NCIS returns for an impressive 23rd season this Fall, and it will feature a slight shift. Instead of diving into cases, the season will largely focus on what makes the team what it is — the characters. Showrunner Steven D. