‘NCIS’ season 14 wishlist: Where should the writers go from here?
When you are a show entering your 14th season on the air, the vast majority of time you’re set in stone and you’ve got a pattern. This is not really having for “NCIS.” The long-running crime procedural is coming back without Michael Weatherly for season 14, and that’s no easy task when you have those sort of shoes to fill.
Ultimately, you can’t really replace Tony; you just have to find a new identity and work with it. We’re creating this particular wishlist article with this particular thought in mind.
1. Bring the new characters about slowly – One of the things that the show got in trouble with when it comes to Bishop is that they probably pushed her too hard in the early going before finding a groove. They shouldn’t feel the same pressure to introduce Tess Monroe and Clayton Reeves. We already know them, so just make them an organic part of the ensemble if they stick around.
2. Put McGee in the spotlight more – Tim and Abby are probably the two remaining characters with the ability to play both humor in drama in the way that Tony could. Abby will have her own standout stories in the lab, but we expect McGee to have more of a leadership role. We also wouldn’t mind seeing more of him outside of the lab, as well.
3. Introduce new mythology – Create a new villain or organization to span a few episodes this coming season. Don’t rely so much on the past, and consider this a real reset for the show.
4. Let Gibbs step back – With Reeves now potentially a main character, you’ve got someone who can handle the more physical aspects of the job. The longer you put a guy like Gibbs in the line of fire at this point, the more unrealistic it starts to feel.
5. Still reference Tony – He’s not dead. He’s just going off to raise his daughter and change his life. We have to think that he’ll still talk to some of his friends at NCIS, so don’t be afraid to reference that here and there.
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LSilvaxx
May 20, 2016 @ 6:59 am
Hoping for the team to mourn Tony’s absence. Michael & Tony deserve that. Love Bishop but wish for more, deeper stuff for her. But seriously, not having Gibbs step down makes it unrealistic? JOKE! The entire show become unrealistic with Ziva, with Jenny making it Director at her age with only a couple of years. Having Mike Franks appear as a ghost is unrealistic. But of course, the only things that are unrealistic are when it comes to Gibbs.
Dee Dee Loge
May 18, 2016 @ 6:54 pm
I agree regarding referencing Tony. I think they need to talk like they talk to him and so forth. That is how real life would be. They have been his family for so long the idea that he would drop out of site and mind would be ridiculous. Plus it will make us fans knowing little bits and parts of his life feel like he is still around.
Kevin
May 20, 2016 @ 3:22 am
As do I. People with relationships like this (and I mean the characters of course) who leave *AN* aspect of your life – in this case the aspect that we get to watch Tuesday nights – don’t just drop out of existence. That really would be ridiculous.
Given Michael Weatherly’s openness about still being willing to do NCIS things from time to time gives tremendous potential. While I agree that it would be a mistake to do anything but start telling a new story (the essence of wishlist item #3), I believe it could easily be written in that a “case from the past” would involve Tony in ways that the new cast would get eye-openers for. Can you picture the newbies finding out about the time Tony was framed for murder by Mustache Chip if it came up organically in relevance to a new case? Or something like that. He could also pass on something to the team after his visits to Israel and Paris that leads them to a big discovery. I bet Michael wouldn’t mind contributing a phone call or a Skype message to an episode?
Possibilities. But the show needs freshness. I keep hoping they’ll give Bishop something big, something definitive of her character… They obviously saw the need for her to have something that you’d think “Yep, that’s Bishop’s story” about… But the divorce happened and nothing really defining came out of it. Gibbs is the guy whose family was taken from him and has lived with his demons ever since – that of course was developed over years and years. Tony’s been the comical but loyal improviser who complemented Gibbs especially. McGee’s been the nerd who’s always trying to prove himself as more, and will do anything to provide what the rest of the team can’t. Ducky’s the Scotsman with endless poetic wisdom to offer. And so on. I think Bishop could use a backstory beyond her marriage falling apart. She needs some demons for us to smile as we watch her overcome them.
And the newly-cast will need stories too. That’s what makes it great.
But I would HATE to just see Tony forgotten about, fading into the shadows as this show moves forward. Without Tony this show would not have survived a first season, I think we all can appreciate that. And he’s expressed an open mind – I dearly hope the show makes use of it and finds ways to put him in. Like I said, a phone call with his actual voice would still be a presence. Even if Michael’s not on camera himself, it’s interaction and I don’t think anyone would pass it up in their viewership of this awesome show.