NCIS season 18
| NCIS | |
|---|---|
| Season 18 | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 1 |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | November 17, 2020 – present |
| Season chronology | |
The eighteenth season of NCIS, an American police procedural drama television series, premiered on November 17, 2020, on CBS,[1] and is set to contain sixteen episodes,[2] including the series 400th episode. The season is set to be produced by Belisarius Productions and CBS Television Studios.[3]
NCIS revolves around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The series stars Mark Harmon, Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Emily Wickersham, Maria Bello, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Rocky Carroll, and David McCallum. The season will be Bello's last season as a series regular, as she is set to leave after eight episodes.[4]
Cast and characters
Main
- Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) of Major Case Response Team (MCRT) assigned to Washington's Navy Yard
- Sean Murray as Timothy McGee, NCIS Senior Special Agent, second in command of MCRT
- Wilmer Valderrama as Nicholas "Nick" Torres, NCIS Special Agent and former Undercover Agent
- Emily Wickersham as Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop, NCIS Special Agent
- Maria Bello as Dr. Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane, NCIS Senior Resident Agent and operational psychologist
- Brian Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer Chief Medical Examiner for NCIS
- Diona Reasonover as Kasie Hines, Forensic Scientist for NCIS
- Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance, NCIS Director
- David McCallum as Dr. Donald Mallard, NCIS Historian and former Chief Medical Examiner
Guest Stars
- Joe Spano as Tobias Fornell
- Sean Harmon as young Gibbs[5]
- Adam Campbell as young Ducky[6]
Episodes
The number in the "No. overall" column refers to the episode's number within the overall series, whereas the number in the "No. in season" column refers to the episode's number within this particular season. "U.S. viewers (millions)" refers to the number of viewers in the U.S. in millions who watched the episode as it was aired.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 399 | 1 | "Sturgeon Season" | Michael Zinberg | Scott Williams | November 17, 2020 | 10.35[7] |
| 400 | 2 | "Everything Starts Somewhere"[8] | Terrence O'Hara | Steven D. Binder | November 24, 2020 | N/A |
| 401 | 3 | "Blood and Treasure"[9] | Diana Valentine | Christopher J. Walid | December 8, 2020 | N/A |
Production
Development
The season was ordered on May 6, 2020.[3] On June 3, 2020, Steven D. Binder announced that the writers had begun working on the season.[10] On August 12, 2020, it was announced that CBS Television Studios had signed a deal with the law enforcement advisory group 21CP Solutions, to consult on its crime and legal dramas, which includes NCIS. 21CP Solutions, will help the series' to move accurately portray law enforcement This comes after the George Floyd Protests, which caused the television industry to rethink their portrayal of law enforcement.[11] On September 21, 2020, it was announced that the season would start by exploring where Gibbs, played by series star Mark Harmon, disappeared to during the episode "Musical Chairs" from the previous season, before returning to the present day.[12] On October 27, 2020, it was announced that season would contain sixteen episodes.[2]
Filming
The planned twenty-first episode of the seventeenth season, which was postponed due to production on the season being shutdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, is set to be the first episode filmed of season eighteen. The planned twenty-second episode of season seventeen, which would have been the series 400th episode, is set to be filmed and aired second, which will keep it as the 400th episode.[13] On August 13, 2020, it was announced that NCIS had been assigned the tentative start date of September 9, 2020 to begin production on the season. Production will be done under strict COVID-19 protocols, and the series will continue to be filmed in Los Angeles.[14]
Casting
On May 6, 2020, it was announced that Harmon, had closed a new deal with CBS Television Studios.[15] On July 24, 2020, it was announced that series regular Maria Bello is set to leave the show during the season, and will appear in eight episodes to wrap up her character's storyline.[4] On September 9, 2020, it was announced that Harmon's son Sean, would return in episode two as a younger version of his father's character.[5] On October 21, 2020, it was announced that Adam Campbell would also return in episode two, as a younger version of Ducky.[6]
Release
The season is set to premiere during the 2020–21 television season as part of CBS's Tuesday lineup with FBI and FBI: Most Wanted.[16] On August 26, 2020, it was announced that CBS hoped to begin airing the season in November 2020.[17] On October 13, 2020, it was announced that the season would premiere on November 17, 2020.[1]
References
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (October 13, 2020). "CBS Sets Premiere Dates For 10 Scripted Series Including 'NCIS' Trio, 'Young Sheldon' & 'S.W.A.T'". Deadline. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (October 27, 2020). "CBS Trims Episode Orders As Broadcast Series On All Nets Face Abbreviated Runs In COVID Impacted 2020-21 Season". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- ^ a b White, Peter; Andreeva, Nellie (May 6, 2020). "CBS Renews 18 Series, Including Freshmen 'FBI: Most Wanted', 'Bob ♥ Abishola', 'All Rise' & 'The Unicorn'". Deadline. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (July 24, 2020). "Maria Bello Signs With Gersh As She Nears Exit From 'NCIS'". Deadline. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ a b TV Insider Staff (September 9, 2020). "Inside Scoop on What's Ahead for 'NCIS,' 'Supernatural' & 'Outlander'". TVInsider. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ a b Hahn, Kate (October 21, 2020). "Inside 'NCIS' Episode 400: Gibbs & Ducky's Meet-Cute, Personal Choices & More". TV Insider. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 18, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Tuesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.17.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
- ^ "(#404) "Everything Starts Somewhere"". The Futon Critic. November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ "Blood and Treasure". The Futon Critic. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ @stevebinder (June 3, 2020). "Stay turned. We are in the (z)room working on the next season as we speak" (Tweet). Retrieved August 14, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Porter, Rick (August 12, 2020). "CBS TV Studios Brings on Advisory Group for Crime and Legal Shows". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (September 21, 2020). "NCIS Will Start Season 18 With a Backwards Time Jump — Find Out Why". TV Line. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
- ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (July 24, 2020). "Maria Bello Exiting NCIS in Season 18". TVLine. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 13, 2020). "'NCIS' & 'NCIS: Los Angeles' Set Tentative Start Dates; 2 More CBS TV Studios Dramas Get Go-Ahead To Resume Filming As CBS' Fall Lineup Begins To Take Shape". Deadline. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 6, 2020). "'NCIS' Franchise Stars Mark Harmon, Scott Bakula, LL Cool J & Chris O'Donnell Close New Deals To Return As All 3 Series Are Renewed By CBS". Deadline. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 19, 2020). "CBS Plots Business as Usual Fall Schedule — For Now". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ White, Peter (August 26, 2020). "CBS Adds 'Star Trek: Discovery', 'One Day At A Time' & 'Manhunt: Deadly Games' To Fall Schedule As Net Eyes November Launch For Scripted Originals". Deadline. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
