#him and joe spano

[movies-to-add-to-your-tbw]

Title: Primal Fear

Rating: R

Director: Gregory Hoblit

Cast: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, Terry O'Quinn, Andre Braugher, Steven Bauer, Joe Spano, Tony Plana, Stanley Anderson, Maura Tierney, Jon Seda, Reg Rogers, Kenneth Tigar, Brian Reddy

Release year: 1996

Genres: drama, crime, thriller, mystery

Blurb: An arrogant, high-powered attorney takes on the case of a poor altar boy found running away from the scene of the grisly murder of the bishop who had taken him in. The case gets a lot more complex when the accused reveals that there may or may not have been a third person in the room.

[ncisfranchise-source]

The character of Tobias Fornell (played by Joe Spano) was part of the very first episode of NCIS, but without a history with any of the team then. That was retconned as Spano kept appearing, with Fornell and Mark Harmon‘s Gibbs ending up going way back. And so the prequel, NCIS: Origins, has a rich history with which to play with Austin Stowell‘s Gibbs and the young Fornell (Lucas Dixon), who has now been introduced. (It’s a relationship Stowell wants to explore.)

Dixon appeared in Episode 6 when Franks (Kyle Schmid) and Wheeler (Patrick Fischler) met with an FBI agent for intel on a case. That agent called over “Tobias” to share what he’d found, which the young man did while snacking on tacos, much to Franks’ annoyance. He also rubbed Franks the wrong way for not thinking of the obvious fact that just because their person of interest had an alibi for a murder didn’t mean he wasn’t potentially buying intel from the killer.

“[Fornell’s] such an interesting character, and of course the original Fornell played by Joe Spano, who I just adore — Gina [Lucita Monreal] and I both really think it’s poetic that Fornell appeared in the pilot of what was then Navy NCIS, “Yankee White,” and to bring him in early I think was a really a no-brainer,” co-showrunner David J. North tells TV Insider. What helped seal the deal? “When we found an actor that we just thought had Joe’s look and mannerisms down perfect.”

Will Dixon return as Tobias? And what will we see between him and Gibbs, since there is that backstory to explore? “We would love to see Young Fornell come back,” says North. “And stay tuned. That might be happening sooner rather than later.”

There are quite a few other characters across the NCIS shows whose younger versions could show up on the prequel. All North would say is that we “possibly” will see others this season.

“I don’t want to give anything away with that. We really wanted to keep it secret about young Fornell appearing, and I think it was better that we did that,” he explains. “People were really, really surprised. But I definitely saw on the internet there was a lot of talk after Episode 6. So we want to hold those, keep those close to the vest.”

[news4usonline]

Traded Allen signals change for the Chargers 

Statistically, Keenan Allen has been the best pass catcher the Los Angeles Chargers have ever had. And there have been some good ones over the years. John Jefferson. Charlie Joiner. Kellen Winslow and Antonio Gates to name a few.  Several days into the 2024 NFL’s free agency period, the Chargers said bye to Allen, trading the veteran wide receiver to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round draft pick.  “What Keenan Allen has meant to the Chargers for more than a decade cannot adequately be expressed through mere words,” said Chargers President of Football Operations John Spanos. 

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) is tackled by a Tennessee Titans defender on Dec. 18, 2022. Allen had eight catches for 6 yards in the Chargers' 17-14 win at SoFi Stadium. Photo by Sammy Saludo courtesy of The Compton Bulletin. What Allen has meant to the Chargers since he was drafted by the team in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft is somewhat immeasurable.  Without question, Allen was a fan favorite and just about the surest thing to catch the football that current Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and former signal-caller Philip Rivers ever had.  Allen departs the organization as the franchise leader in the number of passes caught (904) and in receiving yards (10, 530). Allen is a six-time Pro Bowler and has six 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. In five of the seasons that he played for the Chargers, Allen caught 100 passes or more.   In 2023, Allen caught more passes than he ever had for the Chargers, coming up with 108 receptions for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns. In layman’s terms, Allen was the bread and butter of the Chargers’ passing attack.  However, with the Chargers taking on a new general manager and head coach in the offseason, change has come to the Southern California franchise. Allen’s departure means the Chargers have parted ways with both of their starting wide receivers.  Early in free agency, the Chargers released Mike Williams. The team has also seen the exodus of running back Austin Ekeler, who took a two-year deal with the Washington Commanders via free agency.   In one week of free agency, the Chargers have cut ties with three of their top offensive playmakers in Allen, Williams, and Ekeler. If it was not clear before that the Chargers are embarking on a new era, the team’s recent moves now dictate the direction the franchise is headed towards. That starts with new head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz. 

Sept. 22, 2019 - Mark Hammond/News4usonline - Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen (13) had a big day against the Houston Texans. It’s going to take some getting used to for Chargers fans not seeing No. 13 out on the field using his sure-handed mittens to come up clutch as he has always done throughout his career.  Moving the chains was Allen’s specialty. Whenever the Chargers were in a bind, it was usually Allen who would come through with some spectacular catch to keep the ball in play for the Chargers.    “Keenan’s impact lives in the hearts of our fans, in the communities which he has served and amongst the countless teammates who have formed a brotherhood with him,” Spanos said. “There will only be one Keenan Allen, and we cannot thank him enough for the contributions he has made to our organization both on and off the field.”   Top Photo Caption: Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) caught a 7-yard touchdown throw from Philip Rivers in LA's 19-10 win against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017. File Photo/Credit Mark Hammond for News4usonline Read the full article

[tivajunkie]

Who do I have to talk to to get a movie where Robert Wagner and Michael Weatherly play a father and son? That casting was literally perfect. A+ NCIS. A freaking plus.

[blogger360ncislarules]

Special Agent McGee (Sean Murray) and his wife, Department of Defense's Delilah (Margo Harshman), are finally going on a Bahamian vacation on NCIS. (The episode was delayed due to production shutting down early on Season 17.) But alas, as has happened in the past, work (the murder of an escape-room manager with ties to the island) comes calling in "Sunburn."

Then, in the second of back-to-back episodes airing when the CBS procedural returns on January 19, "Head of the Snake," the team is let in on Gibbs' (Mark Harmon) and Fornell's (Joe Spano) mission to take down the drug ring responsible for the latter's daughter overdosing.

Here, Murray previews the couple's vacation and the fallout of that premiere opening scene that saw Gibbs shoot McGee.

Why do McGee and Delilah need this vacation now?

Sean Murray: We knew we were going to do more stories with McGee and Delilah. They've been married several years, have kids together, and as many of us know, sometimes there's a lull in the marriage and the excitement goes away. You make a conscious decision with your partner to say, "Let's get some time just for us and reconnect."

So as McGee's trying to get some R&R with his wife, a case happens back home that links to something in the Bahamas, and McGee and Delilah get to team up and go down this road trying to help solve this case while they're on vacation and in the process rekindle that exciting, young love.

They work so well together on cases.

Yeah. I love Margo Harshman. She's fantastic. I've always loved the dynamic because it doesn't exist outside of their relationship. There's a certain way McGee is at work, and the way he approaches work, so I always enjoy when we see him on the domestic side.

The Delilah character has definitely developed more and more over the years, and Margo is, I think, the most recurring character we've had with the exception of Joe Spano, [who] was in the pilot. We've been able to have a lot of fun with McGee and Delilah's relationship without it being comical.

It's so sweet.

It is very sweet. There's a lot of heart to it. McGee is very sensitive and he wears his emotions on his sleeve. He's usually trying to keep that in check at work, but he's a little more free when he's with his wife. You see a little more unfiltered McGee.

There's no other couple that can argue in binary.

I wish I could remember which writer came up with that. I remember reading that for the first time and just adoring it.

The team finds out what Gibbs and Fornell have been up to. It's not the first time they've been in the dark. How will reactions differ from Season 12's "Patience"?

We've learned as a team that Gibbs can disappear and leave no trace of what he's up to. In the past, it was like, "Where's Boss? We don't know what's going on." Now, we know something's going on. We don't know quite what it is. We'll try to figure [that] out.

One of my favorite things ever is the culmination of that airport sequence that happens; we saw a version of it in the teaser for the [premiere]. When I read that scene, I immediately called my showrunner to say, "Am I reading this correctly?" [Laughs] We haven't seen anything like this previously. The Gibbs and McGee relationship is a long and complicated one, and obviously is much more complicated by the events that occur in that second episode and we definitely get into that.

McGee was witness to Tony [Michael Weatherly]  and Ziva's [Cote de Pablo] will they-won't they, so what are his thoughts watching Bishop [Emily Wickersham] and Torres [Wilmer Valderrama]?

[Laughs] McGee views the stuff that takes place in the workplace with a little bit of a smirk, and lets things lay where they may. As long as everyone's operating together and the team is in good shape, then we're good.

[thetricktoholdingon]

cartermatt NCIS interview: EPs on McGee’s marriage; will Ziva return in season 18?

CarterMatt – I know that there were some episodes that you were ready to film last spring, but weren’t able to when filming shut down. Was this premiere, ‘Sturgeon Season,’ set to be one of those final episodes that didn’t get to film?

Steven D. Binder – Not at all. When we left in the spring, we realized that we would have to write a new premiere and ease back into whatever the world was. As we started thinking about the great unknowns and the idea of characters living in a coronavirus world, we toyed with the idea of an alternate reality where the virus doesn’t exist. We abandoned that.

What we ended up settling on, and you’ll know immediately when you watch the premiere, is that it will open in a coronavirus world — though coronavirus isn’t important to what is being talked about. Then, we jump back in time to the episode ‘Musical Chairs,’ where Gibbs lied in the squad room about going sturgeon fishing and was gone the whole episode. We splice off in this episode and we see what Gibbs was doing related to Emily Fornell.

We spend a good portion of the beginning of the season in a pre-pandemic timeframe, which enabled us to get a better handle on what the future was going to look like. That way, when we land in the present-day time, we have a sense of what it is going to be.

Frank Cardea – The first five episodes take place in the period of [‘Musical Chairs’]. Episode 6 wraps that up, and episode 7 will bring us up to a post-COVID world.

I am really glad to be seeing Fornell again in the premiere, given that the season 16 finale ‘Daughters’ was so important for him and for Gibbs. How does this ‘Sturgeon Season’ story affect Gibbs? It’s weird to think about, given that whatever happened in that past, he’s been keeping a secret from everyone in the present.

Binder – And that’s going to have to come to an end at some point…

Cardea – It affects him greatly. It develops over the first five episodes and even beyond that — through six, seven, eight, and nine. It will still be affecting his life. We’re going to see a slightly different Gibbs as a result of what he went through.

The news is out there that Maria Bello is leaving at some point this season, but how long can we expect to see her stick around? Will all of her episodes be at once, or sort of spread out throughout the year?

Binder – She’s a part of the team, and we’re going to delve in to some specific things for her.

Cardea – She’s doing eight episodes, and it will be wrapped up in the beginning part of the year.

You guys have managed to get back Fornell, and guest stars I know in some ways are more challenging in this pandemic climate. Have you faced any limitations because of that?

Cardea – We have a very rigorous COVID protocol, but we haven’t let it impact our storytelling. Joe Spano, who plays Fornell, has always been an integral part of the show. He went through the same testing protocol as all of our stars and guest stars. We haven’t shied away from bringing in new people because of COVID; we’ve just put them through our rigorous testing program.

Binder – Maybe there’s a few less in the background. Do we really need 20 people in the background? Can we do it with 9?

Cardea – Crowd scenes are pretty hard to shoot nowadays, because everyone who comes into contact with our cast and crew has to be tested.

I know there will be a lot of people wondering, but is there any specific plan to bring Ziva back after the arc last season?

Binder – That was always a story-driven appearance; it was never a “we got Ziva, let’s throw story at her.” I’d just say that now, we’ve got a lot of other fish to fry before we go back and even think about another story at this time. We’ve got a fairly complex narrative structure, we’ve got Sloane and making sure that she gets a send-off that is fitting and surprising and exciting, and we’ve got the coronavirus. To throw Ziva on top of all of it would be like throwing a hat on top of a hat.

Cardea – We also have a compressed season this year. CBS is cutting back on their episode orders because we got such a late start. We’re doing a third fewer episodes than we normally would in a non-COVID year.

That dovetails perfectly into what I wanted to ask next. With fewer episodes, will there be a change at all in format? Is it possible that the story may feel a little more continuous, even if it’s not necessarily serialized?

Binder – We had some plans in play that are going to be compressed because of the fewer episodes. I don’t know when it’s all said and done if there will be a different ratio between serialized and non-serialized episodes.

