#special agent in charge tennant

[uselesstimetraveler]

ncis hawaii -> s01e01 "pilot" -> the gang

[whistwhistler]

some thoughts on jane tennant & kate whistler and the awful takes i’ve seen on their characters so far...

I think there’s a particularly harmful narrative out there that has been started that Jane “uses & abuses” the people around her (namely, Whistler) when she needs something or when she’s in trouble and I just think that’s incredibly antithetical to who she’s been designed and created to be as a character. Do you really think the writers would a) do that to Vanessa (or Tori), b) be so careless in handling an incredibly complex, woman of colour (and in senior leadership, no less) who has been involved in the espionage game and all the toxicity surrounding espionage, war, intelligence and politics in this current political climate and c) write female friendships/working relationships to be so toxic in an age where females doing literally anything on tv are scrutinized for no good reason? Do you think that maybe, just maybe, it was intentional from the start to highlight how at the core of Jane’s being, that she’s not an inhuman byproduct of what the CIA creates its operatives to be?

NCIS: Hawaii, so far, has been deeply intentional in the way the seasonal story arcs/thematic arcs are crafted. Everything about each season has led up to what happens in its finales. The first and second season has established and zeroed in on the theme of family/found family/etc., and that’s not something that’s just thrown in there because it sounds pretty or cute. The theme of family is constantly reinforced because it’s the backbone that drives this series. Ohana. It’s what sets the Hawaii office apart from the other shows. It’s not as dark, gritty, violent, or depressing, and that actually works to its advantage. Family drives every aspect of this show and its characters. And you know what else? Family is messy. And while I still have my own grievances on how they’ve focused so heavily on Jane (again, for obvious reasons), her family/kids, and her past and not so much the other characters (yet), I also believe it’s worked to their advantage. I haven’t seen a show do flashbacks and retrospective character study on its characters, and do it well, in a while especially for a “police procedural.” For us to even have flashbacks and character-centric episodes is a gift for a procedural, and we have to remember that. We’ve seen bits and pieces of Jane’s past, and now we see how it all plays into this storyline of how her past is coming back to haunt her. Jane is a woman who fiercely loves and cares deeply for those who are close to her heart, but even to those who cannot fight for themselves, or are in deep trouble. That was made so beautifully highlighted in 2x18. That’s what makes her an incredible boss, an incredible leader, and most importantly, a wonderful friend. Has your boss ever invited you to their office for a drink? Let alone to their own home with an open door policy? Has your boss risked their life to rescue not just themselves but others who are wounded and are in desperate need of medical attention, all the meanwhile being badly injured themselves? Jane’s life revolves around family and caring for others because it’s something she was deprived of as a child. Her mother was not around. She did not have siblings. She had a loving father, but with him being in the military, she would have had to move from base to base. Her childhood would not have been steady. Friends would have come and gone. Her entire life was on the go. She’s had to fend for herself growing up. She’s had to stand up for herself. Jane Tennant is a woman who is deeply informed and shaped by her experience and leverages that to be the person she needed as a child to those around her. It’s what has made her an extraordinary SAC. But Jane also isn’t perfect. She has flaws, and they’re making themselves known in this finale.

So now, despite Jane being the Special Agent in Charge of the Entire Pacific Rim™, she also has a past. We can’t ignore that. Jane Tennant has a past. And it’s a CIA past. And from the sound of it, it’s a past she’s not particularly proud or fond of. We can see that Jane’s CIA past has deeply affected her, as it should. You’ve all seen (in some shape or form, fictional or non fictional) the extent of what the CIA is, what it represents, the shadiness and the dark side of how it operates, and what its people are capable of. We know the toxic culture of secrets, lies, deadly surprises and betrayal that can follow with being involved with the CIA. Jane has been involved with all of that. And she is still, unfortunately, involved with that despite having switched agencies and careers. She no longer is a covert CIA operative, she is the SAC of the NCIS Hawaii office. But that doesn’t mean she won’t slip back into covert CIA operative mode the moment she finds out she’s in danger. Like everyone else, Jane has a fight or flight response... She just happens to do both. So what does this mean?

Well, if Jane is in danger and it involves her extremely dangerous, shady CIA past, everyone in her life will inadvertently be in danger as well. Why else would Ernie call Jane out that she was being shady? She doesn’t really have a choice. She’s played the intelligence game long enough to know that secrets, information, and data can get people killed. The people she’s dealt with are extremely dangerous, and if they get the slightest idea of who is important to Jane, they will stop at nothing to eliminate those around her to hurt her. To torture her. Can you imagine the weight of that? Knowing that your past has put your kids at risk for being targets? Your closest friends, your colleagues - your family? Hell, I’d be shady too. Jane is incredibly smart. She knows the loopholes, she knows what angles to play. She knows the risks she has to take. She has been through it and knows exactly how to manipulate and play the system. That’s what makes her such a polar opposite to the character Kate Whistler is. 

Okay, enter Kate. Because I know what you’re all thinking. What was the point of reinforcing the family theme with Kate with the amount of Jane/Kate interactions we’ve had all season only for Jane to use her to get into the bank in Venezuela and then handcuff her to a column in a kitchen, basically leaving her to dry? What was the point of all of this if Jane going rogue anyway is going to put everyone in danger? Wouldn’t Kate be pissed as hell for Jane getting her into this mess, risking her career, putting her in danger, etc etc etc? Well, I’m glad you didn’t ask, because I’m still going to tell you anyway. 

Short answer, Kate didn’t see it like that. Long answer, Kate Whistler isn’t a chump and is a foil to Jane Tennant’s character. Aka, Whistler is everything that Jane is not, and yet, is everything that Jane needs. I’m not saying Whistler is an antagonist (maybe it seemed like she was in the first season, but we’ve seen how she’s grown since then - keep this thought tucked away in the back of your minds for later). But why else would they have introduced Whistler the way they did in the pilot, if they weren’t going to use her to balance Jane out? And vice versa? Why else have they spent so much time developing Whistler’s character, despite her being an agency-adjacent character (AKA, a non-NCIS character on an NCIS show)? Why have they spent so much time writing scenes and moments between the two women and developing that friendship? One, it’s because they’re establishing Whistler to be just as an important part of the NCIS team despite her being interagency, and two, it’s because Jane and Kate both need each other. And most importantly, they trust each other. Keep this thought pinned. Trust. Whistler looks up to Jane, despite her sticky way of operating. And Jane looks up to Whistler because of how brilliant she is. How unlike Whistler is to herself. Jane recognizes that Whistler is someone she needs in her corner; not because she has malicious intents of using Whistler for what she can do, who/what she knows, and what she’s capable of, but because Whistler is just wired differently, and she needs that - dare I say, craves that. Jane has spent so much of her life depending on and trusting people like Maggie who are like her, only for people like Maggie to betray her in the end. She knows that Whistler will never do that, because she knows what Whistler is driven by (protecting the intel/secrets/data to the highest degree, etc.) Whistler knows, understands, and can play the intelligence game just as well as Jane can, and Jane sees how much of a breath of fresh air she is. And for Whistler, despite Jane’s way of not doing things by the book, it’s yielded results. Jane’s methods have worked, and that’s what Whistler has seen and understands of Jane and who she is as a leader. She sees and appreciates Jane’s ideology as a leader, reminding her of the kind of person, perhaps one day, the leader (ASAC, SAC) she wants to become.

