With a heavy heart, we presume that NCIS season 21 is not coming to our screens this fall. We might never know what happened or who died when the echo of a loud gunshot aired in the background the previous season. What could be more tormenting than to realize that this was the last episode of the latest season of your favorite crime drama and no one knows how long will they have to wait to know what’s happened next, or who died?
However, CBS has not confirmed anything about the premiere of NCIS season 21. The cause for this delay is the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes which have postponed the production schedules of all the shows and movies indefinitely.
As a result, there is no confirmed information regarding who will return to reprise their roles or not. However, we expect the following members to reprise their roles in NCIS Season 21:
- Sean Murray as Special Agent Timothy McGee
- Wilmer Valderrama as Special Agent Nick Torres
- Katrina Law as Special Agent Jessica Knight
- Gary Cole as Supervisory Special Agent Alden Parker
- Brian Dietzen as Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jimmy Palmer
- Diona Reasonover as Forensic Specialist Kasie Hines
- Rocky Carroll as NCIS Director Leon Vance
In addition to these above-mentioned cast members who are expected to return for the latest installment, there are also a few who are less likely to reprise their roles in NCIS season 21, considering that the season is expected to be one of the show’s shortest seasons. (One Chicago Center) This cancels out the possibility of more guest appearances in the new season.
David McCallum, 90, who played former Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard died of natural causes on September 25, 2023, in New York. This has certainly left a big gap in the series who has seen Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard as an integral part of the series for so many years.
The other character whom we expect to not make a return is Special Agent Gibbs. Although he is one of the characters whom everyone is anticipating seeing in season 21, he may not return owing to the exit of Mark Harmon from the show. Harmon played the role of Agent Gibbs. The last onscreen representation of Harmon as Gibbs was the fourth episode of season 19.
Be that as it might, Harmon has not completely detached himself from the NCIS coterie; he is still a part of the show by serving as its executive producer.
In addition to Agent Gibbs, one of the most flabbergasting moments in the history of NCIS was the exit of Bishop in the season 18 finale. No one had seen Emily Wickersham’s departure from the series. It was and would be indubitably sad to watch the previous and the new seasons of NCIS without Bishop. The fans wanted to see more of her.
We don’t expect her to return in the show’s upcoming installment owing to the shortened length of episodes, which will have to make the storyline very compact and concrete. Be that as it may, CBS has not confirmed anything regarding the arrival of Bishop in the next season. Considering that she had an open-ended exit, there might be a way that she could get in as a guest appearance back in the show to untangle her relationship with Torres. But, as of now, we don’t expect her to return for the 21st season.
One of the original members of the NCIS coterie and often placed at the nexus of some of the most important plotlines, Agent Anthony DiNozzo’s exit caused emotional turmoil in the show’s most ardent fans. From being an integral part of the show’s most epic love story to playing the role of a very special agent, Michael Weatherly left the fans teary-eyed with his exit.
His last on-screen representation as Tony was seen at the end of season 13. Ever since the fans have anticipated his arrival for at least one episode, and if not as a main character, then at least as a guest appearance. Their wishes finally come to fruition when Weatherly teased on Twitter that he might reprise his role in season 20. Unfortunately, that did not materialize and fans were left with unfulfilled hopes.
Nevertheless, Weatherley’s tease opens up the possibility of him returning for the 21st installment since he is open about returning to NCIS. With the possibility of him returning in the latest installment, a lot of characters’ storylines would have to align with his. This might be a bit difficult.
Be that as it may, we expect a lot of surprises to grace our screens when NCIS season 21 returns.