Special Features watching time
Gary Cole & Katrina Law Join NCIS
It starts off with EP talking about replacing Gibbs & how to do that. They weren't sure how or if they could or would. A core element of the show is Dad & the kids, & moving forward it was considered if it would become Mum & the kids. They didn't necessarily embrace keeping Dad & the kids & that dynamic with what they did, but it was in their head going into the season & having to replace Mark/Gibbs.
Gary Cole was never on their list for the replacement. It was only in the "eleventh hour when we'd narrowed it down to four or five people, that's when we heard that Gary Cole might be available & then it took off like a rocket" Sounds like it all worked out really well for them
Gary liked how they integrated Parker into a story that already existed for the existing team & wasn't just someone new who came in after someone else disappeared.
The character was written in a way that we would slowly get to know him over time. They wanted him to come in in a way where nobody likes him, but he comes in & earns everyone's respect. Scared the network as they don't like that, they want a character to come in for everyone to love.
Sean speaks highly of having new things to do, shaking things up, & enjoying the season & having different dynamics.
Katrina came in & blew their minds. Katrina "is adapt at both humour & drama"
Katrina found the process of joining NCIS to be smooth & beautiful. She felt set up for success & joy.
There was no question about who would play the part during the audition process. She has ideas, pushes the writers to do more with her character... "you've got a versatility to her & a physicality to her that we haven't really seen on the show since Ziva in a way" (interesting words I thought)
Katrina is still figuring out who Jessica Knight is, she doesn't know her backstory, she's figuring out each piece as it comes along. She comments on finding a difference between her character & Torres since they're both the "action on the show"
Wilmer says both are incredible & the best. I like this comment from him "there is a blueprint to the madness, but it is the voices that keep it loud. And I think that is something I gotta give Katrina & Gary a lot of love for. They didn't come to replace anyone, they came to make a different kind of noise that made the same song."
Being Gibbs
"You talk about the path of Jethro Gibbs, that's not my path. That's a path I had the honour to play. Was it important that it made sense that I could play that honestly or take a whack at it honestly? I've always said, play to the truth of the character. You know, if you take the job away from Gibbs, what does he do? I don't know what the answer to that is and I didn't know what they did take it away. They say, 'Well he works on his boat and finishes that,' which he did. Then what? And so if you're gonna play those, if you're gonna make those choices and play those extremes, those are extreme choices, then I think he gotta be open to what's truthful behind that." - Mark's opening lines of the special feature
It didn't seem right to put him anywhere which is why he was left more in the wilderness, or nowhere. The audience can decide what he is doing & make their own stories for him (Steven D. Binder - EP)
The final script was emotional to write & film. The final scenes (Gibbs & McGee in the lake I presume) never changed, no matter how many edits of the script they did
Sean considers Mark as family & he's learned a lot from him. He wouldn't know how to do this without him.
Rocky talks about how much Mark cares about the show & credits that to why the show has lasted so long
Listening to this, & Mark talking, you can tell that things start at the top. He led this show well to keep it going. He encouraged, taught, & guided the people on this show to keep it moving. Crew & cast. He loves & cares about the people who make this show.
Cast of Characters
They had a lot of new writers on the show this season, as well as the cast changes.
Wilmer comes this season to when he came onto the show, & how the show brought in someone new
Diona liked her character's growth in this season & her learning if & how she can protect herself. Especially as Gibbs has been the one to save her & now she doesn't have that
Katrina mentioned the episode where they are all on the boat as one of her favourite episodes as it established the team coming together as a new team
Gary thinks they found a good balance & it is a fun place to come to work
Brian thinks that the Jimmy & Knight thing will be fun. "It's a cool friendship, a good relationship. The writers cued in on that & so did the network & said, 'Would you guys like there to be maybe some sparks flying or something?' And I think the two of us kind of said, 'Hey, whatever gets us more time to, you know, spend on-screen because the scene work is working for us, then let's do it.' I think it is a fun thing and certainly the response from the fans has been positive on that so far."
They are doing things differently this time, not playing will they or won't they. They went in & went in early.
Sean likes to do the McGee-Delilah family-type episodes because they're different to their usual. He loves working with Margo. He enjoyed doing the mother-in-law story... (That was basically his bit of this, which I guess makes sense as what else happened to McGee in this season?)
Rocky talks about Vance & Kayla's episode, & how Vance wants to protect his daughter but also transferred her because he knew having her there would mean he'd be the helicopter parent always overprotective of her
Wilmer talks about Torres going through traumatic experiences & that shaping him. He thinks there was a darker Torres this season. He's proud of the trajectory of this season - moving past losing the lead & changing timeslots. This year tested the show.
Torres & Tennant
Doing the crossover was fun but complicated since they lose an actor for a longer period of time since they have to go to Hawaii. There was hope that the crossover would introduce Hawaii to some fans who hadn't checked out that show yet.
High praise for Wilmer & Katrina from Hawaii crew
Wilmer & Vanessa have had a friendship for over two decades (probably adds to their chemistry in scenes). Even watching them together, they are clearly having fun. Wilmer says he got asked if he was open to going to Hawaii, Vanessa claims she wasn't asked & was told Wilmer was coming to Hawaii.
Wilmer liked seeing a show still in their first season, finding their feet
Yasmine was excited just to be in the same space as the OG NCIS. She didn't know who was coming or if they were going there, she just was excited by it.
Noah considered it an honour to piggy-back on to them - both with the crossover & having the show air after NCIS.
Katrina begged to be a part of the crossover. Jason says he begged to have scenes with her
Wilmer said that while there was talk on what the storyline would be, he said that he felt it was important to use the chemistry he & Vanessa have as friends. Which is where we get T'N'T
NCIS on Location in Alaska
Talks about filming in Alaska, keeping things as light as possible to move around easily to film various things. Having to make the most of lighting with less sunlight hours. Having to be prepared for the unpredictable weather & have the necessary supplies for this. Also being light & mobile.
It had been raining & snowing continuously for 5-6 weeks before they went to film (a concern for them). Miraculously their plane landed & the sun came out. They had four days of incredible light/sun, then they got on the plane & left. Two days after they left it was pouring again. They got very lucky with the weather (& were told that). Worked out well for the final moments with Gibbs (& McGee). The rain would've given a whole different impression & mood to the scene
They lodged with a family it sounds like. They got to explore the area & experience the beauty of Alaska
& that concludes my NCIS rewatch