And that’s why she’d listen to Jane in going to Venezuela.

Okay, let’s back it up a bit. Jane’s methods have worked.

... But they don’t always do.

Alas, the moment you’ve all been waiting for - Jane’s habits of slipping back into a covert, secretive, protective and shady operative, is not working. Jane going rogue is not working.

And yes, it puts others in danger. It puts herself in an immense amount of danger. 

Okay, so that part was obvious, so what am I getting at? Once again, I’m glad you didn’t ask (because I did, for you), so here we go.

As we can see in next week’s promo, Jane is kidnapped, and is being tortured by Adrian Creel, a dangerous person from her past. Not only that, but is someone who she thought was dead. Both her past and present worlds are colliding, and she’s now scrambling to do damage control. So she goes rogue. We have to remember that Jane is highly intelligent, calculated, and cunning. That combination of words is absolutely fucking terrifying if used for harm instead of good. But that’s not who Jane is. And we saw that in a flashback.

This is what sets Jane apart from the person that Maggie Shaw is. Maggie is a textbook CIA operative. She has little regard for those who cross her and will do whatever it takes to get a job done. Spies are trained to not get attached to others. To push aside their emotions and feelings. And despite Maggie having a soft spot for Jane and becoming a mentor/mother figure to her (which makes her betrayal so deeply wounding to Jane not having a mother of her own in the picture), Maggie and Jane are fundamentally different people. One sees people as assets, assignments, collateral, or worse - collateral damage. The other sees people as human beings. One is completely unaffected by betrayal. The other is deeply affected. One is unfazed by death. The other is. You catching my drift?

Jane’s CIA experience has shown her how terrible the world of espionage can be. How messy, interwoven, terrible, and haunting it can be. Right now, it’s haunting her, and coming back to bite her in the ass. So what do you do when your past is coming back for you in the present? You pull every stop necessary to protect those you care about the most. To protect your family, the people you’d easily lay your life down for. Jane is not the kind of person that would intentionally get others she cares about into messes, nor is she the kind of person that gets people into messes that she herself wouldn’t be able to pull them out from. These are calculated risks Jane is taking. It’s not that she doesn’t know or think that her actions won’t cause problems for herself or others later on, she absolutely knows and understands the weight of every outcome and every choice she has to make. She wouldn’t put her team or colleagues in more danger than they need to be. Please understand this language. She can’t protect them from everything that could possibly happen, but if she has the smallest chance of controlling what she can control, then she’ll put herself on the line first. So she’ll make the choices that have the least collateral damage. She voluntarily pulls herself off the case from NCIS to protect her team. She would rather risk herself getting fired or killed before there’s a slightest chance of danger coming towards her team. She reaches out to Whistler, not because she doesn’t care about Whistler as much as she does with her own team or doesn’t care about her enough to not put her in harm’s way, but because Whistler is the only person she can trust right now (and that’s a massive thing for Jane after being betrayed by the one person she thought she’d never, ever get betrayed by). Jane knows that Whistler is absolutely vital in ensuring that whoever is after her, will never be able to reach Whistler, her team, or her kids. Her team can’t do that (lead her to Venezuela) for her. In a weird way, Jane knows that she cannot do parts of her mission alone, but she also recognizes that she cares too much about Whistler to fully let her accompany her in a mission that she knows that she may not come back from alive. This is the grey area of the espionage game that Jane is playing. Jane going rogue and the espionage world is not black and white. Things just aren’t that easy. And it’s baffling that so many people think “well if Jane would have just been honest and let her team help her they wouldn’t be in danger.” It literally doesn’t work like that. Why else would they continue to highlight the stickiness of Jane’s CIA past? Why even highlight the CIA at all? Simple: to show how drastically different NCIS is, how NCIS operates, but also how much Jane has changed since getting out of the spy game, and how much she’s affected the people around her because of the person she is. It’s not that she’s gone rogue and isn’t letting people in and is putting everyone in danger like everyone sees it to be, but she’s trying to keep everyone safe from how deep and messy things are when they’re not taken care of (i.e. “I made a mistake and I need to fix it”), and how much of a splintering effect it can have if not dealt with the way things need to be dealt with (and I mean “dealt with” in the CIA terms of killing someone). For Jane, Creel cannot know that Whistler helped her get close to him (despite her not knowing Creel was alive this entire time, just that someone has impersonated her and has emptied out the account). Creel cannot know that Jane has kids. Creel cannot know that she is in charge of multiple offices full of NCIS Agents and American government personnel. Creel cannot know anything. The stakes are so fucking high.

Jane is involved in a war that has now involved death, and will continue to do so. And she’d rather it be Creel’s, or hers. What if Jane had allowed for Whistler to accompany her to the house of her impostor in the name of not keeping Whistler in the dark? What if Whistler had been the one that was shot instead of Charlie-1 because none of them had vests on? Or conversely, what if Whistler had been kidnapped along Jane and had been the one getting tortured by Creel in retaliation of what happened to him?

Jane would never forgive herself if harm (or death) came Whistler’s way. So handcuffing Whistler to the column was genuinely to protect her. Not because she’s an ungrateful asshole who just uses Whistler for access or that she doesn’t trust in Whistler’s ability to handle herself in the field or that Whistler wouldn’t have her back, but because Jane knows the violent outcome of what this will be. And she’ll do everything in her power to avoid Whistler (or anyone else in her life that is important to her) to become collateral damage or fall victim to her dangerous past. It’s not that Whistler is a rookie that Jane can’t trust to have her back in the field; it’s that Jane can’t afford for harm to come her friend’s way: for Whistler to get injured, tortured, or die on her account. Jane can’t afford her closest friend to fall victim to something they will never come back from. It’s not perfect, it’s messy, but it’s Jane’s way of keeping her safe. Once again, Jane is built like a spy. Secrets and lies and shiftiness is unfortunately, a part of her DNA. But she also isn’t a heartless, unemotional, ghost of a shell. She cares so deeply for the ones she loves, and it motivates her to do the things she needs to do to keep them as far away from imminent danger as possible.

