Big changes are coming for the NCIS team, with the upcoming season starting out where season 12 ended. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs has a long road of recovery from being shot by Luke. He faces a time of rehab, where he deals with not only a physical but an emotional recovery as well. How does this impact the rest of the team? We expect while Mark Harmon is sidelined that Michael Weatherly jumps into a lead role. Watch for sparks to fly between Tony and Gibbs, which results in Tony finally evaluating what he wants as an agent and as a man. Does Tony want to become Gibbs? Does he have what it takes to be the leader?

Gary Glasberg, the ‘showrunner’ for NCIS, is teasing out several of these story lines through media outlets. From other sources come leaks that Cote de Pablo may reappear this year. We wonder if it’s simply more hype promoting the show. There could be substance to the rumors. Perhaps the executives realize NCIS is not the same without her and they need to boost their flagging ratings at the end of last season. Our vote is for Cote come back in full force. After all, NCIS and Mossad do work closely together. It wouldn’t be a stretch for her to help her former teammates in their terrorism cases.

Here’s a few fun facts you may not know about some of the NCIS actors. Mark Harmon is now executive producing a new show about Navy SEALS. This series is based on “The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America’s Deadliest Marksmen” by Brandon Webb and John David Mann. Are any of you familiar with this bestseller? This new show will reveal what it is like for a recently promoted SEAL who joins a challenged platoon and faces dangerous tasks while striving to keep his integrity.

Also, Rocky Carroll, Lauren Holly, and Mark Harmon all starred on “Chicago Hope,” in the late nineties. Are any of you fans of that show? We never watched it. We think it’s fun to uncover more of the backstory of these talented actors.

NCIS season 13 premieres on September 22nd. Are you ready?

Be Blessed, Diane and David Munson