Cardea – It will stay pretty similar to what we’ve done in the past. It just means that there are some things we wanted to do that will have to wait until future years.

Binder – Even these first five episodes where there is this long-term thing happening, we’ve tried to also design it where it’s also its own non-serialized episode, where you can just tune in and watch that episode. You don’t really have to see anything before or after it. If we feel a “Previously On…” will help, we may throw that in. The one exception is the wrap-up episode. It will be helpful if you’ve seen all the things leading up to that episode, but it’s one episode out of the first seven. You could have just tuned in and watched the other shows without knowing anything else. It’s still the same lovable characters, solving crimes.

I want to make sure we talk about the 400th episode, which is going to be about tracing through Gibbs and Ducky’s past. What was the feeling like exploring this relationship, especially since I have to imagine this idea had been rolling in your head for years?

Binder – I don’t know that the specific idea of the 400th was rolling around, but when I sat down to do the 400th, I asked ‘what was deserving enough? What was epic enough?’. It was how these people became these people. We’ve seen so much before that — we’ve seen Young Gibbs before he joined the Marines, and Young Ducky when he was a doctor before he went to Afghanistan. This was sort of the missing link between then and now, and I thought it’d be interesting — that final link. 400 seemed like a good time to do it.

I’ve seen on Sean Murray’s Instagram an image of he and Margo Harshman on set. I’m assuming with that we’ll be seeing Delilah back early on. Is there anything you can say about that?

Cardea – One of the first five episodes Margo will be featured really prominently in. It was good to have the Delilah character back with McGee. There are different layers to explore.

Binder – We haven’t really dug into it too much. Everyone’s relationships are generally pretty happy, but at some point every marriage has a rough patch. We dip our toe into that water a little bit.

Finally, I believe Wilmer Valderrama has said we could hear a little bit about Torres’ past and maybe his family. What can we expect to see there?

Binder – We do bring up some family — we do mention a sister, who I don’t think we’ve mentioned since he started on the show. I think he’s going to have a personal experience with someone who’s served some time — he’s always putting people away, and he never really thinks about the other side of the coin. I think there’s a good chance we’ll see something along those lines [of family]; nothing has been written yet.

Cardea – With most of the regulars, we get a good idea as to where they live and how they live. We’re going to get a sense of his home life a little bit.

[tellusepisode]

She’s Out of My League (2010)

Comedy, Romance

An airport security guard gets involved with a girl who’s very obviously of a higher caliber than himself, and schemes to make the relationship last as his friends and family watch along in disbelief. Kirk (Baruchel) was languishing in a dead-end job as an airport security agent when he somehow managed to earn the affections of the successful and drop-dead gorgeous Molly (Eve).

Even Kirk isn’t exactly sure what Molly sees in him, though he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work. With his friends, family, and ex-girlfriend all watching stunned from the sidelines, Kirk discovers that he’ll have to work overtime in order to convince Molly that he’s worth hanging on to.

Director: Jim Field Smith

Writers: Sean Anders, John Morris

Stars: Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Mike Vogel, Nate Torrence, Lindsay Sloane, Kyle Bornheimer

►Cast:

Jay Baruchel→KirkAlice Eve→MollyT.J. Miller→StainerMike Vogel→JackNate Torrence→DevonLindsay Sloane→MarnieKyle Bornheimer→DylanJessica St. Clair→DebbieKrysten Ritter→PattyDebra Jo Rupp→Mrs. KettnerAdam LeFevre→Mr. KettnerKim Shaw→KatieJasika Nicole→WendyGeoff Stults→CamHayes MacArthur→RonAndrew Daly→Mr. FullerSharon Maughan→Mrs. McCleishTrevor Eve→Mr. McCleishAdam Tomei→RandyRobin Shorr→Tina JordanPatrick Jordan→BowlerTom Stoviak→Museum DirectorRick Applegate→“Plane Doctor”Heather Leigh→Flight AttendantChuck Aber→PilotJason McCune→Restaurant PatronYan Xi→KarenEvan Alex Cole→Scotty Reese (as Alex Cole)Joe Eberle→Hockey BartenderPhil Spano→Hockey CoordinatorJeff Adams→Hockey PlayerMila Cermak→Hockey PlayerMike Gaffney→Hockey PlayerTodd Gally→Hockey PlayerJim Gricar→Hockey PlayerRob Hofmann→Hockey PlayerJason C. Lewis→Hockey Player (as Jason Lewis)Ed Nusser→Hockey PlayerJory Rand→Hockey PlayerTom Rieck→Hockey PlayerMatthew Richert→Hockey Player (as Matt Richert)Joe Sager→Hockey PlayerLucia M. Aguirre→Flight AttendantElyse Alberts→Airline PassengerTony Amen→Airport PassengerNicholas Balzer→Airline PilotJoiel Bauschatz→Airline Ticket Agent / PedestrianRobert R. Bell→Airshow PatronAaron Bernard→First Class PassengerMinda Briley→Airport PassengerDavid Collihan→Airline Co-pilotSidney Crosby→SelfShawn Dando→ExtraJack Davis→Airport PatronRenee Downing→Birthday Party GuestMandy Ekman→StewardessJonathan Eldell→TravelerJackie Evancho→ExtraLamar Darnell Fields→Airport TravelerJim Fitzgerald→Pilot / Airline PassengerVal Gasior→Flight AttendantJosiah Hoffman→Pilot SmithKevin M. Jacobs→Market Square PatronCrystalann Jones→Bar PatronJeffrey Jones→Airport AdmirerWilliam Kania→Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey FanJon Knapp→Ex BoyfriendMichael Kolence→Party GuestJim Kuhn→Airline PassengerAlexis Kupka→SelfEric Leach→ExtraAlan Lee→TSA ArtStephanie Macdougall→Airport PassengerLorelei Mahoney→PassengerLaurie Mann→Hockey Crowd ExtraBuster Maxxwell→Flower sellerSean P. McCarthy→Airport TravelerLeslie McGuier→Airline ExtraTiffany Sander McKenzie→Airline PassengerChristopher Mele→Airport patronIan Michael→Restaurant GoerJeremy Moon→Airshow WorkerSusan Moran→Airline PassengerChristopher Nardizzi→Hockey FanPhil Nardozzi→Airline PassengerJillian O’Neil→Woman with SweaterDawn Renee→Flight AttendantPaul J. Rosenburg→BowlerDavid Santiago→Club PatronGaynelle W. Sloman→Party Guest / Driver on BridgeRay Sobieralski→PilotBrian E. Stead→WaiterRobert Stull→First Class PassengerJillian Vitko→Party GuestBlase Ward→Airport PatronJames Werley→Airport Person

Sources: imdb

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[signalwatch]

Hallmark Holiday Watch: Lucky Christmas (2011)

Watched:  12/10/2022

Format:  Peacock (apparently now carrying old Hallmark movies...)