Okay, now back to Whistler. (I told you it was long)

I think what was greatly overlooked was Whistler’s reaction. She wasn’t angry, hurt, or betrayed by Jane cuffing her to the column. Frustrated, yes, but Kate immediately recognized the gravity of the situation that Jane is in, and once again, worries for her friend diving headfirst into danger. Kate doesn’t yell at Jane, she calls out her name because she fears for her friend’s life. Listen to the tone of their exchange closely. It’s not one that’s done in anger or rage. Both of them know how dangerous this has become. Again, Kate isn’t a poor chump that walked into Jane’s mess. Whistler understood what Jane has asked of her to risk. She didn’t like it, but she also can’t stand around and do nothing while her friend is in danger. Of course she’s going to help. Whistler understands immediately what Jane has walked back into. Whistler knows exactly who Jane is from her time in the DIA. I have no doubt in the back of my mind that she’s run extensive background checks on Tennant and the team while she was at the DIA because of how much of a liability the NCIS team was with the DIA (hence, her having to liaise and almost babysit them in terms of data sharing and collection.) Whistler has seen Jane’s dossier, and she’s probably studied the woman’s profile like she would’ve studied material from grad school or studied a profile on a terrorist. That’s what made Jane Tennant the bane of her existence, but it’s also what fascinates her the most: how unlike Jane is for someone that has worked for the CIA. That Jane puts others first, treats her team like they’re her family, and fiercely cares for them. This baffles Whistler to the core, because she’s worked with CIA/NSA/DEA/all government acronyms type personnel. She’s worked with spies. She’s interrogated terrorists and traitors. She knows the formula of what makes a covert operative. Jane has been everything but that. And on top of that, Whistler has worked with upper brass. She’s worked with bosses, admirals, generals, commanders, ASAC’s and SAC’s. She’s worked with people who don’t care about you unless you have impressive accolades and accomplishments that are worth listening to. So for her to cross paths with SAC Tennant... It drastically changes the way that she sees world; the people that she works with, has worked with, and it changes the way she approaches things. Whistler is a type-A personality; likes to plan ahead, likes to know exactly what is going on; every detail, and overarching piece. DIA Whistler would never have allowed for this to happen - in fact, she probably would’ve been the one to inform the brass about what was going on and would immediately have Tennant arrested for treason. But Kate Whistler, friend of Jane Tennant sees that her friend is in need of her help, and that’s what informs her decision to help Jane and go to Venezuela, despite her not actually knowing what the outcome of this entire thing will be. Despite the high risk she’s taking. Despite the fact she could very well lose her job over this if things go south. Despite seeing how much her friend has shifted back into fight or flight CIA mode. Whistler realizes how much danger Jane is in. So no, she’s not angry. 

But she sure as hell isn’t going to sit around and do nothing either. 

This is where things get real juicy, because once again, DIA Whistler would never. But FBI Whistler has spent enough time around Jane Tennant to know the kind of person she is and her value of others, that people are the priority. And when people are in danger, she will stop at nothing to come to their aid. This entire season has highlighted Whistler coming to Tennant’s rescue in sticky situations (2x08, 2x11, 2x18) and some being situations she didn’t particularly like, but have followed her and/or sent aid, or has gone to rescue Jane herself. And so far, the finale has been the culmination of that. Not because Whistler’s a pawn in Jane’s game, but because of the incredible growth that has transpired in Whistler’s character to become someone who will take risks for others, despite every ounce of her being saying otherwise. To play things safe, by the book. Whistler’s unlearning her patterns and habits of going by the book, being a stickler for the rules, because not everything in life will happen by the book. Having a relationship with someone you work with isn’t in the book. Having a drink with your co-worker at her home after having a 50-cal gun aimed and shot at you by a Yakuza member isn’t in the book. Your friend having a dangerous CIA past isn’t in the book. Not everything is in the book. Whistler is starting to see that. Whistler could’ve easily packed her shit up and angrily gone home. But she stays to go after Jane to try and rescue her. Because that’s who Whistler is.

So, finally, what’s the point of all this again?

Ah, yes. The Tennant-Whistler relationship and how it will be affected by all of this. (Oh, yes, sorry. I forgot to mention this is actually the thesis. I just hoped you would entertain my thoughts long enough and read this far, so if you did congrats. But also, I’m sorry.)

There’s a few articles out there already teasing how this will affect the team in the future - how Jane’s secrets and past will affect everyone, and immediately, how this whole “come with me to Venezuela and help me but also I’m going to handcuff you in the kitchen to keep you safe even though I might die” discourse will affect Jane and Kate’s relationship moving forward. Because on the surface, Tennant asking Whistler for this massive favour feels incredibly transactional and one sided. But if you’ve been watching the same show as everyone else has, this wouldn’t have happened if their relationship wasn’t built slowly on trust. The Whistler we see now isn’t the same Whistler that was introduced to us. The Whistler that helps Jane in Venezuela is a Whistler who, like Jane, is being formed by her experiences, which informs the decisions she makes. The Whistler we see now is someone who would lay their life down for their friend because she knows that Jane would do the same for her. The Tennant-Whistler relationship, aside from the romantic Kacy relationship, has pretty much been the forefront of this season. The tension/disagreements, the favours, the seeking out wisdom and advice, comfort & encouragement, coming to each other’s (mostly Kate coming to Jane’s) rescue. If I may be so bold to say, I actually don’t think this will affect the others as much as it will affect Jane and the choices she’s made. It’s very Jane-centric. It will be Jane-centric in the way it shapes her as a boss, a leader, and a friend. Everyone else is very secure in who they are, in their ability, and who they’re working for. It’s Jane that needs to see that she cannot continue acting on the lone wolf mentality. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t say that I think this is still very much building into NCIS Hawaii’s overarching theme of family but also how this now could be flipped on its head in later seasons as we explore more of the other characters and their pasts. But like I mentioned earlier, Jane has a past. But so does everyone else. And they needed to establish Jane’s character, all her strengths as well as her flaws, in order for people to see why she goes the absolute lengths that she does to protect who she loves (I’m still so convinced that Whistler’s DIA past and involvement in various top-secret assignments and the many people/contacts she has everywhere will also come back to haunt her in the future and when that time comes, Jane will 110% return the favour Whistler has constantly been doing for her by coming to her rescue this entire season but that’s a theory for another day), but also why the people she loves will also do the same for her (Jesse’s line in the promo, “I’d put my life on the line for you”, and Whistler coming to her rescue literally 4x this season). Jane wouldn’t abuse that. We know that Jane is going to be fine, but in light of these revelations, Jane is going to have to make some major changes regarding the way she operates as a person as a result of what happens from this entire situation. We already know that the season will conclude in its trademark ohana-esque manner (thank you promo pics), but it’s not to say that this won’t cause tension in the future. Family is messy. I can’t stress this enough. But all of them are mature enough to understand that what Jane was doing, was ultimately to protect them all. Even Alex understood the gravity of the situation. They might not like it, but they understand. And that’s an important word - the understanding. They will come to the realization that the damage control Jane was doing was very much for their safety, despite how in the dark they all felt. It’s not invitation for them to be petty, bitter, or angry with Jane. When they find out that Charlie-1 is dead and that Jane was kidnapped and tortured, they’ll see just how dangerous her past life is, and why Jane did what she had to do. Because getting shot or being kidnapped or tortured could have easily been one or more of them, had Jane not played her cards right.

Back to the Tennant-Whistler dynamic. I think Whistler and Tennant are going to continue to have their moments, but I think the establishment of this dynamic (over, say, Jane’s dynamic with Kai, Lucy, Jesse, or Ernie) has been so vital this season, a) because it shows not only how much trust has been built between the two, but how fundamentally different their dynamic will be moving forward from how Jane and Maggie’s relationship was, b) how Kate has never really had a friendship or relationship with someone like Jane ever, and aside from her own relationship with Lucy, and how much Kate also needs Jane as a figure in her life. Both women have been able to lean on each other for support and both women recognize how much they need each other. They see each other as equals; they are each other’s professional/career match (and I will die on this hill despite Kate being significantly younger than Jane, but I think Kate’s career has invited her to tables that people her age would never normally be invited to, but because of her intelligence, high capacity and ability to see things quickly and put things together has placed her higher up quicker than anyone else) and c) the theme of Whistler coming to Jane’s rescue this season will eventually come to a reversal where Whistler will find herself in trouble and will be needing Jane’s support or even rescue, and Jane will be there for her. They’ve hinted at how equally dangerous Whistler’s job is this season. They’ve hinted at Whistler being in the field more, gaining more experience. They’ve hinted Whistler leading teams, working with CI’s, setting up sting operations and leading join efforts in busts. They’ve hinted at the kind of criminals she deals with (serial killers, terrorists, assassins, etc.) This undoubtedly is going to come into play in the future.

