‘NCIS’ season 12 spoilers: A big story early for Mark Harmon
Given that “NCIS” season 11 ended without a cliffhanger, and also on such an emotional note with a tribute to Ralph Waite, it shouldn’t come as too great a surprise that the next season will begin with some of the characters diving headfirst into more action. This is not a show that likes to slow things down for very long, and with that in mind, there is no reason at all for them to do so here.
Speaking per TVLine, showrunner Gary Glasberg makes it clear that there will be a major story right away that throws both Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and McGee (Sean Murray) into a tricky situation. Not only that, but they will meet a villain who could be around for a while:
“The idea was to come out with a bang. We’ve got a really significant season opener that brings Gibbs and McGee to Russia for a really big story. A crisis comes up and we immediately launch with a significant adversary who will pop up throughout the rest of the season.”
This villain will be played by Alex Veadov, and if there is one thing that we are particularly worried about right now, it is the simple fact that we could have another “Americans vs. an evil Russian” narrative thrown upon us. Just once, we’d like to see some friendly Russians on a TV show or movie! We’ve met them many times over, and believe it or not, no one has ever threatened world domination or destroying America.
In the end, though, this show does have its popcorn-entertainment qualities, so we’ll see how the story goes. Just like with everything else, it’s not entirely fair to be judgmental about something without even seeing how it plays out on the show. We are at least excited that the series is wasting little time getting back into action.
For another controversial “NCIS” season 12 topic, click here to get some more information on a new love interest for Michael Weatherly’s Tony. Also, sign up to get some further TV news and analysis via our CarterMatt Newsletter.
Photo: CBS
Jana
July 24, 2014 @ 4:56 pm
A good point Matt – a “russain villain” story was seen… like 100x. There can´t be anything new to talk about…only a simple, primitive schema. I miss Orli and the Mossad SL. GG is recycling old ideas, instead of creating his own. What a pitty. NCIS was one of the best series in the world…
Erin
July 24, 2014 @ 3:57 pm
Honestly what else is new? McGee has replaced Tony as second in command and Gibbs gets a big exciting story? McGee and Bishop both got to go with Gibbs last year too for the Gibbs handles the danger abroad episodes. Nothing really new here. I’m guessing Tony will be answering phones and clicking the clicker for the first 3 episodes. I know – in episode 4 the clicker will break due to Tony clicking too frequently and his new romantic interest will be a clicker repair person!
Lorraine64
July 24, 2014 @ 11:05 pm
I read this in my doctor’s waiting room. Made me laugh out loud. Thank you! Sad to say though you’re probably right. Tony fans have been ‘promised’ so much and been disappointed so often. I’m desperate for some plot lines that give both Michael Weatherly and us viewers something to get our teeth into. Hopefully season 12 might actually see some jeopardy for once. Someone should tell GG that if you blow up the Navy Yard, have a major car crash or hit McGee over the head with a – was it a baseball bat or a golf club? – then there has to be consequences otherwise there’s no jeopardy and if there’s no jeopardy it’s actually just plain boring.
Erin
July 25, 2014 @ 4:07 pm
Well we get a steady diet of Gibbs, McGee, and Bishop in jeopardy. The only worry we can reasonably have about Tony is that he’ll develop carpal tunnel syndrome from excessive clicking.
Lorraine64
July 27, 2014 @ 9:49 pm
No no not carpel tunnel, oh my no that could potentially mean surgery, that’s way too exciting – we’re talking Gary Glasberg under who’s tenure the team have suffered little more than a scratched nose. I think the best we can possibly hope for is a blister on his clicking finger! Back in the day Tony was drugged, chained to serial killer, beaten, sprained his ankle a couple of times, fell out of a plane, was trapped in a container truck, broke his arm and of course contracted pneumonic plague. Sadly even if GG had the ability to come up with such an amazing story as SWAK no doubt DiNozzo would have “gotten lucky” and would never have contracted the illness in the first place. Despite blowing up the Navy Yard and a more than impressive car crash, the best we’ve had from GG is the gunshot “wound” in ‘Nature of the Beast’ that was not a ‘wound’. I’m probably looking for conspiracy theories but recently I have begun to wonder if part of the reason that Don B was forced to leave was because MH thought Tony was becoming too popular. Even Michael Weatherly has said that DiNozzo started to change very early in season 5. Why would you turn the brave flawed hero who only two seasons earlier hid his fears and feelings behind a mask of fun and film references saying to Kate in SWAK “Have you ever seen me afraid?” into the scared individual he depicted in Chimera? And where once Tony was regularly the focus with even his own story arc across an entire season, from season five he started to take more of a back seat, for the most part (with just a few notable exceptions) only supporting other characters’ story lines and the competent, heroic flawed hero was turned into a fool. I’ve always wondered where Don B originally planned the Jeanne/la grenouille story arc to go, so hurriedly tied up by SB in the first episode of season 5. Sadly we’ll never know.
Erin
July 27, 2014 @ 11:26 pm
GG seems to like to give us papa Gibbs with an injured or needy McGee now. Now Tony can only have comical injuries like breaking his nose but only Gibbs or McGee can be seriously threatened. Don P. Bellasario obviously liked the papa Gibbs protective of Tony, but once he was gone we were not allowed to have a Tony story where he was the most in peril or injured party. The way Tony has been written makes me think that the writers are under some kind of orders to make Tony an unsympathetic character. I don’t think we’re supposed to like him. Luckily MW is such an appealing actor he hasn’t lost a lot of fans despite the abysmal and demeaning writing. I really don’t know why tptb don’t want us to like, worry about, or feel sympathy for this character but it’s obvious to me that this is an agenda.
Pat
July 28, 2014 @ 4:59 am
I have completely and totally thought the exact same things that you have stated. MH didn’t like how well MW’s Tony was received and decided to make sure that this problem would be fixed by ousting DPB. Exit brave, smart Tony – Enter idiot Tony. And yet no one is allowed to point out this rather obvious “coincidence” out loud and keep their job.
bbicecream
July 24, 2014 @ 3:22 pm
Big story that involves McGee sounds great to me!