keep watching,” Bello said. “I have a feeling there will be many more years to come. Thank you to all of my pals at NCIS and to all of our fans. I am truly grateful.”
Touched by Bello’s departing message, it didn’t take long for NCIS fans to send their well wishes to the star and thank her for being a part of the show.
In fact, news of Bello wrapping her last moments on the drama left some fans reaching for the tissues.
“Gonna miss you on the show so much!!” one fan replied, with a second admitting: “I’m sobbing [broken heart emoji] Love you.”
Another of her 148k followers added: “Promise me that you Will be back! We waiting for youuu.. pleasee.” (sic)
“Oh this is bittersweet,” commented a fourth. “I’m so thankful we have had you with the team. Wishing you all the best.”
A fifth added to the kind messages: “What a beautiful goodbye. Wish you didn’t have to go.
“Your strong and powerful character will be missed as you Maria will always be missed and loved. Enjoy your next chapter on life.”
While a sixth echoed the heartbroken sentiment: “Nooooo!!!! We will miss you on NCIS! [crying emoji].”
https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1370297/NCIS-Maria-Bello-Jack-Sloane-exit-final-filming-message-leave-CBS-video
48. MESSAGE from Maria – Instagram officialmariabello. December , 2020
And that’s a wrap for Jack Sloane @ncis_cbs !!! I’ve learned many things on this journey for the last three and a half years. I learned about commitment and community. I’ve learned that the woman I am enjoys process over product. I’ve never worked with a kinder, more generous group of people. I only had the privilege of standing by Dom’s side during cancer because my producers worked so hard to make sure I was there for every treatment. I made a speech today for our crew. Though in our business, like many, there are quite a few ash***** – there is not one on the set of NCIS – in front of or behind the camera. Only a profoundly decent group of people who care more about each other and the world in general than what is in it for them. I understand why this show after 18 years is the most watched in the world – you must all feel our love. Keep watching. I have a feeling there will be many more years to come. Thank you to all of my pals at NCIS and to all of our fans. I am truly grateful.
49. ET Canada. Video December 2020
Sean Murray Talks ‘NCIS’ S18
Ahead of the season 18 finale of “NCIS”, Sean Murray discusses the new COVID-19 protocols they’ve had to adjust to while filming. Plus, he reveals what fans can expect for the remainder of the season.
https://etcanada.com/video/2315567a-3985-11eb-a0b5-0242ac110005/sean-murray-talks-ncis-s18/
50. ny50106sc – I just read the following article. I think I know why Gibbs shot McGee. Based on the article Gibbs supposedly gets COVID19 and I’m thinking it’s a dream or some sort of hallucinating, but this is just a guess
https://www.newsweek.com/ncis-season-18-episode-4-release-date-come-back-return-2021-cbs-1553119
51. Dec 13 2020, 6:21 PM EST Newsweek. By Samuel Spencer. 18th November, 2020.
‘NCIS’ Season 18: Why Did Gibbs Shoot McGee?
NCIS Season 18 is now airing on CBS, and the series kicked off with a dramatic moment in which team members have seemingly turned against team members. In the premiere, titled “Sturgeon Season,” McGee (played by Sean Murray) was seen trying to hold up a private jet, only for Gibbs (Mark Harmon) to shoot him once in the arm and once in the leg with a sniper rifle.
Fans of the show who wanted to find out why Gibbs had shot one of his team, however, were left disappointed, as the events were never mentioned again in the episode, leaving some fans to complain on Twitter that the moment, “had nothing to do with this episode,” and that “nothing in this episode tied to Gibbs shooting McGee in the beginning.”
However, the reason that we did not learn why Gibbs shot McGee is that the show is playing the long game this season. In order to avoid setting the show during the coronavirus pandemic, the show has taken a time jump one year into the past. As such, NCIS is probably going to keep the mystery going over the next few episodes before they finally reveal what has caused Gibbs to turn against McGee.
From what we know so far, it seems that Gibbs is taking the absolute last resort to stop McGee. It seems very unlikely that Gibbs was trying to kill his co-worker—after all, we know enough about Gibbs’ sharp-shooting skills to know that if he wanted to kill McGee he would be dead.
As the whole subsequent episode of NCIS was about the relationship between Fornell (Joe Spano) and Gibbs, fans are speculating that it is this that has caused the problems between McGee and Gibbs.
52. PART 2
One viewer tweeted: “They will have gotten close to head of the snake but he’s threatening to kill someone or the person on the plane is or has Fornell. Gibbs probably had to shoot McGee to stop him.”
However, there is also the possibility that we are not quite seeing what actually happened. Though the scene suggests that Gibbs shot McGee, it could be that the agent has actually been shot by someone else, and that Gibbs is actually shooting the person who is shooting McGee. It could also be some sort of complicated plan that sees McGee fake his own death in order to go undercover.
Either way, we are unlikely to find out what happened for a few more episode. In a CarterMatt interview, co-showrunner Frank Cardea said that, “The first five episodes take place in the period of [pre-coronavirus]. Episode 6 wraps that up, and episode 7 will bring us up to a post-COVID world.”
https://www.newsweek.com/ncis-season-18-why-gibbs-shot-mcgee-cbs-fornell-1548315
53. Newsweek. 17th November, 2020. By Samuel Spencer.
‘NCIS’ Season 18: Why Maria Bello is Leaving as Jack Sloane.
NCIS Season 18 may be about to air on CBS, but the show is about to see a main cast member depart as Maria Bello announces her exit from the show. The actor, who plays forensic psychologist (and regular foil to Gibbs) Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane, announced in July that she would be leaving part-way through the current season.
In some senses, her exit from NCIS was anticipated. When she signed up for procedural, the Coyote Ugly actor’s contract was for three years, and came to an end this year. So rather than leave the show as Pauley Perrette did in 2017, she is simply not renewing her contract.
The two-time Golden Globe nominee (for A History of Violence and The Cooler) already has a new project that she is working on, which might also be a reason her time as Jack Sloane is coming to an end.
The actor is currently in pre-production on The Woman King, a drama about an all-female military unit that will star Viola Davis and will be director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s follow up to her hit Netflix movie The Old Guard. This will be Bello’s debut as both the writer and producer of a movie.
Though Jack Sloane will leave during NCIS Season 18, viewers do not have to say goodbye to the character yet. She is due to appear in eight episodes this season in order for the show to build up to her exit.
In a recent TVLine preview of the next season, NCIS showrunners Steven Binder and Frank Cardea gave fans their first glimpse of how Bello could be exiting the series. The former said, “one of the things we always ask when we’re trying to figure out how to exit a character is, ‘What does that character deserve?’
54. PART 2
Sloane is a very strong character, she’s a passionate character, and we’re going to really have her go out on a noteworthy of that. I’ll say that.”
He also added that they would not be rushing to find a replacement for the actor, saying: “There’s a core team, and I think it was a function of Maria that we were able to find so much to give her to do. If it’s not Maria, then I don’t know if we need to necessarily fill it right away.”
Cardea, meanwhile, promised that before Bello left the show would deal with the “ongoing wonderment about what’s going on between her and Gibbs.”
https://www.newsweek.com/ncis-season-18-maria-bello-leaving-jack-sloane-cbs-1548003
55. Hmmm…not sure I see it that way. Sorry I can’t see how you thought Gibbs had covid? They were saying to me, that the episodes were taken back pre-covid to A time a year earlier when it all starts with the Fornell/Emily time with the drugs. I think its all a bit disjointed because of the long break in between episodes and the loss of the first few episodes of this season which actually belonging to last season as they only did 16 episodes due to the corona virus. It would have made more sense then i feel had they aired when they were suppose to. McGee being shot was a throw in, but there is no need for fans to be disappointed nothing came of it. That scene belongs to a later episode to do with the plane, the horse image, Fornell, the drug people and now Beltway where Fornell has been working. I am looking forward to finding out what happens.