Jane values family over everything else. But she also realizes that she can’t just use them when she needs something. She’s going to have to learn how to let her family in, and she’s going to learn that family isn’t transactional, but unconditional. And I think that’s the angle they’re going to play in the latter half of this finale, as well as building into future seasons. The lone-wolf thing will never work. We’ve seen it with Kai in the pilot. We’ve seen it with Lucy (especially in 2x19). It’s not going to work for Jane either. I mentioned earlier, Jane is not perfect. Nobody is. She’s going to have to unlearn things from her past, and she’s going to have to work towards letting people in. She’s going to have to learn to take her own advice. Yes, she’s been badly burned, and being in the espionage game has traumatized her. She’s got literal scars and experiences to show for it. But the beautiful thing is that she has a family surrounding her that will be with her every step of the way - she just has to let them be there for her the same way she’d be there for them in a heartbeat. Yes, this can be so hard to do when you’ve lived on your own and had to fight for yourself for so long, but NCIS Hawaii wouldn’t be NCIS hawaii without these incredibly important themes and arcs, and I’m thankful they’re exploring this with Jane. We’ve gotten a taste of how fiercely protective Jane is with her team and family. When a situation in the future calls for her to step into action, she absolutely will lay her life on the life for her colleagues and team the same way they would for her. I think Jesse’s line to Tennant will be the turning point for her, and she’ll do better moving forward. They needed to do this in order to set up the future story arcs for others in future seasons. Family is messy. But we’re all in it for the ride, and so are they. 

[ncisladaily]

Coming up on a year since NCIS: Los Angeles’ swan song, Daniela Ruah pulls double duty this Monday, April 15, during CBS‘ NCIS line-up.

First up, Ruah reprises her role as Special Agent Kensi Deeks (via an MTAC video conference) during the NCIS franchise’s milestone 1,000th episode, which airs at 9/8c as an episode of NCIS. Then at 10 pm that night, you have the NCIS: Hawai’i episode “The Next Thousand,” which Ruah directed. (Ruah previously directed a half-dozen NCIS: LA episodes, as well as the recent NCIS episode about a kidnapped fiancé.)

TVLine hopped on the phone with Ruah to ask our No. 1 burning question about her NCIS “1,000” cameo, and then talk up her helming of the NCIS: Hawai’i episode about a U.S. Army SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training exercise on the Big Island that turns extremely deadly.

TVLINE | First of all, because Kensi dials into MTAC from her car during the NCIS franchise’s 1,000th episode, I need to know: Did you film your scene while you were in a drop-off line? [Laughs] No, I actually filmed that while I was directing in Hawaii. They were like, “Can we fit this into your schedule?” and we were like, “Well, we can’t make it look like I’m in Hawaii.” So, we had to go back and look at pictures of what Kensi’s car looked like to try and get something as similar as possible, to look like Kensi is in her car. I couldn’t even remember, to be honest with you, what brand she drove — I was so immersed in the Hawaii episode – but listen, I wouldn’t have it any other way. To be invited to be a part of the 1,000th episode was such an honor. It’s too big of a deal.

TVLINE | Turning to NCIS: Hawai’i, the episode they gave you to direct is crazy intense. Once you saw what it was going to be, were you charged up? First of all, the fact that all three showrunners wrote it, Jan [Nash], Matt [Bosack] and Chris [Silber], that right there tells you that there’s probably going to be, you know, a little more craziness, or it’ll be more out-of-the-box. I don’t know why, but I always perceive that when a showrunner writes something, they get extra creative.

TVLINE | I think about the specific challenges that this episode must have presented you as director, and not only is almost all of it outdoors, but it’s in the jungle. Did you have to learn anything new in that respect? Yeah — wear long pants and long sleeves, and bring mosquito spray. [Laughs] No, every time I direct something, even if it was still on [NCIS: LA], you’re always learning new things. Here I’m working with a new crew, with a new director of photography, so everybody’s going to teach you new things. Even stunts — when Tennant gets [spoiler], they said, “Here are things that we could do…,” which then allowed me to get creative with the way it was shot.

TVLINE | My next question was actually going to ask, where was that area of volcanic rock? Because it made for some stunning shots. That’s a place called the Lānaʻi Lookout — and there’s water right behind those rocks. I mean, we were literally on the ocean, so we had to adjust the camera angles to hide the water. Like, you shoot one inch to the left or to the right, and all of a sudden you’re exposing the fact that you’re actually not in this barren, isolated area. That’s the strategy and the magic and the figuring out that I have to do as a director.

TVLINE | The episode opens closes with some nice scenes between Tennant and Kate (played by Tori Anderson), which is a character dynamic the fans enjoy. What were you looking to capture there? First of all, [Vanessa and Tori] are both absolute sweethearts, and they have such amazing chemistry in real life, so it’s not a hard thing to do scenes with them. But yeah, you get this contrast of a character, Tennant, who is experienced and can improvise and who has kind of “seen it all,” versus a newer agent who’s really eager to do well, but she’s super by-the-book.

TVLINE | The Sam/Kate scenes are also interesting because — and this didn’t dawn on me until Kate mentioned it herself — they hadn’t really interacted yet. Exactly. Yeah, I love that conversation that Kate and Sam have at the desk when she’s just kind of struggling to figure things out, and he tells a little story of his own past and his own experience….

TVLINE | Sam specifically shares with Kate some advice he once got from an agent “much wiser” than him. I tried Googling the line he says, but came up empty. Was it from any NCIS: LA episode? Maybe it was Hetty…? I know that there is one Easter egg [in the episode] from Gibbs, and so maybe the other one was Hetty. Maybe. I’m not sure!

[ncisfranchise-source]

Fans were shocked to hear that “NCIS: Hawai’i,” the newest series in CBS‘ “NCIS” franchise, had been canceled after three seasons last week. At a press briefing in Los Angeles, CBS executives said the decision came down to cohesion across the network schedule, as well as a balance of cost and ratings.

“It is incumbent on us to always keep the schedule fresh, keep momentum going. We had to make some really tough choices this year,” CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach told reporters. “Everything came back [from the Hollywood strikes] really strong, but ultimately we have to look at the cohesiveness of the schedule flow. We have to evaluate the financials and the performance overall, and we make tough decisions.”

When asked whether there was a chance of un-cancellation, as happened when CBS reversed its decision to end “S.W.A.T.” on two separate occasions, Reisenbach said no.

Season 3 of “NCIS: Hawai’i” opened to a strong 5.6 million average viewers on Feb. 12. While the season hasn’t reached that height again, it has managed to stay above 5 million viewers with the exceptions of Episodes 6 and 7, which still hit a solid 4.8 million and 4.98 million viewers, respectively. Those achievements, however, weren’t enough against the price tag of the series, which shoots on location in Hawai’i.