Viewing:  First

Director:  Gary Yates

So, did I watch this 11-year-old, largely forgotten Hallmark movie because it stars Elizabeth Berkely, she of Jessie Spano of Saved by the Bell fame?  

Buddy, you know I did.  

Let's get to it. 

Is the movie good?  No.  

Is it Berkley's fault?  In no way.  She's doing what she can here.

Oh, Jessie Spano.  Continue to lecture me on global warming or whatever.

For a Hallmark film, this thing is wildly convoluted, depressing in many ways, and features two of my least favorite tropes when it comes to character.  But it's also one of those movies where coincidence plays a factor in an un-fun way.

The basic plot:  Berkley is a would-be chef and single mother who rents a room in a nice house somewhere in the greater Detroit/ Ann Arbor area.  She seems to have been a private chef who just was let go.  At Christmas.  But she has dreams of (gestures generally at food.  It changes 3-4 times in the movie).  Somehow she can't find work in a kitchen, which...  I don't believe it.  And seems to apply for hostess jobs?  She is 35 if she's a day  Like - I don't know shit, but I know that seating people is not the same as catering and cooking work.  I don't think the people who made this bothered to talk to anyone in food.

Berkley plays the same lotto numbers every week, and then kisses the tickets.  This time, she wins!  But between buying the ticket and winning, her car is stolen by the worst character to ever grace one of these movies, and that is not easy.  

You see, our love interest is a guy named "Mike" and his friend "Joe" sux.  Sucky Joe is living on Mike's sofa because his girlfriend just booted him, and we can *immediately* empathize with the unseen, unnamed girlfriend.  

I'm not sure if the movie thought Joe was cute or funny or what.  But - as I mentioned - this movie contains a trope I hate.  And it's having a friend to our sympathetic lead who is just an absolute piece of shit.  Sometimes that friend is dumb.  Sometimes they're a criminal.  It's too enable the movie to have a catalyst for bad behavior but not put the blame on the hero.  The *problem* is that the hero then just seems like a doormat enabler who can't find a spine for 2/3rds of the movie until someone like Sucky Joe finally does something so shitty Mike here has to cut him off (in the right movie, Joe dies badly).  But Sucky Joes are often redeemed by some clumsy but kind act so we see they had a bit of growth or character arc, and we're supposed to forgive them for their dipshittery.  

I hate this.  I hate it so much.  I've turned off so many movies that relied on this trope.  And had Elizabeth Berkley and her giant eyes not been in this movie, there is no world in which I would have soldiered on otherwise.

Anyway, Sucky Joe finds Berkley's keys where she dropped them and - fully intoxicated - takes her car, piles in an unwitting Mike and drives he and Mike home.  (RED FLAG RED FLAG!  Dump him, Mike.) 

Berkley learns she has won a million bucks, can *prove it* and tells the press, and Joe finds the ticket and assumes he'll walk into the lottery commission and not get arrested for stealing the car and fraud. 

Joe just sucks so bad.  And Mike isn't much better.

   shut up, Mike.  You are not worthy of Ms. Berkley and her cool million.

The second trope (or whatever) is that Mike basically stalks Elizabeth Berkley to try to figure out what to do and lies his ass off for a 2/3rds of the movie, all but bedding Berkley under false pretenses.  It's...  such a gross and morally bankrupt meet cute.  If your friend told you that they'd been dating someone for a while and just found out the person had lied about something huge, and it was part of how they'd met the guy - you would be advising them to get out of the relationship.  Massive, flapping red flag.    

Somehow we're supposed to root for Berkley and Mike to get together, but... no.  I don't care that he's a nice guy who wants to build eco-friendly housing.  You either come clean at the outset or you lose.  It doesn't even matter that you wanted her to have the million if you don't come clean. None of this is cute.  It's gaslighting and disturbing (flap flap).

The million bucks would clearly fix a ton for Berkley, and so there's absolutely tension there.  It's just weird the movie decided that the guy doesn't just slip her an envelope any of a 100 different ways.

She does have a son, and there's a *lot* about him "missing" his dad, but we're also told his dad scooted when he was a baby, so I'm not sure what he's missing.  Maybe imagining having a dad, but it seems like Berkley literally shares a room with a kid she can't have a conversation with and... it's dumb.  It's bad writing.

Moving on:   somehow Berkley's son, who is maybe 10 in this film and acts like he's 8, has the voice of a two pack a day smoker.  He's a fine kid actor, but it's WEIRD to hear this kid talking about his superhero toys with a deep baritone.  

We make fun of how bland the dudes are in Hallmark films, but for some reason on this one they went for an *actor*, and Jason Gray-Stanford is a decent actor.  He's got a truckload of credits on imdb, you've seen him before in at least 7 things.  But he's also a weird pairing with Berkley.  He's not the usual handsome leading man, but that's okay.  IF HE WEREN'T LYING NONSTOP.

It's possible this movie, minus Elizabeth Berkley, isn't very good.  But it's also the first writing effort by the screenwriter.  The director did a bunch before and after so blame that guy, I guess.  

Anyway.  Here's to Jessie Spano in a Hallmark movie.  

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[theliberaltony]

via Politics – FiveThirtyEight

Welcome to our Election Update for Thursday, Aug. 30!

According to the latest “Classic” version of FiveThirtyEight’s House forecast, Democrats have a 5 in 7 chance of taking control of the chamber; their average gain is 33 seats. That’s exactly where it was when we last checked in on the forecast one week ago. Indeed, the probability that Democrats will win the House according to our Classic forecast has remained extraordinarily steady since the start of this month.1 That’s in line with other big-picture indicators, like President Trump’s approval rating and the generic congressional ballot, which have been remarkably … boring … all summer long. It’s a good reminder that even as the news rages on around you, the overall political picture has been firm as a rock.

In fact, the news this week with the biggest impact on November’s elections probably didn’t come out of the White House; it came out of election offices in Arizona, Florida and Oklahoma, where primary2 voters chose their nominees. So we figured we’d check in on what our model sees happening in those states.

