NCIS season 18 explained

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Season Number:18
Num Episodes:16
Network:CBS
Episode List:List of NCIS episodes

The eighteenth season of NCIS, an American police procedural drama television series, originally aired on CBS from November 17, 2020 through May 25, 2021. The season only contained 16 episodes, making it the second shortest in the series behind season 21, and includes the series' 400th episode. This is the first season to not premiere in the usual September. The season was produced by Belisarius Productions and CBS Studios.

NCIS revolves around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The series stars Mark Harmon, Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Emily Wickersham, Maria Bello, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Rocky Carroll, and David McCallum. The season is Bello's last as a series regular, as she left after eight episodes. The season finale serves as Wickersham's final appearance as Eleanor Bishop, leaving the series after 8 years. Several late-season episodes feature Pam Dawber, Harmon's real-life spouse.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest stars

Episodes

See also: List of NCIS episodes.

Production

Development

The season was ordered on May 6, 2020.[1] On June 3, 2020, Steven D. Binder announced that the writers had begun working on the season.[2] Scripts initially written for cancelled Season 17 episodes were integrated into this season's second and fourth episodes, "Everything Starts Somewhere" and "Sunburn." The exit of Maria Bello's Jacqueline Sloane, which would have occurred in the unproduced Season 17 finale, was integrated into the season's eighth episode, "True Believer," though similarities to the originally planned storyline remain undetermined. On August 12, 2020, it was announced that CBS Television Studios had signed a deal with the law enforcement advisory group 21CP Solutions, to consult on its crime and legal dramas, which includes NCIS. 21CP Solutions would help the series to more accurately portray law enforcement; this comes after the George Floyd protests, which caused the television industry to rethink their portrayal of law enforcement.[3] On September 21, 2020, it was announced that the season would start by exploring where Gibbs, played by series star Mark Harmon, disappeared to during the episode "Musical Chairs" from the previous season, before returning to the present day.[4] On October 27, 2020, it was announced that season would comprise sixteen episodes.[5]

Filming

The planned twenty-first episode of the seventeenth season, which was postponed due to production on the season being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, was the first episode filmed of season eighteen. The planned twenty-second episode of season seventeen, which would have been the 400th episode of the series, was filmed and aired second, which kept it as the 400th episode.[6] Production on the eighteenth season began on September 9, 2020, and the series continued to be filmed in Los Angeles.[7] Filming for season 18 wrapped up on March 29, 2021.[8]

Casting

On May 6, 2020, it was announced that Harmon had closed a new deal with CBS Television Studios.[9] On July 24, 2020, it was announced that series regular Maria Bello is set to leave the show during the season, and appear in eight episodes to wrap up her character's storyline.[10] On September 9, 2020, it was announced that Harmon's son Sean, would return in episode two as a younger version of his father's character.[11] On October 21, 2020, it was announced that Adam Campbell would also return in episode two, as a younger version of Ducky.[12] In March 2021, Katrina Law was cast in the role of Jessica Knight.[13] Law appeared in the final two episodes of the season with the potential to become a series regular if the series is renewed for a nineteenth season.[14] On May 26, 2021, it was confirmed that series regular Emily Wickersham would leave the series after 8 years.[15]