CBS president and CEO George Cheeks cited financial considerations again when acknowledging that while some other popular CBS series, like “S.E.A.L. Team” and “Evil,” became Paramount+ originals after no longer fitting into the network’s primetime slate.

“Budgets are challenged, so we don’t have an unlimited amount of slots on Paramount+,” Cheeks said. “It’s something that we’re always open to, but it’s never a guarantee.”

“NCIS: Hawai’i” followed Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey), the first female special agent in charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor, as she and her team balanced duty to family and country while investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security and the mysteries of the island itself. Along with Lachey, the cast included Alex Tarrant, Noah Mills, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Jason Antoon, Tori Anderson and Kian Talan. Matt Bosack, Jan Nash, Christopher Silber and Larry Teng served as executive producers on the series, which was produced by CBS Studios.

[pers-books]

Doctor Who: RTD Makes Interesting Kate Lethbridge-Stewart Comment

Should we be reading into Doctor Who Showrunner Russell T. Davies's Instagram comment regarding Jemma Redgrave's Kate Lethbridge-Stewart?

Published Sat, 30 Sep 2023 15:38:08 -0500 by Ray Flook

When the BBC, Disney+ & Showrunner Russell T. Davies's David Tennant & Catherine Tate-starring Doctor Who's 60th-anniversary event hits in November, the global community will have a chance to celebrate the long-running sci-fi series. From there, we have a Christmas Special before the new year brings a new series with our Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson (companion Ruby Sunday) taking charge of the TARDIS. One major player who will be assisting both Doctors in their efforts to keep the world safe is Jemma Redgrave's Kate (Lethbridge-) Stewart. Following in her family's footsteps as the head of UNIT, Stewart was first introduced during Matt Smith's run (S07E04 "The Power of Three") – and is now taking on an epic, "summer action movie"-type role based on the recently-released 60th anniversary trailer. In fact, rumblings have been pretty steady that Davies is considering a "WHO-niverse" spinoff focused on Stewart & UNIT – which may explain why folks like us are reading into Davies's comment on a recent Doctor Who Instagram post spotlighting Redgrave's character.

After noting that "A new era of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart approaches…" as the caption to the post, Davies responded with, "What? Who told you that? How did you..? Oh damn it " (with three angry emojis). Now, could Davies be making a joke about it being a spoiler considering the news and visuals have been out there for a while? Sure. But he could also be teasing that there's more to the "new era" part, possibly something in the near future? Sure. Let's us know in the comments section below what you think:

Doctor Who: Jemma Redgrave on Series 14, UNIT Spinoff Rumblings

Thanks to the folks over at Good Morning Britain, Redgrave was able to offer some insight into her involvement in the new series as well as those rumblings of a UNIT spinoff earlier this month. "I have been back in one episode in Series 14, and it was such a wonderful thing to be part of that family. I've never taken it for granted that I will be brought back, but it was absolutely tremendous, and to be part of Russell T. Davies' new vision is so exciting," Redgrave shared regarding her work on the new series. Unfortunately (at least, for now), Stewart and Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor won't be sharing any screen time – but Stewart and Gibson's Ruby Sunday will. "I haven't yet got to work with Ncuti [Gatwa], I worked with Millie [Gibson]," she added. " As for that spinoff talk, Redgrave knows as much as the fans do – but she did get a personal perspective on the speculation. "I don't know anything about a spinoff," Redgrave responded – before also sharing, "Somebody in my book club did message me and say, 'I saw something about you having a series,' and I said, 'I've heard nothing about it and I shall call my agent.'"

Along with Jemma Redgrave (Kate Lethbridge-Stewart), Aneurin Barnard (Roger ap Gwilliam), and Jack Forsyth-Noble (Will), Doctor Who Magazine #589 also confirmed that Bhav Joshi (Wedding Season), Eilidh Loan (Traces), Pete MacHale (Gangs of London), Miles Yekinni (Slow Horses), and Hemi Yeroham (Mamma Mia!) have joined the cast for the new series. In addition, Jinkx Monsoon (RuPaul's Drag Race) was also confirmed to have joined the cast – followed by Jonathan Groff (Glee, Mindhunter) and Indira Varma (Obsession, Game of Thrones) – as The Duchess – in May 2023. Bonnie Langford was confirmed to be returning as Melanie Bush in June 2023, along with Lenny Rush (Am I Being Unreasonable) as Morris. In early August 2023, we also learned that Gemma Arrowsmith (Gemma Arrowsmith Sketched Out) and Mary Malone (Vera, The Prince) had joined the Christmas Special – while Majid Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy (Hollyoaks) and Billy Brayshaw (Still So Awkward) had joined the Series 14 cast.

[xwandawidowx]

AHHHH IM SO EXCITED !!!

[ao3feed-ncishawaii]

Unexpected Currents

by IcedCoffee3 Kate Whistler's fresh start in Hawai'i takes an unexpected turn when she reunites with Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant. As Kate settles into her new role, past connections and new sparks add a twist to her new life on the island. Words: 3054, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: NCIS: Hawai'i Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Kate Whistler, Lucy Tara, Jane Tennant, Ernie Malik, Kai Holman, Jesse Boone Additional Tags: Alternate Universe via https://ift.tt/VS4mbBo

[binary-not-found]

Now Lucy

You know Lucy is the love of my life, and I love her with my heart, however…her return should have been in her show, with her team and into the arms of her girlfriend.

But since I didn't get that, I have to work with what we got.

The fact that Jane only mentioned that Lucy was already there and we didn't even find out how or when Lucy arrived in LA is odd, Jane and Lucy love each other as family and have proven to be close beyond work, the fact that Lucy just appears on screen in a show that isn't hers seems a little off to me

But look how pretty she looks 🥺

Lucy is still a junior agent, it's her first time working with another team and in another city, she immediately attaches herself to the dynamic by helping out where she's needed without missing a moment. I have to go back to personal opinions for a moment, because Lucy mentions that she was talking/working with Ernie, but in the Hawai'i episode, Kate and Ernie were working together most of the time, it's weird that suddenly it's just Ernie without Kate, being that the case isn't over yet and her girlfriend's life is in mortal danger.

Once again Lucy knowing where she can help notices the stress and anguish Fatima is feeling at the moment and tries to comfort her. Lucy knows enough to know that wanting to run to do something is not always the right thing to do or what will help the case, so she takes this experience and uses it to provide support when she knows it is needed.

I honestly don't have anything to say about this scene, I just know she looks cute…🥰

And of course I couldn't leave out the most important moment of the whole crossover, the one second that made three hours of shows worth it 🤗

I have to say that the little dynamic we saw between Lucy and Fatima I thought was kind of sweet, it's like Lucy saw Fatima, Fatima saw Lucy and they both said "I want her" and they made this little team 🤭

I have to say I love Lucy inviting the LA team to Hawai'i, because she's going back to the boat and not to the island 😅

My recap ends here, the following is a PERSONAL opinion about the characters (especially Kacy) and their development within the crossover, you are free not to read it if you don't want to, and if you read it and have something to say, you know all comments are welcome ✨

Here goes:

First Jane. Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant completely forgot that she has kids, and walked in and out of the island without taking the time to call Alex (or ex-husband) to let them know she wasn't going to be there and that someone needed to take care of Julie and make sure she was asleep on time. She left for LA without a word, pulled Lucy from her job (Jane left in Hawai'i two agents perfectly capable of doing any job needed, honestly calling Lucy was not essential) only to have her cover small things about the case and ignore her presence completely. Jane has created a sense of family with her team and during this crossover this completely disappeared.