56. IMPORTANT:
On 19th January 2021 we have a double NCIS session.
First of all: 18.04 Sunburn at 8:00pm
Followed by: 18.05 Head of the Snake
57. Wow, two together. Wish Australia would do that.
58. Spoiler TV. 18th December, 2020
“Sunburn” – McGee and his wife Delilah’s (Margo Harshman) Bahamian vacation turns into a high-stakes mission when a case NCIS is tracking of a dead escape room manager has ties to the island. Also, Gibbs fears the worst when his search for Fornell leads to blood, on NCIS, Tuesday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Rocky Carroll directed the episode.
GUEST CAST:
Margo Harshman (Delilah Fielding)
Juliette Angelo (Emily Fornell)
Robert Mailhouse (Dr. Malcolm Lucas)
Jennifer Baxter (Sienna Michaels a.k.a. Beach Bum)
Chris Butler (Clarence)
Chet Grissom (Rupert Kittridge)
Gabriel Sousa (Jared)
Vasthy Mompoint (Janique)
Georgia Leva (Lisa)
Gwen Holloway (A.A. Chairperson)
Jessica Jade Andres (Rachel)
Isaac Gonzalez Rossi (Marco)
Joe Spano (Tobias “T.C.” Fornell)
WRITTEN BY: Marco Schnabel
DIRECTED BY: Rocky Carroll
59. Spoiler TV. 18t December, 2020
“Head of the Snake” – Gibbs and Fornell’s crusade to find the head of the drug ring responsible for Fornell’s daughter Emily’s overdose comes to a climax. Also, Gibbs and Vance finally let the team in on a case that has dangerous implications, on NCIS, at a special time, Tuesday, Jan. 19 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
GUEST CAST:
Joe Spano (Tobias “T.C.” Fornell)
Margo Harshman (Delilah Fielding)
Juliette Angelo (Emily Fornell)
Nick Boraine (Merriweather a.k.a. Alexi Myshkin)
Anna Grace Barlow (Karen a.k.a. Sasha Myshkin)
Tajh Bellow (Navy Petty Officer Second Class Samuel Miles)
Isiah Adams (Chad Hamilton a.k.a. Vladmir Ivinov)
Neal Kodinsky (Viktor)
Tudor Munteanu (Ivan)
Geri-Nicole Love (Paramedic)
WRITTEN BY: Brendan Fehily and David J. North
DIRECTED BY: Tawnia McKiernan
60. CBS to delay re-commencement of shooting for NCIS and other TV series.
Read the article here:
https://deadline.com/2020/12/cbs-studios-pushes-production-return-dates-ncis-ncis-la-seal-team-a-week-covid-19-surge-la-county-1234662627/
Article is dated 29th December 2020
61. Spoiler TV. January 9th
“1mm” – Following a tip about smuggled weapons, Bishop and Torres engage in a shootout in a former sheriff’s residence that’s now a historical site, only to find themselves locked in abandoned jail cells there, on NCIS, Tuesday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
GUEST CAST:
Chris Boudreaux (Jesse Duncan)
David Carzell (Michael Hodge)
Charles Carpenter (Sheriff Marcus Mayes)
WRITTEN BY: Gina Lucita Monreal
DIRECTED BY: Diana Valentine
Source: CBS
62. NCIS fans are still waiting to find out more about the shocking season 18 cold open. Three episodes into the new season, the show has yet to revisit the stunning cliffhanger.
But for those worried about Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and McGee’s (Sean Murray) relationship, there’s some good news. Murray says answers are coming soon.
‘NCIS’ is time-jumping during season 18, thanks to the pandemic
After 17 seasons and nearly 400 episodes, NCIS fans were used to the format of the CBS procedural. Every episode usually has a new case for the team to investigate. And characters have story arcs over multiple episodes. The timeline has been linear, and the story usually moves forward each week.
But as Express points out, the pandemic has caused some major changes this season. First of all, production shutdowns in the spring of 2020 cut out the final four planned episodes of season 17. Then, after lengthy production delays, the cast and crew returned for season 18 two months later than normal.
CBS also reduced their order for season 18 to just 16 episodes. And new COVID safety protocols on set have presented even more challenges. All of these factors affected the season 18 storyline. And showrunners decided the best course of action would be to jump back in time to a pre-COVID world.
This led to the season 18 cold open that had the time stamp of March 2020. During the scene, McGee is approaching an airplane on a tarmac when he gets shot in the arm. It’s then revealed that Gibbs is perched on a roof with a sniper rifle.
Then, the opening credits rolled and the next scene saw a time jump back to November 2019. They’ve yet to revisit the shocking opener. And it’s become one of the most puzzling mysteries in the show’s lengthy history.
63. PART 2
Sean Murray promises that season 18 will be ‘really interesting.’ Ahead of the premiere, Murray revealed that McGee and Gibbs’ partnership does change over the course of season 18. He says it’s going to be “a really interesting season.”
“I know a lot of stuff that’s happening this year and it’s just going to be an interesting period,” Murray revealed. “But as far as with McGee there’s some good stuff going on. We’re going to see some really, really cool things. I can tell you we’re definitely going to see and explore sort of the evolution between Gibbs and McGee.”
The two characters are the only ones still around from season 1. And at first, McGee had trouble working with the unconventional NCIS team leader. But over the years, Gibbs has become one of McGee’s most trusted allies. This fact has caused fans to wonder why Gibbs would be taking aim at McGee in that shocking opening scene. Murray did actually address the shocker, and said fans would find out answers very soon.
‘NCIS’ is returning soon with two new episodes in one night
Murray said that the cold open of the season 18 premiere is proof that they are “into some pretty cool stuff right off the bat.” He also revealed that they will spend “the first several episodes catching up to that point.”
“That becoming current time and going from there. It’s good stuff,” Murray promised. “We had to plan. These definitely had to be planned, these arts and everything, carefully. I love that. I love doing this stuff.”
After the third episode of the season aired on December 8, CBS scheduled a six-week break for the series. When they return, fans will get two new episodes on the same night. Episode 4, “Sunburn” and episode 5, “Head of the Snake” will air back-to-back closer to the date of March 2020.
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/ncis-star-sean-murray-reveals-there-will-be-an-evolution-between-gibbs-and-mcgee-throughout-season-18.html/.
64. EXPRESS by Alex Davies. January 15th, 2021
NCIS star Wilmer Valderrama admits he was set on fire in daring stunt: ‘Hair was burning’
NCIS stalwart Wilmer Valderrama spoke on The Kelly Clarkson Show recently about how one explosive stunt on the CBS series left him on fire as he admitted he could “smell my hair burning”.
Nick Torres (played by Wilmer Valderrama) has proven to be one of NCIS’ most popular characters with CBS viewers following his introduction at the beginning of season 14. This is in no doubt down to the fact Torres has been at the centre of some of the show’s most gripping storylines, whether it be his will-they-won’t-they romance with Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham) or throwing himself into danger in the drama’s high-octane action sequences. However, speaking with Kelly Clarkson on her self-titled NBC talk show, Valderrama discussed a time things almost went very wrong.
Keen to throw himself into the thick of the action, Valderrama told The Voice USA star he performs all his own stunts on NCIS.
Clarkson joined Valderrama for a chat about the drama and, of course, she wanted to learn more about why and how the actor puts himself at the centre of the dangerous scenes.
