‘NCIS’ season 12 spoilers: Series boss on plans for Bishop, Tony, other characters
With “NCIS” season 12 not too far in the future now, are you ready for some further details about many of the characters and their stories?
You’ve probably heard already that you are going to see a Ducky-centric episode earlier this season, and as we are finding out now, Bishop is also going to be heavily involved with that. Speaking in an interview with TV Fanatic, executive producer Gray Glasberg detailed some of what she will be doing both with David McCallum’s character, and also on her own:
“Starting the season off is really about Bishop grounding herself more as an agent, finding a setting as a probationary agent with the agency, proving herself more and then she goes on this fantastic trip to London with Ducky and they connect. She’s very involved with the solving of that case and then along Thanksgiving will come and for our Thanksgiving episode you’re going to meet Jake, her husband, and we’ve got all kinds of plans for Jake.”
When it comes to another familiar face in Tony, Glasberg details that while there are plans to get Michael Weatherly’s character back into the dating pool, he might not get into any sort of long-term relationship with any character right away:
“…Tony is going to go out and have fun and play the field and be Tony. And his friends are going to acknowledge that and comment on it and we’re writing some fun stuff. It’s not so much about locking Tony down with another woman. It’s about Tony being Tony and that’s the part that people need to embrace.”
These are stories that will play out over time, but you will be able to start to see them unfold coming Tuesday, September 23. Of course, we will have more updates following that. Stay tuned!
If you want to see some further “NCIS” updates right now, then click here to see who is guest-starring from the world of “Supernatural”! You can also sign up today in the event you want to book other TV updates in your email inbox.
Photo: CBS
Beverly
September 18, 2014 @ 4:30 pm
Reading Gary Glasberg’s comment that Tony is just going to be Tony shows that he has problems with character development. Tony can never go back to being Tony. He has had serious relationships (or emotional connections) with Jean Bennoit and Ziva. Any normal person is not the same after such life experiences and it affects how they see future relationships. Sometimes they repeat the mistakes of the past but sometimes they mature. In any case they are never the same. I would rather see the focus on Tony being a more involved Senior Agent. He can still be funny and see the humor in life and he can still date but I think it would be better for all concerned if the show only mentions it in passing every now and then. Fans don’t like the Bishop character. She is not a good fit for the team. There is absolutely no chemistry with her and the rest of the team and chemistry is not something you can manufacture. You either have it or you don’t. I’m trying to understand why they refuse to admit to making a mistake and continue making wrongheaded decisions about the character’s continuation with the show. Don’t fans opinions matter at all? Fans also don’t like how Ziva left. Sure people come and go especially on NCIS but something was definitely off about this cast departure. It did not feel right from the beginning. Fans don’t like the total disrespect shown them by ignoring any mention of Ziva for the entirety of Season 11 even if she is never coming back. It seems that TPTB wanted fans to forget her previous existence like they seem to have. Wrong move. You can’t simply erase 8 years because things didn’t turn our the way you wanted. The whole situation was handled totally wrong especially since fans don’t believe they have the whole story about Cote wanting to leave in spite of the press release that “we offered her money and more money.” Maybe she wanted something else…so what did she want that you could not give her? A joint press conference with Cote and Glasberg would have dispelled many of the conspiracy theorists that think that Cote got the short end of the stick. I am extremely distrustful of anything that comes out of Glasberg’s mouth as he has shown only loyalty is to himself and not the show or the fans. When you lose the trust of the fans it is hard to get it back. Will I watch the premiere of Season 12? Probably. But I have almost zero excitement for the new season unlike years past and if I miss it I will watch it later on Demand. Favorite shows have to end sometime so this looks like the beginning of the end for this one. Sadly it didn’t have to be that way. jmho
liz laughlin
September 15, 2014 @ 6:38 am
Ho, humm..Yawn. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Sandra
September 14, 2014 @ 8:52 pm
I can’t stand playboy Tony, so that’s too bad. Oh well, I really didn’t think Tony would be doing any thing decent, since he so rarely does. As for Bishop, I am baffled why she is still there. I don’t care about her and Ducky, and I don’t care about her husband. She shoould have been gone six months ago.
Patricia
September 14, 2014 @ 1:16 pm
I don’t hate Bishop but so far she gets a big adventure with Ducky and is featured again at Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, my favorite Tony gets to click the clicker while Gibbs and second in command McGee have a huge episode in the premier. The only “plans” it seems that they have Tony is that they’re going to revert him back to a serial dater. I guess the team needs to have someone to make fun of for the humor portion of the show and since that job always falls on Tony, we’re back to business as usual.
Gibbs gets ALL the exciting and dramatic critical scenes. McGee and Bishop figure into the solving and Tony gets to be the butt of the joke yet again this season.