Now, FBI Special Agent Kate Whistler, my blondie is a great agent, we all know that, but the one thing she has shown herself to be vulnerable for, is Lucy, if something or someone threatens Lucy's life, she immediately reacts and does everything to prevent something from happening to her, yet in the episode, she sees Lucy on the wall, with her information written around her picture, and she had no reaction whatsoever? The Kate I know would have immediately tried to find out what it was about, she would have called Lucy's number without a second thought to make sure her girlfriend is okay, but zero reaction is something that is nothing like her.

Now, Special Agent afloat Lucy Tara, she walked in and out of the LA episode as if we Hawai'i fans haven't had more than a month without seeing her, she didn't cross words with Jane, didn't ask about anyone or tell anything. We don't know where she was or where she was going, we don't know how she has been or if her fear of the ocean is less now that she has been on a big boat for so long, she just stood there as if she never left.

If I'm honest I don't want to comment too much on Kacy, because I'm upset and I'm going to stay upset, but the fact that it wasn't mentioned even by mistake that they are a couple was a decision that was made when writing the crossover, it wasn't even necessary that they were together in a scene or that we saw them talking on the phone or facetime, we simply needed to know that Kate was worried about Lucy and that Lucy was worried about Kate, but they decided not to and now there are people saying that Kate is "perfect" to be with Callen (that was the icing on the cake). That's why my annoyance has gotten the better of me and my recaps with a thousand gifs won't come back until Kacy returns and the scenes they have together make me happy. You know I love to share my opinions and gifs with you, I like to read the little comments and receive messages in my chat about opinions we share, that's why I'll keep doing my analysis about the episodes, I'm just going to skip the part of making gifs and analyze scene by scene 🤷🏻‍♀️

That's all for today, I hope you liked it, you know that my question box is always open and that my private chat is always available, thanks for reading, bye bye 🙌🏼

2/2 episode 10

[halforcdad]

the scene with kate and alina is so cool and meaningful because it’s the most powerful and raw emotion kate’s shown all season that isn’t directed at lucy, it’s still very much about lucy, but it doesn’t take place in an emotional conversation with her or in a sad longing look directed at her, its in an interrogation with a suspect with lucy’s best friend watching

the show seems to be showing us that kate is a protector (maybe she’s been surrounded by them as a little sister/youngest daughter or her family has a military legacy so she’s seeing it through that lens), she obviously finds it very honorable and meaningful standing up for the people you love and care about, she stands up for tennant against solah during the maggie stuff (and likely after if she got interviewed for the security stuff) and you could tell how moved she was that lucy did that for her twice in 1x20 and she even said as much in 1x21 

makes you rethink some earlier moments in the season like how she must have felt seeing lucy’s face all beat up in 1x07 or how absolutely terrified she was in 1x11 when lucy was undercover and in the wind, and in general as a DIA officer working mostly behind a desk or in the office how nerve-wracking it must have been knowing someone she cared about was out there risking her life while she was stuck inside trying her best to keep her alive by steeling herself and doing her job

even now as a FBI special agent she’s not charging out there guns blazing, she’s still for the most part been working with ernie or tennant in the background, doing what she knows the team needs her to do to get the case solved, but it must suck knowing that ‘now i technically can go and help you, but im still stuck here waiting hoping you’re okay because i can’t just drop everything and be by your side’ except here she channels it in an advantageous way to appeal to alina’s humanity 

a lot of that might stem from having lost noah and feeling so helpless about it even though there was absolutely no way she could have prevented that, so now that she’s in a position to do so she’s going to fight like hell to protect those she loves

[isagrimorie]

Forward momentum in career on an NCIS SHOW???

And without an outside force pushing it on a character?? A character who is ambitious enough to climb the ladder and do the work and go through it???

On an NCIS Show????

Honestly, amazing.

Also, IMO this goes to show how solid Lucy and Kate are. I also love how everyone is supportive of Lucy's posting because this is a big deal.

Plus, showing once again that Jane Tennant as Special Agent in Charge, meaning she doesn't go out on the field always and she manages teams and a whole NCIS department in Hawai'i.

[elementalphq]

Episode 1.11 Press Release

NCIS: Hawaii - Episode 1.11 - The Game - Press Release

Posted by SpoilerTV at January 06, 2022

No Comments

NCIS: Hawaii

Press Release WHEN EVIDENCE TO PUT AWAY A DRUG KINGPIN IS STOLEN, LUCY GOES UNDERCOVER AT AN UNDERGROUND POKER TOURNAMENT TO FIND OUT WHICH HIGH-ROLLER IS BEHIND THE CRIME, ON “NCIS: HAWAI`I,” MONDAY, JAN. 17

“The Game” – When evidence to put away a drug kingpin is stolen, Lucy goes undercover at an underground poker tournament to find out which high-roller is behind the crime. Also, Lucy’s feelings are in turmoil when Whistler’s ex-girlfriend arrives in town, on the CBS Original series NCIS: HAWAI`I, Monday, Jan. 17 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*.

REGULAR CAST:

Vanessa Lachey (Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant)

Alex Tarrant (Kai Holman)

Noah Mills (Jesse Boone)

Yasmine Al-Bustami (Lucy Tara)

Jason Antoon (Ernie Malik)

Tori Anderson (Kate Whistler)

Kian Talan (Alex Tennant)

GUEST CAST:

Lauren Cook (Det. Dalia Reed)

Nick Gracer (Trey Santos)

Scott Lawrence (Judge Malcolm Keen)

Bruce Altman (Ike Diamond)

Omar Bustamante (Ray Carr)

Juliana Folk (Cara)

Mike Cabrera (Stanley Zhao)

Herman Hyman Stern (Maury Chauvin)

Justin Scott (Big Rick the Dealer)

Tanoai Reed (Bodyguard 1)

David Anthony Buglione (Bodyguard 2)

WRITTEN BY: Noah Evslin & Amy Rutberg

DIRECTED BY: James Hayman

Source:

CBS

[invisibleicewands]

Q&A with David Tennant and Michael Sheen

What can you tell us about the new series of Staged?

Michael: David and I are still being ridiculous with and about each other - that’s still very much the tone of it. We have a lot of amazing surprise appearances which I hope people will enjoy as much as David and I enjoyed doing the scenes with them.

David: It’s the same set up as before. Michael Sheen and I talking rubbish to each other over the internet from our respective homes, with Georgia and Anna, our other halves, keeping us from becoming too self-indulgent, not always successfully. But there is a bit of a twist to it all, which I’m not going to reveal here...

In the show you play exaggerated versions of yourselves, are you anything like these characters in real life?

David: I imagine not at all, but probably... quite a lot.