Release

The season is set to premiere during the 2020–21 television season as part of CBS's Tuesday lineup with FBI and .[16] On August 26, 2020, it was announced that CBS hoped to begin airing the season in November 2020.[17] On October 13, 2020, it was announced that the season would premiere on November 17, 2020.[18] It was also announced that this will be the final season on the Tuesday timeslot, it will be moved on Mondays on its 19th season leading into its new spinoff series .[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CBS Renews 18 Series, Including Freshmen 'FBI: Most Wanted', 'Bob ♥ Abishola', 'All Rise' & 'The Unicorn'. Deadline. Peter. White. Nellie. Andreeva. May 6, 2020. May 6, 2020. May 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200506203757/https://deadline.com/2020/05/cbs-renewals-1202927097/. live.
  2. stevebinder. 1268047908282101760. Stay turned. We are in the (z)room working on the next season as we speak.. June 3, 2020. August 14, 2020.
  3. Web site: CBS TV Studios Brings on Advisory Group for Crime and Legal Shows. August 12, 2020. Porter. Rick. August 14, 2020. The Hollywood Reporter. September 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917084232/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cbs-tv-studios-brings-advisory-group-cop-shows-1307148. live.
  4. Web site: NCIS Will Start Season 18 With a Backwards Time Jump — Find Out Why. September 21, 2020. Mitovich. Matt Webb. TVLine. October 14, 2020. October 13, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201013094539/https://tvline.com/2020/09/21/ncis-season-18-backwards-time-jump-gibbs-secret-mission/. live.
  5. Web site: CBS Trims Episode Orders As Broadcast Series On All Nets Face Abbreviated Runs In COVID Impacted 2020-21 Season. October 27, 2020. Andreeva. Nellie. Deadline Hollywood. October 27, 2020. November 16, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201116175500/https://deadline.com/2020/10/cbs-cuts-episode-orders-ncis-blue-bloods-the-neighborhood-bull-covid-impact-2020-21-season-1234603767/. live.
  6. Web site: Maria Bello Exiting NCIS in Season 18. July 24, 2020. Mitovich. Matt Webb. August 14, 2020. TVLine. April 14, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414144714/https://tvline.com/2020/07/24/ncis-maria-bello-leaving-season-18-jack-sloane/. live.
  7. Web site: 'NCIS' & 'NCIS: Los Angeles' Set Tentative Start Dates; 2 More CBS TV Studios Dramas Get Go-Ahead To Resume Filming As CBS' Fall Lineup Begins To Take Shape. August 13, 2020. Andreeva. Nellie. August 14, 2020. Deadline. January 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210103132059/https://deadline.com/2020/08/ncis-ncis-los-angeles-set-tentative-start-dates-bull-magnum-pi-cbs-tv-studios-dramas-go-ahead-resume-filming-cbs-fall-lineup-take-shape-1203013083/. live.
  8. Web site: Instagram: Brian Dietzen: Aaaaaaand that's a wrap!. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CNBYZMxBFpd . 2021-12-24 . limited. October 21, 2021.
  9. Web site: 'NCIS' Franchise Stars Mark Harmon, Scott Bakula, LL Cool J & Chris O'Donnell Close New Deals To Return As All 3 Series Are Renewed By CBS. May 6, 2020. Andreeva. Nellie. August 14, 2020. Deadline. October 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201029021842/https://deadline.com/2020/05/ncis-stars-mark-harmon-scott-bakula-ll-cool-j-chris-odonnell-new-deals-return-ncis-new-orleans-ncis-los-angeles-renewed-cbs-contracts-1202925748/. live.
  10. Web site: Maria Bello Signs With Gersh As She Nears Exit From 'NCIS'. July 24, 2020. Andreeva. Nellie. August 14, 2020. Deadline. April 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210415001501/https://deadline.com/2020/07/maria-bello-signs-gersh-nears-exit-from-ncis-season-18-jack-sloane-1202991597/. live.
  11. Web site: Inside Scoop on What's Ahead for 'NCIS,' 'Supernatural' & 'Outlander'. September 9, 2020. TV Insider Staff. TVInsider. September 14, 2020. September 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200910223017/https://www.tvinsider.com/947451/ncis-episode-400-outlander-season-6-supernatural-final-episodes/. live.
  12. Web site: Inside 'NCIS' Episode 400: Gibbs & Ducky's Meet-Cute, Personal Choices & More. October 21, 2020. Hahn. Kate. TV Insider. October 30, 2020. October 31, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201031103808/https://www.tvinsider.com/953313/ncis-episode-400-mark-harmon-david-mccallum-preview/. live.
  13. Web site: Katrina Law Joins NCIS as Potential Series Regular for Season 19. Iannucci. Rebecca. March 10, 2021. March 11, 2021. TVLine. March 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210311011807/https://tvline.com/2021/03/10/ncis-katrina-law-season-18-cast-recurring/. live.
  14. Web site: 'NCIS': Katrina Law Joins CBS Series As Recurring. Petski. Denise. March 10, 2021. March 11, 2021. Deadline Hollywood. March 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210311004904/https://deadline.com/2021/03/ncis-katrina-law-cbs-series-recurring-1234711878/. live.
  15. Web site: 'NCIS': Longtime Series Regular Confirms Exit Following Season 18 Finale. Deadline Hollywood. Denise. Petski. May 26, 2021. May 26, 2021. May 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210526145227/https://deadline.com/2021/05/ncis-longtime-series-regular-confirms-exit-season-18-finale-emily-wickersham-1234764359/. live.
  16. Web site: Goldberg. Lesley. CBS Plots Business as Usual Fall Schedule — For Now. The Hollywood Reporter. May 19, 2020. August 14, 2020. July 9, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200709193538/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cbs-plots-business-as-usual-fall-schedule-now-1295186. live.
  17. Web site: CBS Adds 'Star Trek: Discovery', 'One Day At A Time' & 'Manhunt: Deadly Games' To Fall Schedule As Net Eyes November Launch For Scripted Originals. August 26, 2020. White. Peter. Deadline. August 27, 2020. August 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200826224626/https://deadline.com/2020/08/cbs-fall-schedule-star-trek-discovery-one-day-at-a-time-manhunt-1203023900/. live.
  18. Web site: CBS Sets Premiere Dates For 10 Scripted Series Including 'NCIS' Trio, 'Young Sheldon' & 'S.W.A.T'. October 13, 2020. Andreeva. Nellie. Petski. Denise. Deadline. October 14, 2020. October 13, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201013175500/https://deadline.com/2020/10/cbs-premiere-dates-scripted-series-ncis-young-sheldon-bob-hearts-abishola-all-rise-1234596461/. live.
  19. Web site: CBS Fall Schedule Shocker: NCIS Exits Tuesdays After 18 Years Amid Dramatic, Multi-Night Overhaul at Eye Network. TVLine. May 19, 2021. May 20, 2021. May 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210519140032/https://tvline.com/2021/05/19/cbs-fall-lineup-2021-schedule-ncis-monday-season-19/. live.

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