Kicking off the chat, Clarkson said: “This is the coolest thing, so you do all your own stunts on NCIS which I think is super rad and a tiny bit foolish…”
The CBS show fan-favourite explained: “I do, it is very foolish.”
Valderrama continued: “When I started performing, I started in comedy and we did a lot of physical comedy but I never did any real stunts.
“And with NCIS it was a great excuse to be disruptive and do things I hadn’t done before.”
The NCIS actor then touched on a moment which left him slightly fearful, however, when one stunt left him a bit too close for comfort with a nearby explosion.
“There was one moment when a garage blew up,” Valderrama went on.
PAGE 3
65. PART 2
He added: “And then I definitely smelt my hair burning, for sure.
“Those were one of the days when I thought maybe I should’ve let somebody else do this one.
“But you know, most of it is like a dislocated shoulder or tore something or whatever but not serious.”
Valderrama did admit there are one type of stunts he won’t put himself through following guidance from his mother.
“But like motorcycle stuff, I won’t do motorcycle things,” Valderrama continued.
“Because it scares my mum and, honestly there’s professionalism and there’s like…”
Clarkson jumped in as she began to tease the NCIS star, adding: “You’re a momma’s boy!”
Valderrama admitted: “Yeah, if my mum says ‘get off that thing,’ I’m like ‘alright, Mum’.”
With NCIS now in its 18th season and Valderrama enjoying his fifth year on the show, the action-packed stunts don’t look like slowing down any time soon.
Especially if the promo for the next few episodes are to go by as Torres will find himself in some rather tricky situations.
Not only will Torres be teaming up with Fornell (Joe Spano) to try and take down a drug ring, but he and Bishop will also find themselves trapped in episode six.
But will Valderrama be experiencing any more close shaves as season 18 continues?
NCIS season 18 returns to CBS on Tuesday, January 19.
https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1383613/NCIS-Wilmer-Valderrama-stunt-Nick-Torres-on-fire-Kelly-Clarkson-Show-CBS-video
66. NCIS – Episode 18.7 – The First Day
67. TV Insider. By Meredith Jacobs. 20.1.2021
‘NCIS’: Sean Murray Promises ‘Realistic’ Fallout of That McGee & Gibbs Shocker.
[Warning: Contains MAJOR spoilers for Episodes 4, “Sunburn,” and 5, “Head of the Snake,” of NCIS.]
No, your eyes weren’t deceiving you in the opener of the NCIS Season 18 premiere: Gibbs (Mark Harmon) really does shoot his agent and close friend McGee (Sean Murray) not once but twice as the CBS procedural catches up to March 2020 (its present-day).
But it’s to save his life, “Head of the Snake,” the second of January 19’s episodes, reveals. The team is read in to Gibbs and Fornell’s (Joe Spano) operation to take down Merriweather. Fornell is undercover and so close to getting to the head of the drug ring responsible for his daughter’s overdose when it all goes sideways. Bishop (Emily Wickersham) is kidnapped, and thinking he has to stop a plane about to take off with her on it, McGee (posing as Fornell ostensibly for a meet with Merriweather) approaches it on the runway.
But what he doesn’t know because his comms are out is the plane is wired with explosives (and Bishop isn’t on the plane). When warning shots don’t stop him, Gibbs must hit his agent: first in the arm, then, when he gets back up, the leg. He’s in the hospital and not out of the woods at episode’s end.
“We’ll see the aftermath of that shooting,” Murray tells TV Insider, promising, “[McGee] doesn’t die.”
Instead, there’s a rough road to recovery ahead. “A lot of it is not necessarily just physical but emotional,” the actor says. “Just wrestling with and coming to terms with even in the situation of it being done to save your life the fact that somebody so close to you, that’s like a father figure to you, more so than even your real father was, shoots you.”
68. PART 2.
Bishop notes McGee is one of Gibbs’ best friends, but she is worried about what she perceives as a lack of a reaction from her boss in the episode. “That’s Gibbs. Nothing phases him,” Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) suggests. “Maybe something should,” Bishop suggests.
It does, Murray confirms, and we’ll see both Gibbs and McGee wrestling with the fallout of that shooting. “It’s not like McGee just throws on a Band-Aid and says, ‘We’re good, Boss,'” he says. “We very realistically explore some of the emotions and thoughts of the aftermath of what that really would be in dealing with that. Just the shock of what it is and the reality of, how do we face this and move past this?”
You can have all the logical reasons for why what happened had to happen, but you still have human characters that have to work that through,” Murray continues. McGee’s wife Delilah (Margo Harshman), whom we’ll see more of as he recovers, even checks with Gibbs that he had no other choice when he fired those shots.
“The Gibbs and McGee relationship is a long and complicated one, and obviously is much more complicated by [these] events,” Murray says. “We definitely get into how that changes the relationship between them and working through that and the evolution [of that relationship] over the years.” McGee has worked on Gibbs’ team since Season 1 (and officially joined it in Season 2).
If you think both could use someone to talk to after this and it’s a good thing there’s an in-house psychiatrist, Jack Sloane (Maria Bello), you’d be right.
69. PART 3
“There is a little bit” of McGee talking to her about what happened, Murray shares but notes she’s in the middle given her (will they/won’t they) relationship with Gibbs.
Bello is leaving soon (after joining the show in Season 15), and while Murray couldn’t share any details about Jack’s exit, he has nothing but praise for her portrayer. “Maria’s one of the most adventurous, bold actors I’ve ever worked with. I really hope to work with her elsewhere,” he says. “We were sad to see Sloane leave.”
What he can tease is the Merriweather case isn’t completely wrapped up just yet. The head of the drug ring is arrested (as is his daughter) but the agents can only speculate about who hired him to turn to terrorism.
And we may hear more about McGee as an author after it comes up in the first hour when a case disrupts his and Delilah’s vacation. (Thom E. Gemcity has fans in the Bahamas.) “We may explore that actually,” Murray reveals. “That’s something we’ve been talking about.” We’ll have to wait and see if any of his new teammates end up in the pages with L.J. Tibbs.
https://www.tvinsider.com/985171/ncis-season-18-episode-5-gibbs-shoots-mcgee-hospital/
70. SPOILER TV. 25th January, 2021
“The First Day” 18.07 – NCIS investigates the murder of a Navy officer who was killed while driving home a recently released inmate. Also, Gibbs helps Palmer deal with a personal trauma, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
GUEST CAST:
Anthony L. Fernandez (Luis Carter)
Dominique Columbus (Corey Jackson)
Adilah Barnes (Miss Nellie)
Dele Ogundiran (Shelby Roberts)
Austen Parros (Marcus)
Lorena Jorge (Drea)
Jaleesa Mendez (Carmen)
WRITTEN BY: Margaret Rose Lester
DIRECTED BY: James Whitmore, Jr.
71. TVLine. January 30th. 2021
HONORABLE MENTION | After watching the season-opening tease in which Gibbs shot McGee, many an NCIS viewer surely assumed that some sort of ruse was at play and everything would be hunky dory moments later. That was not quite the case — Gibbs came within a millimeter of ending his agent’s life while trying to save it — and Sean Murray week made clear the weight of that reality. Holed up while recuperating, Tim clearly had things to say when Gibbs came by with a dolly full of computer equipment. But it was not until at episode’s end, when Gibbs stopped by for a superfluous debrief, that the men exchanged hard words. “One millimeter,” Tim nodded, Murray’s expression conveying their shared acknowledgment of the gravity of that fact. Hell, even Gibbs was choked up. Then as McGee related and embraced Torres’ “close calls make you live harder” mantra, a warmth in Murray’s eyes let us know all would be fine between McGee and Boss.
https://tvline.com/2021/01/30/hunter-schafer-performance-euphoria-special/
72. EXPRESS By Alex Davies. February 1st, 2021
NCIS 2021: Fans convinced Torres star has ‘given away’ Sloane’s replacement in new selfie
NCIS star Wilmer Valderrama – best known to CBS viewers as agent Nick Torres – revealed one of his former From Dusk Till Dawn co-stars will be joining him as part of the team in upcoming episodes. But will he be taking Jack Sloane’s place?