Michael: I think David would say that he's not at all like his character in the first series. Whereas I would say, I probably am quite like that. But I think between the two series, there's a slightly more representative version of ourselves emerging, or at least that's what I would say anyway.

Why do you think the first series was so popular?

Michael: We didn't take ourselves too seriously and made fun of ourselves - I think people enjoyed that. I'm using the sort of format and medium that everyone is using. Having to do calls on Zoom and all that kind of stuff - so we've been able to tap into what's funny and absurd about that as well. Also, having lovely surprises like Judi Dench and Samuel L. Jackson, we have lots more of those surprises in this new series.

David: People seemed to recognise what the characters were going through. Not the specifics of being an actor in lockdown as such, but the sense of helplessness, the frustrations and occasional joys of being stuck at home while the world trundled on. That and the fact that Simon wrote a really funny script - I mean without that we’d have been stuffed.

Did you think you’d be back for another series?

David: If you had told me a year ago that I’d end up making a series for BBC One from inside our house, without a crew, wearing my own clothes and being entirely responsible for turning the camera on and off I would have found it wholly implausible, so the idea that we would do it twice is just one of the many unpredictable eventualities that this weird, weird year has presented.

Michael: I certainly thought that if it went down quite well then there was no reason why we couldn't do more, because it was such an innovative way to make a series - filming in my kitchen with just the laptop and a smartphone. It was very nice to come back and do more of it.

What was it like working with your partners?

David: The scenes between Georgia and myself had to be fitted in around school drop-offs, baby naps and unloading the dishwasher, so there is a certain urgency to getting them done but we have really enjoyed making Staged together and we do laugh a lot - perhaps it’s the sleep deprivation.

Michael: I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was great. The difficulty for Anna and I was that one of us had to go and look after the baby, so that presented a bit of a challenge and limited how much we could do together. But the positive side of this was that it meant Anna could do more scenes with other people. So, there's more scenes between Anna and Georgia, Lucy and Simon as well. It was lovely not taking ourselves too seriously and to play around with it.

Will any of your children be making an appearance in the new series?

Michael: There’s that fantastic moment in the first series where you see David and Georgia's daughter in the background coming down the stairs and then going back up the stairs - that's very funny. I'm sure you can hear Lyra in the background of some scenes; you’ll have to be eagle-eyed and eagle-eared for that.

David: No, I think they find it slightly risible that mum and dad are making a TV show from the house and are mostly just annoyed when we tell them to be quiet for a take.

What can you tell us about working with the guest stars?

David: Well I think it’s out there that we have Ben Schwartz joining us this series, playing the assistant to Michael and my US agent. I’ve known Ben for a few years now, we both play the voices of ducks on Disney’s Duck Tales. Ben is very very funny and is a master at comic improvisation. Michael and I both had to sprint to keep up with him once he started going off script. Recording those scenes was a particular joy. But beyond that I’m saying nothing - that would spoil some nice surprises.

Michael: In the first series one of the most enjoyable things was being able to do a scene with Dame Judi and with Samuel L. Jackson. In this series we have plenty more where that came from and it was an absolute joy - a real thrill! We have some special guests this series who David and I both enjoy the work of. I hope the audience enjoy it half as much as we did and also see that it's not just us who have difficulty with the technical stuff!

Q&A with Georgia Tennant and Anna Lundberg

What can you tell us about the new series of Staged?

Georgia: We are all still in lockdown but things are starting to open up a little and everyone is trying to feel their way through their new normal. David’s hair is longer and my wine cellar (metaphorically speaking. We don't actually have a wine cellar) is emptier.

How did you come up with the idea for the new series?

Georgia: We always said we would just do one and hope people didn't hate it. Much to our amazement people really didn’t hate it and of course it's much more tempting to visit something again if the reception has been good! When we filmed the first series I think we felt like it was a small window of time where the world had shifted and before long we’d all be back to normal and Staged would end up being this nice little time capsule. Simon Evans and Phin Glynn then came up with a brilliant little seed of a premise and we all took it from there.

In the show you play exaggerated versions of yourselves, are you anything like these characters in real life?

Anna: Well we’re all slightly different from the first season. I certainly don’t bring Michael charcuterie boards like I did in the first season, hah! I think in this season I have lost most of my patience with Michael and although that isn't true in real life, it seems closer to how we would behave with each other if we were living through those exact circumstances. I'd tease him for being so serious and a bit of an arse but at the end of the day we got each other's back. I've also gotten to know Georgia and Lucy a bit more since the first season, so those scenes seemed a bit closer to real life this time. Although I don't think there's a world that exists where I'd actually offer David Tennant advice on using Viking methods with an axe to deal with a conflict.

Georgia: This series ‘Georgia’ is slightly less tired and has gotten her fight back a little. The kids are back at school and she’s trying to get everyone else back to some sort of normality. She’s even less indulgent of ‘David’.

Why do you think the show was so popular?

Georgia: I think for the first time in probably ever the whole world was doing the same thing - sitting in their homes. To be able to watch a show where the actors are doing exactly as you and much less elegantly was probably the secret to its charm. To be able to laugh during this time has also certainly saved my sanity and having a comedy escape, albeit for 15 minutes, was probably very needed.

Anna: I think a lot of people around that time were happy to see something light and a bit silly as opposed to another heavy drama about what everyone was already going through, but without ignoring what was going on at the same time.

What was it like working with your partners?

Georgia: That was the best bit for me. He is my favourite person, actor and makes me laugh like no one else. I think I may struggle working with anyone else now!

Anna: The biggest challenge of filming with Michael is figuring out what to do with the baby when we do. Once we've managed to work that out around naps it’s great! He’s very encouraging and patient with me. Serious about the work though and likes to be in charge of all the technical stuff, even though I helped him to set it up in the first place. But I let him.

Will any of your children be making an appearance in the new series?

Anna: There’s always a chance you’ll hear Lyra’s voice in the background. She likes to get in on the action and has a great ability to project and be heard like her father. But no, not in vision.

Georgia: No. I cannot tell you how little they care about what we do. We were just annoying them by asking them to keep the noise down for takes.

[ncisladaily]

The Los Angeles and Pearl Harbor offices will be represented when CBS‘ well-watched NCIS franchise airs its 1,000th episode in a few weeks.

TVLine has learned exclusively that both Daniela Ruah, who played Special Agent Kensi Blye-Deeks throughout NCIS: Los Angeles‘ 14-season run, and Vanessa Lachey, who currently leads the NCIS: Hawai’i team as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, will appear during that milestone hour, which will air as the Monday, April 15 episode of NCIS.

Though neither Kensi nor Jane will appear “in person” alongside the D.C.-based NCIS team, I am hearing the characters’ appearances will nonetheless be quite fun.

Also appearing during the episode — as first reported by TVLine’s Inside Line column — will be Director Leon Vance’s son Jared, to be played this time around by Spence Moore II (All American, Superman & Lois).

Previewing the franchise’s 1,000th installment, NCIS co-showrunner David North told TVLine during our recent set visit, “One of our own beloved characters is going to end up in grave danger, and you’re go to see all of the different franchises brought into this in a little bit of a different way.”

Added co-showrunner Steven D. Binder, “There’ll be a personal storyline, and this one will circle around Director Vance,” played by NCIS vet Rocky Carroll.