I’ve loved this show for a really long time. I thought maybe once Ziva left and Tony wouldn’t have to always suck so that she could shine and play her purse, that he might get to have an exciting part in the cases again, but obviously I was deluded. Tony can’t do anything now because McGee and Bishop are the smart ones and Gibbs has to get any and all drama and action. Bye Bye NCIS.
JCL
September 14, 2014 @ 7:05 pm
I feel exactly as you do. Usually by this time I would be excited about the return of new episodes. This season I am ambivalent at best. Glasberg has a way of paying lip service to the importance of the Gibbs/Tony relationship in interviews, but clearly by what plays out on screen it simply isn’t something he values. The relationship they once had is being systematically replaced by Gibbs/McGee and as you say Tony will get a couple of “one and done” episodes, and otherwise mainly delegated to comic relief and clicking the clicker while Gibbs goes off and has serious action and adventures with McGee and Bishop. Obviously Season 12 will be more of the same. NCIS is no longer “must see” for me – it’s been downgraded to “if I’m home and not otherwise occupied.” Depending on how Season 12 plays out, it might get downgraded even further than that.
Sandra
September 14, 2014 @ 8:52 pm
Tony is always the whipping boy. Everyone who blamed it on Ziva got it wrong. It wasn’t about Ziva. It’s just what they always do to Tony.
Patricia
September 14, 2014 @ 9:27 pm
Tony was used for humor (although not exclusively) in the first several seasons but he was also portrayed and shown to be a really bad ass, respected, and valuable agent. His talent as a clever and heroic agent were actually featured in episodes that showed him handling real danger with brilliance and initiative. But after Bellarsario was ousted as show runner Tony gradually became not only less and less smart and valued, but became the resident idiot and butt of every joke. I have no hope that there is any will from tptb to return great cool agent Tony who actually gets to do something besides click the clicker, be the joke, and stand in awe of the almighty Gibbs. This is why I’ve finally figured out that it’s time for me to stop watching this once beloved show. The Tony DiNozzo that caused me to start watching and love the show for many years is dead and gone. The show has become the almighty and amazing Gibbs show and Tony’s main function now is to have no real value.
Patricia
September 14, 2014 @ 9:58 pm
He wasn’t always the whipping boy. The Tony of the first 4 seasons is who caused me to love the show in the first place. But sadly, that Tony is dead and gone. What we have left is butt of the jokes, clicker clicking, watching the almighty Gibbs in awe, Tony. It’s sad that after 11 seasons of loyalty and devotion, all tptb can come up with for Michael Weatherly’s character is that he will be playing the field again, which will no doubt be used so that the team can make fun of his bragging or unsuccessful efforts. That’s it. No smart, hero, Tony in danger. That ALL has to go to Gibbs now, who can’t even take Tony along anymore. It’s always McGee and Bishop as Gibbs saves the day abroad again, and I’m so sorry – but those are real yawn fest combinations despite the herculean efforts to flatter these characters with all the action, danger, and drama. I’ve decided that I’m done with the show. Tony and his fans are nothing to tptb and I can’t stand the thought of watching the super Gibbs with his new BFF McGee show while Tony makes an ass of himself.
Pat aka Patricia
September 14, 2014 @ 10:36 pm
Wow. I tried to reply to your post and the moderators apparently didn’t allow it through. I guess we’re all supposed to be squeezing about the idea of another season featuring super Gibbs in any and all critical and dramatic scenes, with his new BFF and SIC McGee. Tony fans I guess should be excited that the team will be smirking and commenting as he either inappropriately brags about his sexual exploits or as he comically strikes out. That’s the only spoiler we’ve had about Weatherly’s DiNozzo and after 11 years of loyalty to the show. It’s become the super duper Gibbs show and there’s no place for Tony to be of any value unless he’s being cast as the butt of the joke, clicking the clicker, or gapes in awe as super Gibbs saves the day yet again. Don’t know if this post will be moderated out too, but maybe it’ll accidentally slip through.
PascalPenguin
September 14, 2014 @ 1:41 am
I don’t plan to watch Season 12. I don’t want to be emotionally attached again to any NCIS characters and their stories. It is too hard. After 10 seasons of developing an attachment and loyalty – a major investment of my time – I feel ignored and thrown away by TPTB. It’s not worth it to me to get involved again. All the guest stars in the world will not replace the unique interactions of the cast prior to Season 11. And Bishop is so annoying I can’t stand to watch any scene she’s in so I might as well watch something else. As Abby said in Two-Faced, “change makes me it itch…I like my family the way it is”. I’ve decided to stop itching.
Sandra
September 14, 2014 @ 8:53 pm
Bishop is like a thousand nails on a chalkboard. She only gets worse and worse as time goes on.
Lorraine64
September 13, 2014 @ 8:52 pm
I want to care about Bishop, but sadly I don’t. Nothing against the actress, I just find the character deeply irritating and unbelievable. Sorry to say after 258 eps I’m losing my passion for the series. I still love the original characters and the actors, but the stories no longer excite me and largely just leave me disappointed.