Nick Torres (played by Wilmer Valderrama) has faced his fair share of drama so far in NCIS season 18. From helping Fornell (Joe Spano) take down a major drugs ring to his will-they-won’t-they romance with Bishop (Emily Wickersham), Torres has had no shortage of gripping storylines. And now it looks like there’s more action coming his way thanks to the introduction of Federal Agent Sawyer (Zane Holtz), who some fans think could be stepping into Jack Sloane’s (Maria Bello) shoes.
The NCIS star was the one to break the news of Holtz’ arrival via his Instagram page as he shared a selfie with his pal.
Fans of horror series From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series will know all too well that Holtz played the role Richie Gecko in the vampire drama.
And he was joined by Valderrama in every season of the series with the NCIS star having played Carlos Madrigal in 23 episodes.
Excited at the prospect of working together once more, Valderrama penned to his 1.8million followers: “Together again, ladies & gentlemen…”
He continued: “Meet Federal Agent Sawyer.. @zaneholtz, welcome to the #NCIS Team… long way from Dusk and Vampires.”
And while the selfie brought excited reactions from thousands of NCIS fans, there was one, in particular, which stood out.
Bishop star Wickersham cheekily weighed in: “But have you known him as long I have?
“@zaneholtz 16-year-old friendship? Just trying to work the math out [wink emoji] Cc @chelseatheaholtz @wilmervalderrama.”
73. PART 2
So it looks like it isn’t just Wilderamma amongst the NCIS star who knows the season 18 newcomer.
Valderrama didn’t reveal too many other details about Holtz’ new role, or in which episode he’ll appear in.
But it looks like he’ll be working on the same side as Torres and Bishop judging by his work uniform.
And this has led to theories that Agent Sawyer will be taking the spot of Sloane in the squad.
After all, season 18 marks actor Bello’s final outing in the CBS drama after she announced her departure back in 2020.
Details surrounding her exit remain shrouded in mystery, although it’s bound to be an emotional exit.
So will Holtz be taking Bello’s spot? One fan queried in response to the selfie: “I get the vibes that he might be replacing Jack,
“And now there are only two women left on the show, the diversity is lacking [sad emoji],” they added.
A second added: “So who leaves for Holtz? Mcgee,” which prompted a fellow follower to suggest: “I think @officialmariabello might be I’m not sure tho.” (Sic)
While a third added to the fears: “Wait he’s going to be the new guy? He isn’t replacing anyone is he?”
NCIS fans will have to wait for the dram to return and Sloane to say her goodbyes to find out for sure.
https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1392019/NCIS-2021-Wilmer-Valderrama-Zane-Holtz-Jack-Sloane-exit-replacement-season-18-CBS-video
74. Spoiler TV. 8th February, 2021
True Believer” 8.08 – When Sloane’s name is discovered in Afghanistan at the site of an abandoned bus with a dead driver, Gibbs accompanies her on a trip to find a group of girls who were kidnapped from the bus. Also, McGee, Bishop and Torres track down a hacker who emailed compromising information to the Taliban, on NCIS, Tuesday, March 2 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
GUEST CAST:
Ismail Bashey (Nabi)
Wais Wardak (Farokh)
Michael Goldsmith (Ben Mitchell)
Javon Johnson (NCIS Special Agent Eric Freeman)
Sarah G. White (Samantha Watkins a.k.a. Mom)
Nima Jafari (Tahir)
Hedyeh Falsafi (Yazmin’s Mom)
Ariana Elavia (Yazmin)
Manny Cartier (Marine)
Sara Emami (Darya)
WRITTEN BY: Jill Weinberger
DIRECTED BY: Terrence O’Hara
75. ET By Philiana Ng. February 9th, 2021
‘NCIS’: Brian Dietzen Opens Up About Jimmy Palmer Losing His Wife From COVID-19 (Exclusive)
The pandemic hits home for one member of NCIS.
Jimmy Palmer, the team’s medical examiner with a heart of gold and always filled with eternal optimism, suffered a devastating loss when his wife, Breena, died from COVID-19. On Tuesday’s episode, which fast-forwards the timeline to the pandemic, reveals his heart-wrenching loss to the audience when he arrives in the bullpen as his usual jovial self armed with extra disinfectant wipes for his colleagues.
Naturally, the conversation transitions into home-schooling his daughter to his mother moving in to help out around the house. But when Bishop asks a pointed question about whether his mom moving in is permanent, it’s then Jimmy mentions his wife’s devastating death from the coronavirus. “You guys were so great, when, you know… I lost Breena,” Jimmy says stoically in ET’s exclusive clip. “But between work, single parenting, school, it just got to be too much. So, I called in a lifeline.”
or actor Brian Dietzen, the NCIS writers informed him of Jimmy’s loss well before he received the script for the episode. The decision for him to be the one to have a tragic loss due to COVID came from organic conversations over the creative fuel it would provide for his story moving forward, as well as the rest of the team. “We can see within this week’s episode that Jimmy is trying to keep whatever happiness he can, trying to say, ‘Hey, my glass is half overflowing here. I’m doing really great,’ while we as the audience can see that that may not be the case,” Dietzen tells ET. “He’s doing whatever he can just keep his head above water. But there’s only so long that that can happen before there’s going to be a certain breaking point.”
76. PART 2
Ahead of the episode, Dietzen discusses the impact the death of his wife will have on Jimmy, how the team rallies around him and whether he thought there was more story left to tell with Jimmy and Breena.
ET: Did you talk to the writers and producers beforehand? What was your initial reaction?
Brian Dietzen: I had been told that this was going to happen, that Jimmy was going to lose his wife before I received this script. I got a chance to speak with the writer, a new writer for our staff Margaret Lester. I got an opportunity to talk with her quite a bit beforehand. The producers let me know that we want the advent of COVID to hit our team. And yet, we don’t want to lose a team member. So the prospect of having Jimmy lose his wife, the most optimistic team member lose someone, came to the table and they thought it would be a great storytelling mechanic — albeit very, very sad. So they went ahead with it. I was notified ahead of time and prepared for it, I suppose, emotionally.
Were you surprised that Jimmy was the one to deal with a loss of a loved one from COVID?
Well, I think that unfortunately in our country — and across the world I should say — that’s been the case for a lot of folks who have dealt with COVID so closely. Certainly as a medical examiner, he would have dealt with the lines on his face from his N95 mask he’d worn 12, 14 hours a day dealing with bodies. And a lot of times these folks who are working closely with COVID, whether it’s a medical examiner or respiratory doctors, pulmonologists, they have lost people in their lives because of their proximity to the disease. Prior to the vaccine, there was no way to protect other people from it, aside from the prophylactic procedures of masks and gloves.
77. PART 3
I think that was one of the interesting and obviously heartbreaking things about this disease that we’ve all seen, is these people on the front line were working as doctors who are working as EMTs who have had to go through heartbreak on their own. And yet they’re asked to just continue working because if they stop working, then we don’t have our frontline there for us anymore. In many ways, this episode turned out to be a recognition of people who have lost others during this pandemic. If you wanted to get more specific about it, it’s about our frontline workers and about people who have helped us deal with this pandemic going through their own trials and continuing to show up for the rest of us.