At first glance, the forecast doesn’t see those states as a big part of Democrats’ midterm map, at least in the average outcome. The Classic version of our model forecasts only two Democratic flips in those three states: Arizona’s 2nd District and Florida’s 27th District. (By contrast, the model envisions two Democratic flips in Iowa, three in New Jersey and four in Pennsylvania.3) And we consider both districts kind of “gimmes” for Democrats. Florida’s 27th District has a FiveThirtyEight partisan lean of D+10,4 making it the most Democratic district currently represented by a Republican. Since the Democratic candidate, Donna Shalala, won’t even face an incumbent (Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is retiring), we give her a 39 in 40 chance to win the seat.

And in Arizona’s 2nd District (another open seat, this one with a partisan lean of R+1), Democrats nominated a strong candidate in Ann Kirkpatrick, who represented the even redder Arizona 1st District for three terms earlier this century. And Democrats have a track record of winning the 2nd District (and its pre-redistricting predecessor, the 8th District), which was represented by Democrats Gabby Giffords and Ron Barber before Republican Martha McSally won it in 2014. So it shouldn’t be a heavy lift in such a Democrat-friendly environment as 2018’s. Our forecast gives Kirkpatrick a 9 in 10 chance to flip the seat.

But the model does hint at the possibility that Democrats could make a lot more gains, both generally and in these states specifically. To win the House, Democrats need only capture all the seats where they’re at least moderate favorites, plus some of the ones where it’s close to 50-50. But our forecast has a long “tail,” which means that the model envisions plenty of scenarios in which the midterms result in an extreme outcome — say, a Democratic gain of 60 seats or more. If that happens, our forecast suggests that many of those gains could come in Arizonan, Floridian and Oklahoman districts with little Democratic pedigree. There are eight districts in the three states that the Classic version of our model rates as “lean R” or “likely R” in the average outcome, which means they’d be the first to become toss-ups or Democrat-favored in the event of a Democratic best-case scenario. They include:

Florida’s 25th District, a Hialeah-based district with an R+9 partisan lean that has been represented by Republican Mario Diaz-Balart for eight terms. Our forecast gives Democrat Mary Barzee Flores a 1 in 4 chance of defeating him.

Florida’s 15th District, based in the I-4 corridor between Orlando and Tampa. It’s an R+13 district, but Republican incumbent Dennis Ross is retiring, and Democratic candidate Kristen Carlson has raised almost double the individual contributions that Republican Ross Spano has. Carlson likewise has a 1 in 4 chance of winning.

Oklahoma’s 5th District, another R+13 district, this one held by Republican Steve Russell. The Oklahoma City area hasn’t seen much reason to elect Democrats recently, but Democrat Kendra Horn has raised $494,000 in individual contributions to Russell’s $268,000. Horn has a 2 in 9 chance of winning.

Arizona’s 8th District, which has a partisan lean of R+26 but which Republican Rep. Debbie Lesko initially won just 52 percent to 48 percent in a special election this April. This West Valley-based district has zero Democratic DNA: Republicans have a 17-point voter-registration advantage, Democrats last won a congressional race here in 1980 and the area is known as the base of controversial former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s support. Yet Democrat Hiral Tipirneni, who was also the Democratic nominee in the special election, has a 1 in 7 chance of winning.

Because of the unpredictability of 435 separate elections all happening at the same time (House races are correlated, but not nearly as much as states are in a presidential election, for example), Democrats could get unlucky in some toss-up races but still win the House by picking off a few of these types of seats — in Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma and other states. And if Democrats win all of these seats on Nov. 6? It’s going to be a very good night for them nationally.

[ultrabobsmith42word]

The Krazy Kraken Kaucus

The new Lost Cause myth.

The Krazy Kraken Kaucus

Sen. Ted Cruz on Sunday condemned those attacking him for his challenge to the certification of the presidential election, saying they were using “angry language.” Cruz and at least 11 other Republican senators have committed to challenging the certification of the Electoral College results Jan. 6, joining an unknown number of House Republicans. Cruz said he wants to do an emergency 10-day audit of the results, though he did not explain why he expects that audit would overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