Along the way, fans can be assured, “We’re going to play plenty of homage to the past,” said North, and scatter “some Easter eggs for longtime fans of the show,” Binder added.

“If you’re watching it in 4K, you might have to blow somethings things up,” the EP quipped, “but they’re going to be there.”

Ruah has not strayed far from the NCIS-verse since filming her final scenes as NCIS: LA‘s Kensi a little over a year ago. Most recently, she directed the March 4 episode of NCIS and the April 15 NCIS: Hawai’i (aka the franchise’s 1,001st episode, titled, ha, “The Next Thousand”).

 “If I get asked [to play Kensi again], I will certainly figure it out at the time,” Ruah told TVLine toward the end of NCIS: LA‘s run. “If it makes sense, why not, right?” (Ruah’s NCIS: LA co-star LL Cool J of course is currently reprising his role as Sam Hanna on NCIS: Hawai’i.)

Lachey’s Tennant meanwhile has popped up on the NCIS mothership thrice before — as part of a pair of two-show crossovers (in March and then September 2022), and in the January 2023 three-show crossover event that also folded in NCIS: LA.

[ncisfranchise-source]

NCIS is gearing up to ring in a special milestone with the April 15th episode as the franchise reaches 1,000 episodes overall. But how does it all break down? Below, we’re revealing how each of the current and former spinoffs contributed to the flagship’s upcoming installment.

Eddy Chen/CBS

NCIS (464 EPISODES)

Airdates: September 23, 2003–present

The Brief: “What makes NCIS so damn special?” That question is furiously put to Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) by his estranged son, Jared (Spence D. Moore II), in the NCIS franchise’s 1,000th episode. Launched in 2003, NCIS has four spinoffs and two highly anticipated shows coming — NCIS: Origins and a Michael Weatherly–Cote de Pablo project nicknamed NCIS: Europe.

The younger Vance makes his query when the two cross paths at his mom’s gravesite. Vance’s wife was killed by terrorists in 2013, and Jared can’t comprehend why his dad is so dedicated to a job that put their family in danger.

Make that puts: Vance is soon in peril and the team under attack by an enemy from the past. “We’ve heard this baddie’s name before,” exec producer Steven D. Binder told us at a celebration on the set. “As in some of our better episodes, our people risk their lives for each other. We pay homage to the O.G. NCIS and the other series.”

Guest star alert: Assisting via satellite feed are Los Angeles agent Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) and Hawai‘i boss Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey). The cavalry also includes a longtime NCIS ally, former FBI agent Tobias Fornell (Joe Spano).

In a scene we observed, forensic scientist Kasie (Diona Reasonover) reviews evidence with Torres (Wilmer Valderrama). Jared, desperate to help, has slept there overnight. “Kasie connects with Jared and becomes a mentor in a way,” Reasonover says.

Valderrama hints it all gets explosive, promising “a big, big set piece; all of us are involved.” And one agent does something new: “We see McGee in a position you’ve never seen him in in 20 years,” spills Sean Murray. Says Gary Cole, who plays team leader Alden Parker, “We witness some fragility of what this job entails, the obstacles that could pop up unexpectedly.”

Skip Bolen/CBS

NCIS: New Orleans (155 EPISODES)

Airdates: September 23, 2014–May 23, 2021

The Brief: The Big Easy’s brassy, buoyant spirit infused the franchise’s third title, shot memorably on location. In fact, lead Scott Bakula once told TV Guide Magazine about a great only-in-NOLA moment: “being in the middle of the Mississippi River, captaining a tugboat!” His honest boss Dwayne Pride was based on a real New Orleans lawman, retired naval investigator D’Wayne Swear, who served as a consultant.

Daniel Asher Smith/Paramount+

NCIS: Sydney (8 EPISODES)

Airdates: November 10, 2023–present

The Brief: “In Australia, everything can kill you,” executive producer Morgan O’Neill cracked to TV Guide Magazine when the Oz-set new kid on the block arrived last year. Down Under has proved plenty perilous for tough NCIS Special Agent Captain Michelle Mackey (Olivia Swann) and her savvy partner-in-crime-fighting, Australian Federal Police Sergeant JD Dempsey (Todd Lasance). After locking horns, the American and the Aussie warmed to each other. But all may be undone thanks to JD going rogue in the finale — crikey! Good news for fans left in suspense: Sydney was just renewed!

Karen Neal/CBS

NCIS: Hawai‘i  (50 EPISODES)

Airdates: September 20, 2021–present

The Brief: NCIS said aloha to the franchise’s third offshoot and first female special agent in charge, hardworking divorced mom Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey), in 2021. “I feel like I’m in a movie: Platoon meets Jurassic Park,” Lachey told TV Guide Magazine at the time. Before shooting on lush Oahu began, production held a traditional Hawaiian blessing. The island culture has defined the series, with unique cases involving paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) and Pearl Harbor survivors. Tennant’s team, a blend of mainland transplants and locals like surfer Kai Holman (Alex Tarrant), has welcomed other NCIS franchise agents for joint ops. And now L.A.’s Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) is on the island!

Ron P. Jaffe/CBS

NCIS: Los Angeles (323 EPISODES)

Airdates:September 22, 2009–May 21, 2023

The Brief: For a thrilling 14 seasons, the first spinoff’s Office of Special Projects hit the sunny streets of L.A. to chase down a rap sheet of baddies from Russian mobsters to psychotic serial killers — even an office mole. Under the management of no-nonsense Henrietta “Hetty” Lange (Linda Hunt), ex–Navy SEAL Sam Hanna (LL Cool J) and loner Grisha “G” Callen (Chris O’Donnell) were special agents with banter as quick as their draw. But both had endured pain: for Sam, a wife murdered by a terrorist; for G, a rocky childhood in foster care and a brutal secret program to train kids in spycraft.

Fans rooted for romance between team members Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) and Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen), whose entertaining undercover missions included posing as cult members and suburban marrieds. The cast was equally tight. O’Donnell says, “The first day on set, the original NCIS cast came in. They were like a family. I remember looking at Dani and LL thinking, ‘Are we ever going to get as close?’ Sure enough, we did.”

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First look at Enver in NCIS: Hawai'i!

From TVLine:

Vanessa Lachey is flying high and Enver Gjokaj is looking dapper in dress whites in TVLine’s exclusive first look at CBS‘ NCIS: Hawai’i.

Premiering Monday, Sept. 20 at 10/9c (where it will lead of out a relocated NCIS), the new series stars Lachey as Jane Tennant, the first female Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor. Agent Carter‘s Gjokaj, meanwhile, recurs as Navy Capt. Joe Milius, a high ranking commander of Pacific Fleet who arrives in Hawaii when a top secret experimental aircraft crashes into a cliff — and he in turn clashes with Tennant.

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Enver Gjokaj Cast in NCIS Hawaii

Enver Gjokaj Cast in NCIS Hawaii

Enver Gjokai (Dollhouse, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) has been cast in the latest NCIS spinoff, NCIS Hawaii. The spinoff will follow Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor, Jane Tennant and her team as the “balance duty of family and country, investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel;, national security and the mysteries of the island itself. Enver will play Navy Captain Joe…