Can you talk a little bit about how Jimmy handles the loss of his wife and what we can expect to see with him in this grieving process?
Unfortunately, during this time period, a lot of folks have felt there hasn’t been time to grieve because they have more to get back to and they have to keep things moving and they have to continue on. To a larger extent, not just within the healthcare industry. When a person loses a spouse and they have a child, there is a period of time where you’re looking just to keep this ship floating. We can see within this week’s episode that Jimmy is trying to keep whatever happiness he can, trying to say, “Hey, my glass is half overflowing here. I’m doing really great,” while we as the audience can see that that may not be the case and his team certainly can see it because they know and have loved him for years. He’s doing whatever he can just keep his head above water. But there’s only so long that that can happen before there’s going to be a certain breaking point. That’s really the story that’s been told here: How does Jimmy deal with that and how does his team help him deal with that?
78. PART 4
Is there going to be a breaking point for him at some point? What are the long-term effects of this loss?
I certainly think that it’s more of a processing than anything else. I told the writers and the producers on our show that what I really didn’t want to see with Jimmy Palmer was for him to lose his eternal optimism because of something like this. And I think that all of us were totally on the same page. They said, “Oh gosh, yeah, we need to have Jimmy be that light that’s on the team for sure.” And if there’s ever a test for that light, it’s a loss of this nature. So I think that moving forward, we’re going to definitely see Jimmy Palmer process this more. And I’ve already certainly shot other episodes where he’s had to have moments of reflection upon what’s happened. But a lot of what he’s going through and a lot of the culmination of how he’s going to deal with it, we do get to see in this week’s episode, which was a pleasure to be able to perform.
How does the team rally around him?
It’s interesting when you see the most optimistic person in your life suddenly become a victim of something that is so blindsiding and so disorienting to his worldview. I think it’s very difficult for the team to see him go through this because this is the guy who, let’s be honest, up until McGee got married and had his twins, Jimmy was the only one that had a spouse and children and that seemed like a very healthy relationship. It’s difficult to see that person go through all of this and everyone grieves differently as well. Torres certainly grieves a heck of a lot differently and so does Gibbs than would McGee or Bishop. All of them, seeing their confusion on how to try and help Jimmy, who’s going to be the best person to actually speak with him about it, is also a big part of this show.
79. PART 5
To see how this is resolved with the team and see how the team actually reaches out to help him is a huge part of Jimmy’s process. Like many great episodes of NCIS, it certainly is team-based and it was very gratifying for us to be able to do.
Is there a scene from this episode that you have a fond memory doing?
Jimmy’s coming in at the top of the show and he has this huge revelation. It almost happened offhandedly because it happened months ago, so this revelation [that his wife died] comes to light. I remember filming the scene with Wil[mer Valderrama] and Sean [Murray] and Emily [Wickersham] and there’s an awkwardness and a strangeness about this, of like, “Really? This happened?” As we’re performing, it seems strange that you’re just saying it out loud and it is a little bit of a whiplash effect. But I think that’s the objective of it, is that we’re jumping ahead in time quite a bit from the first six episodes of the season, which happened pre-COVID. Now we’re jumping forward to today and we’re saying, “Okay, here’s where we’re at. There’s a lot to catch up on. Get ready, buckle up.” I remember that was one of the first scenes we shot from this episode and it felt, “We’re already on a fast-moving train here.” It was wonderful though, because as Jimmy felt supported by his team and got what he needed with his team there for him, I felt the same way as an actor. I got my people that I’ve known and loved for more than a decade and a half, and they were all there for me to help me tell this story that I felt was really, really important.
With the show now in COVID times, what does that change the team’s approach?
80. PART 6
t’s interesting because different shows have treated COVID differently. Some of them have said, “We’re not going to deal with this at all because we don’t want to have to deal with those storylines and whatnot.” But in the history of NCIS, when major things have happened in our country or in the world, there have been stories about it. I like the fact that we could take a portion of our season and not have to have those masks around all the time at the beginning of the season, but I felt it was a smart decision to include this major life event. We can’t pretend that it doesn’t exist. It’s going to hit the team personally and Jimmy just happened to be the one it hit the most. It was incredibly sad to film and I’ve loved working with Michelle Pierce, who plays Jimmy’s wife Breena Palmer. I’m sad she won’t be around anymore. We underused her. I thought she was a wonderful actor and a great character. But I hope that this is a nice love letter to her character and I hope people do enjoy it.
NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. For more on the series, watch below.
https://www.etonline.com/ncis-brian-dietzen-on-jimmy-palmer-losing-his-wife-to-covid-exclusive-160249
81. TV Tonight Australia. By David Knox . 17.2.2021
NCIS: Hawaii spin-off in the works.
Another NCIS spinoff is in the pipeline, to be set in Hawaii.
Variety reports few plot details are available on NCIS: Hawaii, other than it will follow a team of Naval criminal investigators who operate on the Hawaiian islands.
Notably, COVID-19 cases in Hawaii are also low, averaging 54 new cases per day.
Chris Silber, Jan Nash, and Matt Bosack are attached as writers and executive producers with Silber as the showrunner.
NCIS has so far spawned successful spin-offs with NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans.
CBS currently airs a reboot of Magnum P.I. in Hawaii and recently concluded Hawaii Five-O.
CBS declined to comment.
82. Ratings over night –
Ep. 7 – 9.2.2021 – 9.80 1st – overnight
Ep. 8 – 2.3.2021 – 9.60 1st – overnight
EP. 9 – 9.3.2021 – 9.78 -1st – overnight.
83. KSITE TV By Craig Byrne. 8.3.2021
“Winter Chill” is the title of the March 9 episode of NCIS and CBS has released a description, preview images, and a list of guest stars to promote it. Here’s how the episode is described:
NCIS dives into the competitive world of food trucks after finding a man frozen to death in the back of one, on NCIS, Tuesday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Guest stars in “Winter Chill” include Joe Spano (Tobias T.C. Fornell), Lawrence Kao (Pete Cannizaro), Adam Ferrara (Sammy Craig), Francis Gonzalez (Rich Reilly), Patrick Cox (Parking Enforcement Officer Carl Bjork), Skye LaFontaine (Betty Rose), Shane Coffey (Sean Greco), Annie Little (Merri Dade), and Emily Liu (Trauma Surgeon).
http://www.ksitetv.com/ncis/ncis-tonight-winter-chill/211755/
84. popculture. By Libby Birk. March 11th 2021
NCIS fans will soon meet a new character, as the CBS procedural is adding actress Katrina Law to the cast in a recurring role. Deadline reports that Law will play NCIS REACT Special Agent Jessica Knight, a “formidable REACT Team agent who specializes in hostage negotiations and handles daily high-risk operations with skill and precision.” Raised by a single mother, Jessica is used to fighting for everything in life. Equipped with a “wry sense of humor,” the tenacious and tough special agent is married to a stay-at-home dad who is raising their infant son.
Law’s story arc will span the last two episodes of the current 18th season. Her role will be recurring with an option for series regular in Season 19 if the long-running show is renewed. Law was most recently seen as Quinn Lue in Hawaii Five-0, and other credits of hers include The Oath, Arrow and Training Day.
NCIS fans were devastated by Emily’s death, which played out after Fornell called Jethro Gibbs (Harmon) to inform him that Emily was rushed to the hospital after experiencing an overdose. Fornell explained that he found his daughter at home surrounded by pills. She was transported to the ER for treatment but died following the overdose, which became a major shock to fans. After her passing, Director Leno Vance (Carroll) read a poem aloud called “Epitaph,” written by Merritt Malloy.