1. Mike Johnson represents the Fourth Congressional District of Louisiana 2. Gary Palmer represents the Sixth Congressional District of Alabama 3. Kevin McCarthy represents the Twenty-Third Congressional District of California 4. Steve Scalise represents the First Congressional District of Louisiana 5. Jim Jordan represents the Fourth Congressional District of Ohio 6. Ralph Abraham represents the Fifth Congressional District of Louisiana 7. Robert Aderholt represents the Fourth Congressional District of Alabama 8. Rick W. Allen represents the Twelfth Congressional District of Georgia 9. Jodey Arrington represents the Nineteenth Congressional District of Texas 10. Brian Babin represents the Thirty-Sixth Congressional District of Texas 11. James R. Baird represents the Fourth Congressional District of Indiana 12. Jim Banks represents the Third Congressional District of Indiana 13. Jack Bergman represents the First Congressional District of Michigan 14. Andy Biggs represents the Fifth Congressional District of Arizona 15. Gus Bilirakis represents the Twelfth Congressional District of Florida 16. Dan Bishop represents the Ninth Congressional District of North Carolina 17. Mike Bost represents the Twelfth Congressional District of Illinois 18. Kevin Brady represents the Eighth Congressional District of Texas 19. Mo Brooks represents the Fifth Congressional District of Alabama 20. Ken Buck represents the Fourth Congressional District of Colorado 21. Ted Budd represents the Thirteenth Congressional District of North Carolina 22. Tim Burchett represents the Second Congressional District of Tennessee 23. Michael C. Burgess represents the Twenty-Sixth Congressional District of Texas 24. Bradley Byrne represents the First Congressional District of Alabama 25. Ken Calvert represents the Forty-Second Congressional District of California 26. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter represents the First Congressional District of Georgia 27. Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia 28. Michael Cloud represents the Twenty-Seventh Congressional District of Texas 29. Doug Collins represents the Ninth Congressional District of Georgia 30. Mike Conaway represents the Eleventh Congressional District of Texas 31. Rick Crawford represents the First Congressional District of Arkansas 32. Dan Crenshaw represents the Second Congressional District of Texas 33. Scott DesJarlais represents the Fourth Congressional District of Tennessee 34. Mario Diaz-Balart represents the Twenty-Fifth Congressional District of Florida 35. Jeff Duncan represents the Third Congressional District of South Carolina 36. Neal P. Dunn, M.D. represents the Second Congressional District of Florida 37. Tom Emmer represents the Sixth Congressional District of Minnesota 38. Ron Estes represents the Fourth Congressional District of Kansas 39. A. Drew Ferguson, IV represents the Third Congressional District of Georgia 40. Chuck Fleischmann represents the Third Congressional District of Tennessee 41. Bill Flores represents the Seventeenth Congressional District of Texas 42. Jeff Fortenberry represents the First Congressional District of Nebraska 43. Virginia Foxx represents the Fifth Congressional District of North Carolina 44. Russ Fulcher represents the First Congressional District of Idaho 45. Matt Gaetz represents the First Congressional District of Florida 46. Greg Gianforte represents the At Large Congressional District of Montana 47. Bob Gibbs represents the Seventh Congressional District of Ohio 48. Louie Gohmert represents the First Congressional District of Texas 49. Lance Gooden represents the Fifth Congressional District of Texas 50. Sam Graves represents the Sixth Congressional District of Missouri 51. Mark Green represents the Seventh Congressional District of Tennessee 52. H. Morgan Griffith represents the Ninth Congressional District of Virginia 53. Michael Guest represents the Third Congressional District of Mississippi 54. Jim Hagedorn represents the First Congressional District of Minnesota 55. Andy Harris, M.D. represents the First Congressional District of Maryland 56. Vicky Hartzler represents the Fourth Congressional District of Missouri 57. Kevin Hern represents the First Congressional District of Oklahoma 58. Jody Hice represents the Tenth Congressional District of Georgia 59. Higgins represents the Third Congressional District of Louisiana 60. Trey Hollingsworth represents the Ninth Congressional District of Indiana 61. Richard Hudson represents the Eighth Congressional District of North Carolina 62. Bill Huizenga represents the Second Congressional District of Michigan 63. Bill Johnson represents the Sixth Congressional District of Ohio 64. John Joyce represents the Thirteenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania 65. Fred Keller represents the Twelfth Congressional District of Pennsylvania 66. Mike Kelly represents the Sixteenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania 67. Trent Kelly represents the First Congressional District of Mississippi 68. Steve King represents the Fourth Congressional District of Iowa 69. David Kustoff represents the Eighth Congressional District of Tennessee 70. Darin LaHood represents the Eighteenth Congressional District of Illinois 71. Doug LaMalfa represents the First Congressional District of California 72. Doug Lamborn represents the Fifth Congressional District of Colorado 73. Robert E. Latta represents the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio 74. Debbie Lesko represents the Eighth Congressional District of Arizona 75. Billy Long represents the Seventh Congressional District of Missouri 76. Barry Loudermilk represents the Eleventh Congressional District of Georgia 77. Blaine Luetkemeyer represents the Third Congressional District of Missouri 78. Kenny Marchant represents the Twenty-Fourth Congressional District of Texas 79. Roger Marshall, M.D. represents the First Congressional District of Kansas 80. Tom McClintock represents the Fourth Congressional District of California 81. Cathy McMorris Rodgers represents the Fifth Congressional District of Washington 82. Dan Meuser represents the Ninth Congressional District of Pennsylvania 83. Carol D. Miller represents the Third Congressional District of West Virginia 84. John Moolenaar represents the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan 85. Alex X. Mooney represents the Second Congressional District of West Virginia 86. Markwayne Mullin represents the Second Congressional District of Oklahoma 87. Gregory Murphy, M.D. represents the Third Congressional District of North Carolina 88. Dan Newhouse represents the Fourth Congressional District of Washington 89. Ralph Norman represents the Fifth Congressional District of South Carolina 90. Steven Palazzo represents the Fourth Congressional District of Mississippi 91. Greg Pence represents the Sixth Congressional District of Indiana 92. Scott Perry represents the Tenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania 93. Bill Posey represents the Eighth Congressional District of Florida 94. Guy Reschenthaler represents the Fourteenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania 95. Tom Rice represents the Seventh Congressional District of South Carolina 96. Mike Rogers represents the Third Congressional District of Alabama 97. John Rose represents the Sixth Congressional District of Tennessee 98. David Rouzer represents the Seventh Congressional District of North Carolina 99. John Rutherford represents the Fourth Congressional District of Florida 100. Austin Scott represents the Eighth Congressional District of Georgia 101. Mike Simpson represents the Second Congressional District of Idaho 102. Adrian Smith represents the Third Congressional District of Nebraska 103. Jason Smith represents the Eighth Congressional District of Missouri 104. Ross Spano represents the Fifteenth Congressional District of Florida 105. Pete Stauber represents the Eighth Congressional District of Minnesot 106. Elise Stefanik represents the Twenty-First Congressional District of New York 107. W. Gregory Steube represents the Seventeenth Congressional District of New Jersey 108. Glenn “GT” Thompson represents the Fifteenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania 109. Tom Tiffany represents the Seventh Congressional District of Wisconsin 110. William Timmons represents the Fourth Congressional District of South Carolina 111. Jeff Van Drew represents the Second Congressional District of South Carolina 112. Ann Wagner represents the Second Congressional District of Missouri 113. Tim Walberg represents the Seventh Congressional District of Michigan 114. Mark Walker represents the Sixth Congressional District of North Carolina 115. Jackie Walorski represents the Second Congressional District of Indiana 116. Michael Waltz represents the Sixth Congressional District of Florida 117. Randy Weber represents the Fourteenth Congressional District of Texas 118. Daniel Webster represents the Eleventh Congressional District of Florida 119. Brad Wenstrup represents the Second Congressional District of Ohio 120. Bruce Westerman represents the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas 121. Roger Williams represents the Twenty-Fifth Congressional District of Texas 122. Joe Wilson represents the Second Congressional District of South Carolina 123. Rob Wittman represents the First Congressional District of Virginia 124. Ron Wright represents the Sixth Congressional District of Texas 125. Ted S. Yoho represents the Third Congressional District of Florida 126. Lee Zeldin represents the First Congressional District of New York

