NCIS fans rejoice! Even though Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo is leaving our screens for good, we still get to keep Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
The CBS show also just got renewed for two more seasons! It has already survived for 13 seasons and clocks in at over 300 episodes — and is still going strong! Glen Geller, CBS’s Entertainment President, attributes the show’s success to the combination of Harmon’s guiding talent and the writing team’s amazing storytelling:
“It’s extraordinary that in its 13th season and with over 300 episodes to its credit, NCIS continues to excel at such a high level on a global scale,” said Geller. “It is testimony to an amazing cast, led on and off the screen by the exceptional Mark Harmon, for skillfully bringing this universally appealing team of heroes to life; and to Gary Glasberg and his writers for crafting compelling stories that feature NCIS’s signature blend of mystery, quirk, drama and comedy every single week.”
But we might not have seen this renewal go through if not for the new deal CBS made with Harmon after they wrapped up Season 13. Apparently, NCIS is averaging “17.1 million total viewers and a 2.3 demo rating – ranking No. 1 and No. 5 among all broadcast dramas.” That isn’t even counting all of the people who play the show back on their DVRs or torrent/stream it online. Streaming and playback bump those numbers up to approximately 21 million and 3.2 demo.
Did I read those numbers correctly, or is my vision still blurred after that last Gibbs slap?
According to TVLine, NCIS is bringing on two new series regulars for Season 14 — as well as a female FBI agent who is freshly relocated from the Big Apple’s Counter-Terrorism Unit.
Does that mean we’re going to get some stories about Jack during team campfires? CBS and Fox are different companies, but it could happen.
This new FBI agent is meant to fill the space Michael Weatherly left when he exits the show this year. Sorry, CTU babe; you may be able to fill the hole in the team, but you won’t be able to fill the hole he left in our hearts.
Recent polls show that 32% of fans want Tony DiNozzo to make one last appearance to reunite with Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) “before riding off into the sunset.” 22% would prefer to see him start his own team in another town.
So … what about the other 46%? Some fans want to see what really happened in Israel when Tony went off on his own to track Ziva down. Some think he could reunite with Jeanne Benoit, her marriage having either crumbled or otherwise ended in divorce.
Personally? I want him to be happy, regardless of what that actually entails. Goofy guys don’t always stay the class clowns — it’s a coping mechanism that will serve him well regardless of where he ends up.
Are you excited for two more seasons of Gibbs & Co.? What are your dreams for DiNozzo? Mark your calendars and keep us posted!
CBS has not yet released the air date for NCIS Season 14. The network is set to celebrate its 300th NCIS episode on March 15.