85. Part 2
Fans have also dealt with loss in another way, with series regular Mario Bello, who played Jack Sloane, exiting the series. After Gibbs sent Jack on a mission to Afghanistan, she decided to stay there to do humanitarian work instead of going to Costa Rica, where she wanted to settle down. She told Gibbs, “I have loved my time with NCIS… You don’t need me anymore… I don’t belong behind a desk. Never did. And you’re right, I was running, and I don’t want to anymore. I want to make a difference here.”
https://popculture.com/tv-shows/news/ncis-adds-new-character-season-18-katrina-law/
86. TVInsider. By Meredith Jacobs. 12.3.2021
Uh-oh, what did Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) do to land himself on the other side of the law? Turns out, it’ involves a case that will tug at your heartstrings.
The promo for the March 16 episode of NCIS, “Watchdog,” begins with someone arrested for aggravated assault. And apparently NCIS Inspector General Eugene Coyle (Hugo Armstrong) is back — he was last seen in Season 11’s “Dressed to Kill” — and he’s going to take Gibbs into custody. Gibbs, at least, is cuffed in video’s final moments.
“Tell the truth,” Gibbs tells his team prior to that.
But what, exactly, is going on? According to the episode’s logline, “NCIS uncovers a secret dogfighting ring, which leads to an unexpected move by one of the team members.” And in the promo, a doctor hopes “someone pays for this.” Is that what Gibbs did? Or could he be covering for one of his agents?
This latest shock comes after several in the previous episodes. Gibbs had to shoot his Senior Field agent (and one of his best friends) Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) to stop him from getting too close to a plane about to explode. Medical examiner Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) revealed that during a time jump, his wife died (off-screen) because of COVID. The agency’s forensic psychologist Jack Sloane (Maria Bello) chose to leave. And in the most recent episode, Gibbs’ old friend Tobias Fornell (Joe Spano) lost his daughter to an overdose. How many more hits are going to come for the team?
https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/ncis-season-18-episode-10-watchdog-preview/#9
87. Mar 16 2021, 3:29 AM EDT ( People Exclusive – By Mackenzie Schmidt. March15, 2021.
NCIS’s Sean Murray Shows Off the Home He Spent 10 Years Designing: ‘I Totally Fell in Love with It’
After growing up in cookie-cutter military housing, the actor has put down roots (and dug into design!) at his family’s Southern California retreat. Sean Murray is no probie when it comes to design!
The actor, who has played Special Agent Timothy McGee on NCIS for all of the hit show’s 18 seasons, opened the doors to his lovingly renovated Southern California family home in this week’s issue of PEOPLE.
Growing up, “home” was wherever Murray’s dad, a Navy Captain, was stationed. The actor spent time in Singapore, Australia and London before the age of 8 and was raised on bases in a series of nondescript houses that the family often first saw when they pulled up outside.
“I remember my mom and I joking about, ‘Is it going to be a light shade of military green or a dark shade of military green?'” he says. There were strict rules about personalizing their temporary homes, but one thing Murray was allowed to do was decorate the walls of his bedroom.
His first foray into interior design was a 3D velvet Guns N’ Roses poster. “It was the cover of Appetite for Destruction, and it came like half an inch off of the wall,” says the actor, 43, with a laugh. “It was my favorite thing ever.”
While his upbringing has no doubt served as inspiration for his NCIS role, in real life, Murray was eager to stay put for once. “There is definitely something about putting roots down, because I didn’t have that as a kid, in a lot of ways. We moved every two, three years,” says Murray. “So there is a part of me that’s like, ‘You got your place, your space, your house with your family. Make it yours.'”
88. PART 2.
He and his wife Carrie, 46, who runs the Business Relationship Alliance (a network for women entrepreneurs), bought their current home 10 years ago when they found out they were expecting their second child, River (now 10), after their daughter Caitlyn (13).
But the house they settled on was far from perfect. “You probably wouldn’t even recognize it now if you saw it. It looked very early-’90s,” says Sean of the sprawling one-story property, which came complete with a glass-block entry wall.
The dated design also hid some more serious issues in and around the 4,200-square-foot 6-bedroom home. “It started with like, ‘Okay, there’s a drainage problem, so we’ll address that,'” recalls Murray. “And then you find other little things, and before we knew it, we were redesigning the landscaping and building a pool and Jacuzzi.”
At the peak of their renovation, Murray adds with a laugh, “it was like we were living in a tent for a year.”
Despite a few headaches, the actor found himself leaning into the creative process, obsessing over finishes and even dreaming up a custom wood-slat wall for the entry to replace the dreaded glass blocks. “It got to the point where my wife even said to our designer, ‘Just talk to Sean about the details,'” he adds of the process. “I totally fell in love with it.”
But as any true design lover knows, a house is never really done. The couple is currently decamped to a spare bathroom while theirs is being remodeled. The one thing you won’t find in the design: a drop of olive-drab paint.
https://people.com/home/pamela-anderson-lists-malibu-mansion-after-surprise-wedding/
89. ENTERTAINMENT. March 17th, 2021 By Lynette Rice.
Pam Dawber (finally!) joins husband Mark Harmon on NCIS for 4 episodes. The Mork & Mindy star will recur opposite her husband of 30-plus years on the CBS procedural.
The family on NCIS is about to get real.
EW has learned exclusively that Pam Dawber, the real-life wife of star Mark Harmon, will FINALLY appear on the 18-year-old CBS procedural.
Beginning April 6, she’ll play Marcie Warren, described by the show as “a seasoned investigative journalist who uses her savvy wit and down-to-earth people skills to aid in her tireless pursuit of truth.”
Believe it or not, this is the first time Dawber has starred opposite her husband (who plays Leroy Gibbs) on the show that he’s helped to make a big hit on CBS. She’ll recur for four episodes.
Dawber, 69, is best known for her work opposite Robin Williams in the comedy Mork & Mindy. She also starred in My Sister Sam with Rebecca Schaeffer. Her most recent appearance on broadcast TV was in CBS’ The Odd Couple in 2016.
Dawber and Harmon married in 1987 and have two children.
CBS has yet to announce whether it will pick up NCIS for a 19th season since Harmon’s deal is up this year. On Tuesday’s installment of the drama, Harmon’s character turns in his badge and gun, which could pave the way for the actor returning for only a handful of episodes next season. Stay tuned!
https://ew.com/tv/ncis-casts-pam-dawber-husband-mark-harmon/
90. TV Line By Matt Mitovich. 16th March, 2021
Whoa, Did NCIS Just Set the Stage for a Part-Time Mark Harmon Next Season?
his week on NCIS, Gibbs landed in the dog house when a brash act of aggression threatened to end his career. In the end, was Boss’ bacon able to be saved?
Or did the episode end up paving the way for series star Mark Harmon to appear only on a part-time basis, in the event NCIS is renewed? (As THR.com reported at the time of NCIS: New Orleans‘ cancellation, Harmon — whose contract is up — was poised to call it a day until he learned that his doing so would get NCIS cancelled; as such, he entered talks to return for a handful of episodes if the show returns for Season 19.)
The episode “Watchdog” opened, at least, with a roadside accident that nearly left a live missile in the middle of a street in Falls Church. But when NCIS arrived on the scene, Gibbs grew interested in the fate of the dog that the Navy transport had swerved to miss. The pit bull in question, eventually dubbed “Lucy” by Kasie, was found not far away, bleeding from a gunshot wound. When delivered to a nearby veterinarian for treatment, NCIS learned that it was the third such dog to be brought in with a gunshot wound.