1. Eric S. Schmitt Attorney General STATE OF MISSOURI 2. D. John Sauer Solicitor General Counsel of Record STATE OF MISSOURI 3. Justin D. Smith Deputy Attorney General STATE OF MISSOURI 4. Steve Marshall Attorney General STATE OF ALABAMA 5. Leslie Rutledge Attorney General STATE OF ARKANSAS 6. Ashley Moody Attorney General STATE OF FLORIDA 7. Douglas J. Peterson Attorney General STATE OF NEBRASKA 8. Wayne Stenehjem Attorney General STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA 9. Mike Hunter Attorney General STATE OF OKLAHOMA 10. Curtis T. Hill, Jr. Attorney General STATE OF INDIANA 11. Derek Schmidt Attorney General STATE OF KANSAS 12. Jeff Landry Attorney General STATE OF LOUISIANA 13. Lynn Fitch Attorney General STATE OF MISSISSIPPI 14. Tim Fox Attorney General STATE OF MONTANA 15. Alan Wilson Attorney General STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA 16. Jason R. Ravnsborg Attorney General STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA 17. Herbert H. Slatery III Attorney General STATE OF TENNESSEE 18. Sean D. Reyes Attorney General STATE OF UTAH 19. Patrick Morrisey Attorney General STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA

1. Ted Cruz (R TX) 2. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), 3. James Lankford (R-Okla.), 4. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), 5. John Kennedy (R-La.), 6. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and 7. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), as well as Sens.-elect 8. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), 9. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), 10. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and 11. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)

[ncisfranchise-source]

NCIS: Origins this week took steps towards establishing why the story that narrator Gibbs is telling us about “her” aka Special Agent Lala Dominguez resonates with him to this day.

Along the way, we briefly laid eyes on a young version of a character who would appear in the NCIS mothership’s very first episode, and pop up now and again to this day.

As Gibbs (Mark Harmon) shared in this episode’s opening narration, Lala (played by Mariel Molino) would at some future point confide in him that she felt trapped in a “box,” and one that seems to be growing smaller. Things such as Franks (Kyle Schmid) suggesting she is a “workplace distraction” for Gibbs (Austin Stowell) clearly weigh on her. Lala, though, is in no rush to let “probie” know what she is feeling. Rather, she’s still irked about last week’s case, during which Gibbs drew his gun on two nobodies who were giving her a hard time.

Lala heads out with Vera (Diany Rodriguez) and Mary Jo (Tyla Abercrombie) for a “girls night,” to celebrate the former getting a green light for her profiling program. When Lala gets paged regarding NIS work, she heads to her car — only to have the guy she was kinda dancing with follow her and climb into the passenger seat uninvited. Lala tells the guy to get out, noting that she has work to do (and a boyfriend). But then a switch “flips” for her, and she suddenly pulls the stranger in for a kiss (and more?).

Lala is not herself upon reporting to the crime scene with smeared lipstick, and is notably “off” that whole night and day after. (No, Gibbs, offering a bowl of cereal won’t cure what ails her.) But they proceed to investigate the murder, which was made to look like suicide, of a Navy wonk who had access to military secrets.

Along the way, Franks asks SAC Wheeler (Patrick Fischler) to lean on his FBI contact for information the bureau has on the likely buyer. When Franks and Wheeler meet up with the FBI source at a Mexican restaurant well-populated by LEOs, the G-man waves over his young colleague “Tobias” — as in Fornell! The young version of Joe Spano’s NCIS character, whom Gibbs will first meet in the NCIS series premiere, is played by Lucas Dixon, whose previous TV credits include episodes of The Tick and Blindspot.

“In 1991, Agent Fornell is an affable underling who’s still finding his footing at the Bureau,” reads the official character description obtained by TVLine.

When the opportunity presents itself for Gibbs to pose as the man buying the stolen Navy intel, Lala tags along to coach “probie” through his first undercover op. And boy, does nervous Gibbs need the assist. With a glam Lala posing as Gibbs’ date at an exclusive bar, the two watch for the seller. There are sudden embraces (to dodge Gibbs’ dentist!) and the cupping of faces (to see the cover). Soon enough, Gibbs is invited to meet with the seller in a back room — both agents unaware that their SWAT team backup just got pulled away to another gig. So when Lala repeatedly uses the “congratulations” code word to signal SWAT’s breach… nothing happens. And this being 1991, the wire Lala’s wearing is only one-way. When Gibbs’ briefcase full of “show me” money counts up light, the seller and his goons smell a rat. Gibbs thinks fast and holds an ice pick, which had been deftly slipped to him by “tipsy” Lala, to the seller’s neck, while Lala manages to snatch a gun and pick off the goon who has a pistol aimed at her partner.

Afterwards, we see Lala overhearing NIS locker room talk about how hot she looked in her undercover dress — but she does what she always does, “deflects” it with equally inappropriate jabs of her own. That is the “box” she finds herself trapped in.

Or, at least one of them.

Because it then becomes clear that she feels to also be inside a “box” at home, into which her beau has been trying to move. And before the episode ends, we see Lala start to tell him about the parking lot hook-up, and presumably then give him his walking papers.

[torresandbishop]

AFTER THE BODY OF A MISSING NAVY COMMANDER IS FOUND, VANCE ORDERS GIBBS AND THE TEAM TO WORK WITH FORMER FBI AGENT TOBIAS FORNELL, THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR WHO WAS HIRED TO LOCATE HIM, ON “NCIS,” TUESDAY, FEB. 6

“Keep Your Friends Close” – After the body of a missing Navy commander is found, Vance orders Gibbs and the team to work with former FBI Agent Tobias “T.C.” Fornell (Joe Spano), the private investigator who was hired to locate him. Also, Bishop and Torres interview convicted investment advisor Albert Hathaway (Kevin Pollak) when the victim is linked to his highly publicized trial, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

CHEAT TWEET: Gibbs and Fornell (@JoeSpano), now a PI, team up after the body of Fornell’s missing Navy Commander is found. 2/6 8pm #CBS + @KevinPollak Guest Stars http://bit.ly/2DnyFU0

[karenpadecky]

Keep Your Friends Close S15E14 AFTER THE BODY OF A MISSING NAVY COMMANDER IS FOUND, VANCE ORDERS GIBBS AND THE TEAM TO WORK WITH FORMER FBI AGENT TOBIAS FORNELL, THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR WHO WAS HIRED TO LOCATE HIM, ON “NCIS,” TUESDAY, FEB. 6 Joe Spano Guest Stars as Tobias “T.C.” Fornell Kevin Pollak Guest Stars as Albert Hathaway “Keep Your Friends Close” – After the body of a missing Navy commander is found, Vance orders Gibbs and the team to work with former FBI Agent Tobias “T.C.” Fornell (Joe Spano), the private investigator who was hired to locate him. Also, Bishop and Torres interview convicted investment advisor Albert Hathaway (Kevin Pollak) when the victim is linked to his highly publicized trial, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. #NCIS #JoeSpano #SeanMuarry #EmilyWickersham #WilmerValderrama

[blogger360ncislarules]

CBS’ NCIS opens Season 18 — and inches closer to Episode 400 — this Tuesday at 8/7c, with a narrative twist that will transport us and Gibbs one year into the past.