Gibbs, McGee, Bishop and Torres sniffed around a house in the woods, beyond where Lucy had been found. Its proprietor, a little old lady, alerted the team to a guy who regularly parks his trailer by her pond, ostensibly to fish. But when Gibbs looks into what the guy has submerged in the pond, tethered to a rope, he discovers several drowned pit bulls. Incensed, Gibbs sees the man, Luke Stana, emerge from his trailer, and makes a beeline for him. Stana can barely get a word out before Gibbs is whaling on him, knocking him to the ground. Gibbs starts to choke the (alleged!) animal abuser, before Bishop and the others pull him off.
91. PART 2
Once back at HQ, Gibbs is returning from we can assume a chewing-out by Vance when Inspector General Coyle shows up to cuff him and take him away. But before Gibbs surrenders himself to Coyle, he quietly orders the team to “tell the truth.”
Except… McGee, Torres and Bishop don’t. Instead, they spin a story of Stana tripping and falling — though that is far from consistent with the victim’s suspect’s injuries. Gibbs is disappointed to hear what story his team told, but before he is himself interviewed by Coyle, a lawyer named July Wunderman shows up to put a halt to the proceedings — though Gibbs subsequently relieves the Vance-appointed stranger of her services.
When the little old lady from before balks at serving as a witness to Stana’s questionable behaviors, that leaves the team with no hard evidence connecting the hospitalized lout to the dead/abused dogs. At best, they have a working theory that he is involved in an illegal dog-fighting ring, has been juicing pit bulls with steroids, and when the pooches lose, he… drowns or shoots them. Stana, though, seems to have an excuse for every piece of it, including the wad of winnings found in his mattress.
Luckily — though it sure seemed extra-damning at first! — McGee happened to be beta-testing a body cam during Gibbs’ clobbering of Stana, and the video reveals a pre-existing blood stain on the dog owner’s shirt. Kasie is able to connect that blood to gunshot Lucy, who is currently recuperating post-op at NCIS.
92. PART 3.
Alas, Stana has checked out of the hospital, but a GPS tag on his dainty poodle’s collar leads the team to him, where they catch him clearing out the location of his dog-fighting ring. NCIS has been yanked off the case by IG Coyle, sure, but Coyle is standing right outside the barn door with the local police, ready to haul in the cretin.
Gibbs had already cut a deal with Coyle, to tell his side in trade for him team being left untouched. So imagine everyone’s surprise when the case against him lands in limbo due to “evidentiary” issues. As Vance later explains to Gibbs (who now has taken in Lucy), Coyle and his wife have two rescue dogs, so there was little sympathy for Stana. That said, it has been left to Vance to inflict punishment. And when Gibbs says that yes, he regrets what he did — as in, he wishes he had killed Stana — Vance is left no choice but to suspend his top Special Agent indefinitely, so Gibbs turns in his badge and gun. (And no, that wasn’t Harmon’s own dog playing Lucy.)
If this storyline did, in fact, set the stage for Harmon/Gibbs only appearing in a handful of Season 19 episodes, are you OK with that? Keeping in mind that incoming addition Katrina Law would help fill the void as a series regular for any next season?
https://tvline.com/2021/03/16/ncis-recap-gibbs-suspended-is-mark-harmon-leaving-season-18-episode-10/
93. NCIS’ Preview: With Gibbs Suspended, His Team Is Reassigned (VIDEO)
March 31st. 2021
“Gut Punch” – Vance assigns McGee, Torres and Bishop to COVID compliance duty at a foreign affairs summit, where they discover a link to another NCIS team’s murder case, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 6 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Rocky Carroll directed the episode. Pam Dawber guest stars as investigative journalist Marcie Warren. Pictured: Wilmer Valderrama as NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres, Sean Murray as NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee, Emily Wickersham as NCIS Special Agent Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop. Photo: Bill ********/CBS ©2021
https://www.cadillacnews.com/entertainment/ncis-preview-with-gibbs-suspended-his-team-is-reassigned-video/image_5ea8d8a2-8a23-53b1-8b90-7c8d0c116e41.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share
94. NCIS’ Preview: With Gibbs Suspended, His Team Is Reassigned (VIDEO)
March 31st. 2021
“Gut Punch” – Vance assigns McGee, Torres and Bishop to COVID compliance duty at a foreign affairs summit, where they discover a link to another NCIS team’s murder case, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 6 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Rocky Carroll directed the episode. Pam Dawber guest stars as investigative journalist Marcie Warren. Pictured: Wilmer Valderrama as NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres, Sean Murray as NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee, Emily Wickersham as NCIS Special Agent Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop. Photo: Bill ********/CBS ©2021
https://www.cadillacnews.com/entertainment/ncis-preview-with-gibbs-suspended-his-team-is-reassigned-video/image_5ea8d8a2-8a23-53b1-8b90-7c8d0c116e41.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share
95. Express By Hayley Anderson. 2.2.2021
NCIS season 18, episode 11 cast: Who are the new cast members in Gut Punch?
NCIS will be back for the latest episode in season 18 next week. There are going to be some familiar faces rejoining the cast when it returns.
NCIS season 18 is airing later than usual as filming for the series was initially delayed thanks to the pandemic. Nevertheless, the cast and crew have managed to put together a very memorable series so far, with plenty of emotional moments and unexpected goodbyes thrown into the mix. The latest plotline to throw fans off guard is to do with veteran Agent Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) himself.
In series 18’s Watchdog, Gibbs attacked a man who had been involved with a dog-fighting ring and the killing of animals when they were no longer of any use to him.
As a result, Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) had no choice but to suspend Gibbs, forcing him to hand over his badge and gun.
A promo for episode 11 Gut Punch has shown that in the mean time, Agents Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), Ellie Bishop (Emily Wickersham) and Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) are going to be reassigned, so they will have to work alongside other agents.
Here’s everything we know about the latest cast members joining NCIS for Gut Punch.
Who is in the cast of NCIS’ Gut Punch
Ronnie – Veronica Platt
Fans will probably remember Agent Veronica “Ronnie” Tyler from the series premiere. She will be back and in the Gut Punch promo, Ronnie is seen giving the order: “Grab your gear.”
The actress portrayed Gloria Garcia in Star-Crossed and Vicky Spaulding in Guiding Light and earlier this year, she joined the Days of Our Lives cast as Dr Amanda Raynor. Some of her other TV guest appearances including Hawaii Five-0, Lucifer, Bones, Criminal Minds and 9-1-1.
96. PART 2
Sawyer – Zane Holtz
The agents will be working alongside their new colleague Sawyer who is played by Canadian actor Zane Holtz. He previously featured in NCIS back in series 10’s Squall but as another character, a petty officer. Actor Holtz is probably best known for playing Richie Geckon in series From Dusk till Dan. He also starred as KO in the Riverdale spin-off Katy Keene on The CW.
Marcie Warren – Pam Dawber
Joining the cast in Gut Punch is actress Pam Dawber as investigative journalist Marcie Warren. Her most famous role was in Mork and Mindy where Dawber starred opposite late actor and comedian Robin Williams. She is also known for being the wife of Mark Harmon himself who plays Gibbs. This is the first time that the couple have appeared on TV together.
NCIS series 18 will be coming to an end next month on CBS.
The grand finale is expected to air on Tuesday, May 25 and spin-off series NCIS New Orleans and Los Angeles a couple of days prior on Sunday, May 23.
But will Gibbs be reinstated as an agent or will he be leaving NCIS for good?
https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1418313/ncis-season-18-episode-11-cast-gut-punch
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97. Cartermatt. 9.4.2021 NCIS season 18 episode 12 spoilers: Meet Nick Torres’ father!
For everyone excited for NCIS season 18 episode 12, know this: You’re going to learn a lot more about Nick Torres’ history!
Today, CBS confirmed some of the first details from the upcoming episode “Sangre,” including the news that Steven Bauer is going to be coming in as Miguel Torres, father to Wilmer Valderrama’s character. He’s someone who gets connected to a case, and given that there’s a lot of hurt buried deep here, this should be a pretty emotional episode to watch.
For a few more details on what’s ahead, check out the full NCIS season 18 episode 12 synopsis:
“Sangre” – Evidence from the stabbing of a Marine Sergeant leads Torres to meet his father, Miguel (Steven Bauer), who left when he was a child, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 20 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pam Dawber returns as investigative reporter Marcie Warren.
One of the things we’re interested in learning about Torres in this episode is how everything went down with him as a kid. We’ve seen his sister before, but that was ages ago and he’s not someone who really ever opens up about his past. Hopefully, this serves as an opportunity for him to lean more on Bishop — she obviously cares for him, even if NCIS is being super-cagey about their relationship and what it actually is.
Meanwhile, Pam Dawber is back again! Given that the article is already out there with Gibbs’ name attached, we are absolutely curious to learn about what the future holds with Marcie. Could she end up being a problem for the rest of NCIS?
https://cartermatt.com/435218/ncis-season-18-episode-12-spoilers-meet-nick-torres-father/
98. EXPRESS. By Alex Davies.9.4.2021
NCIS 2021: Pam Dawber admits she was ‘fearful’ to star with Harmon – rules out long stint.
NCIS fans welcomed Pam Dawber to the CBS drama in the most recent episode of season 18 as Mark Harmon’s wife faced off against his on-screen persona Gibbs for the first time.
season 18, episode 11, titled Gut Punch, saw quite the shake-up for the likes of Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon), Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) and the rest of the team. At NCIS HQ, Torres, Bishop (Emily Wickersham) and McGee (Sean Murray) found themselves being punished by director Vance (Rocky Carroll) as a new team stepped into their shoes. Gibbs, on the other hand, was adapting to life while suspended – and came face to face with a new figure in the CBS drama hoping to get to know him.
That figure was investigative journalist Marcie Warren (Pam Dawber) who ambushed Gibbs as he dined alone twiddling his thumbs as he contemplated his future.
Spotting Gibbs enjoying his coffee and reading the newspaper in the diner, Marcie approached and introduced herself.
“You got a funky little place here, Gibbs?” Marcie said as she tried to strike up conversation – unaware Gibbs knew all too well who she was.
“I bet there’s lots of stories that go along with that plate of bacon and eggs,” she added.
Aware of Marcie’s intentions, Gibbs stayed stern before outing her: “You would know.”
As Marcie began to question what he meant, Gibbs showed her the byline of her name which had been printed in the paper.
“Look, your bosses are refusing to return my calls,” Marcie eventually admitted.
“So I thought I’d go straight to the source,” she added, resulting in Gibbs walking out of the diner and leaving Marcie empty-handed.
As the episode continued, Marcie made it clear she wasn’t going anywhere, teeing up an intriguing storyline between the two.
PART 2
However, Marcie’s introduction has also opened a can of worms among the NCIS fandom.
Will her introduction result in Gibbs’ permanent departure from the team or show? And is Marcie staying around for the long haul.
Actor Dawber has spoken out on her NCIS stint and tried to shed some light.
Speaking to TV Insider, Harmon’s other half admitted her “fear rockets flew off” when she first toyed with the idea of starring alongside her husband.
“I haven’t acted in so long,” she explained. “It’s also, at my age, do you really want to be on a big screen?”
However, Dawber did eventually talk herself round to a stint on the show.
She admitted: “I finally thought I’d feel worse if I chickened out.”
However, those expecting Dawber to remain in NCIS for a possible 19th season and beyond are in for some bad news.
The actor, who’s also starred in More & Mindy and 101 Dalmations: The Series, has only made a handful of on-screen appearance since the turn of the millennium.
So when asked if her stint on NCIS will result in a return to TV, she comprehensively told the publication: “No. There’s too much social media negativity.
“And I have passed the point of wanting to sit the makeup chair at six o’clock in the morning!”
https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1419903/NCIS-2021-Pam-Dawber-Marcie-Warren-Mark-Harmon-wife-afraid-CBS-video
99. Spoiler TV 13.4.2021 – 18.13 Misconduct.
“Misconduct” – While the team investigates a biker killed in a hit and run, Gibbs prepares to testify against a financial advisor who stole millions from his Navy clients, on NCIS, Tuesday, April 27 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
GUEST CAST:
Angela Lin (Assistant District Attorney Sheila Addison)
Amanda Detmer (Charlotte James Bodizinski)
Michael Chieffo (Randy Devereaux)
Jason Downs (Todd Renfro)
Sarah Stouffer (Hanna Devereaux)
Troy Blendell (Bernard Wilson)
Greg Berman (Navy Petty Officer Second Class Mike Benson)
Michael Rupnow (Parker James)
Mary-Margaret Lewis (Maude Simmons)
Sandra Cevallos (Judge Monic Perez)
Maryfrances Careccia (Bailiff)
Hilda Boulware (Madam Foreperson)
WRITTEN BY: Margaret Rose Lester, David J. North, Brendan Fehily
DIRECTED BY: Tawnia McKiernan
Source:
CBS
100. TVLINE. By Matt Webb Mitovich. 15th April, 2011
NCIS Renewed for Season 19 — But Will Mark Harmon Be Back?
CBS warhorse NCIS will be back for a 19th season — though it will potentially feature less Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
The network announced on Thursday that it has renewed its longest-running drama for Season 19. According to The Hollywood Reporter, original cast member and executive producer Mark Harmon will be back as team leader Special Agent Gibbs, but it’s not yet been determined how many episodes will include him. Similarly, an episode count for Season 19 hasn’t been finalized.
As revealed at the close of the series’ March 16 episode, Gibbs was suspended indefinitely by Director Leon Vance, after brutally assaulting a suspected dog abuser.
Word of Harmon’s potentially reduced NCIS presence swirled at the time of sister series NCIS: New Orleans‘ cancellation. THR.com reported that with his contract expiring this spring, Harmon was poised to call it a day and hang up his stitched-logo NCIS cap. But when he learned that his doing so would result in the mothership series as a whole being cancelled, and many people losing their jobs, he entered talks to return in a limited capacity.
New for Season 19, meanwhile, will be series regular Katrina Law (Hawaii Five-0, Arrow), who will first surface in this season’s final two episodes. She will be playing NCIS REACT Special Agent Jessica Knight, a “formidable” woman whose specialty is hostage negotiations. Raised by a single mother, and married to a stay-at-home dad who is raising their infant son, Jessica is described as “sharp, athletic, tough” and “fiercely tenacious,” but she also possesses a “wry sense of humor.”
101. PART 2
PART 2
Law’s casting came on the heels of Maria Bello exiting NCIS after three seasons as forensic psychologist Jack Sloane. (In the March 2 episode, Jack decided to stay put in Afghanistan after completing an op, to help out the local community.)
NCIS was one of five CBS series to get picked up for an additional season on Thursday, along with S.W.A.T., Blue Bloods, Magnum P.I. and Bull.
https://tvline.com/2021/04/15/ncis-renewed-season-19-mark-harmon-fewer-episodes/.
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