In the season premiere, which pretty quickly flashes back to this time last year (and stays there), Gibbs (played by Mark Harmon) and Fornell (returning guest star Joe Spano) attempt to track down the leader of a ring who supplied drugs to Fornell’s daughter, nearly killing her in the Season 16 finale. Meanwhile, the team back home deals with the case of a missing cadaver.

TVLine invited executive producers Frank Cardea and Steven Binder to tease the timey-wimey episodes ahead, and more.

TVLINE | Frank, when you and I last spoke, you were hoping that Episode 400 would still air as No. 400, even with the pandemic-related delays. Did your dream come true? FRANK CARDEA | Yes, it did. We actually shot them out of order, but it will air (on Tuesday, Nov. 24) as 400.

TVLINE | Is it still going to feature a Young Ducky and Young Gibbs? CARDEA | It most certainly will. And it’s written by the great Steve Binder.

TVLINE | Steve, what juncture in the Gibbs/Ducky relationship will we visit? STEVE BINDER | Well, the story revolves around their first meeting and they’re at a crossroads in their lives, each of them. I won’t go into the exact nature of the crossroads, but it’s a very pivotal moment in both of their lives and they’re able to help each other get on the path that leads them to where we find them in the present day.

TVLINE | Did you recycle the previous young versions of them? BINDER | Oh, we recycled both of them! Yes, Adam Campbell (Great News) plays Young Ducky, and he’s just fantastic, and Sean Harmon plays Young Gibbs. CARDEA | Sean looks more and more like his dad every day. BINDER | And really sounds like him, too. That’s the thing that threw me. Sometimes he’d call and I was like, “OK, who am I talking to?”

TVLINE | Is the NCIS team living in any semblance of a COVID world? BINDER | We had an episode last year called “Musical Chairs” where Gibbs disappears from the squad room to go on a mission, and then he shows up at the end of the episode with a black eye. We are going to pick up the season with that mission that Gibbs was on, back in time, so we’re actually in a pre-COVID world for a little while. CARDEA | The first five episodes are set in that November/December 2019 period.

TVLINE | So in these first episodes, for example, we haven’t met Christopher Lloyd’s character yet. BINDER | No, but we’ll use that [Pearl Harbor] episode as sort of a very strong memory point in the audience for when we pivot to the present. The really bad version of that is “Gibbs comes back from Hawaii in sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt!,” but of course Gibbs would never wear something like that. But we’ll use that to sort of jump us back to the present, and we will be in a COVID world at that point. That won’t be until January, February. Probably February.

TVLINE | I would like to request generous use of chyrons so we can keep track. “This episode is set in the month and year….” and such. BINDER | We try to write these in a way where even if you were not following the timeline per se, you still have an episode where there’s a case and a body. It’s all the things that people love about NCIS without having to be caught up with exactly where and when you are. Hopefully we’ve succeeded at that.

TVLINE | What do you want to say  about the storyline that will take Maria Bello off the show? BINDER | You know, one of the things we always ask when we’re trying to figure out how to exit a character is, “What does that character deserve?” Sloane is a very strong character, she’s a passionate character, and we’re going to really have her go out on a note worthy of that. I’ll say that.

TVLINE | You’ve got several options just based on the character’s established history, so… BINDER | Yes, and we’re going to dive into some of that history, for sure.

TVLINE | Do you feel like Jack is someone that you need to replace right away, in the capacity that she serves the team? Or is that something you’re going to deal with a bit further down the line, when you have a screaming need for such a character? BINDER | I think the latter. There’s a core team, and I think it was a function of Maria that we were able to find so much to give her to do. If it’s not Maria [in the role], then I don’t know if we need to necessarily fill it right away.

TVLINE | Are there any personal storylines for any characters early in the season? CARDEA | There are. We haven’t visited with McGee and his wife in a while, so they have a personal story early on — around the fourth episode, while we’re in that flashback time period.

TVLINE | When you teased a “reveal/development” in what was supposed to be last season’s finale, some fans speculated it would circle back to the Ziva storyline. Are there any plans to revisit Ziva and/or her ex-CIA confidante, Odette (played by Elayn J. Taylor)? BINDER | The Odette storyline certainly could be an independent story from Ziva. They’re not necessarily tied up one and the other, and we certainly have laid some pipe for continuing Odette’s storyline.

TVLINE | I have a reader asking if we’ll see Mr. Robert Wagner this season (as DiNozzo Sr.). CARDEA | RJ is always anxious to be on the show and we’re always anxious to have him — but with actors of that age, we’re just waiting to see where the COVID goes. RJ turned 90 in February— BINDER | And he would have to travel. CARDEA | — though he’s the youngest 90-year-old I’ve ever met. When you talk to him on the phone, he sounds like he’s 30. He’s not quite ready to come back yet, but you could certainly see him in the latter part of the year.

TVLINE | Is there any sort of a recurring adversary this season? BINDER | Not as of yet. It will be made clear in the premiere that there has been a recurring issue that Gibbs has been working on and is going to attempt to resolve, and of course it will be embodied in an adversary, but we’re going to deal with that and put that to bed mostly in the pre-COVID timeline.

TVLINE | And lastly, anything on the romantic front for any of the characters? CARDEA | Yes, in a couple of areas. BINDER | Sloane is of course leaving, so there’s been an ongoing wonderment of what’s going on between her and Gibbs — and I think we’re going to find that out. If it’s not now, then never, so I think it’s going to be now. CARDEA | We also always toy with the Bishop/Torres relationship, and there’s an episode that they’re featured prominently in.

[tulijaa]

“Burden of Proof” – After a convicted felon swears the NCIS agency framed him for murder a decade ago, Gibbs begins his own investigation, starting with a new autopsy by Ducky. Also, Senior FBI Agent Fornell (Joe Spano) joins the team, since he was the lead investigator in the original joint FBI and NCIS case.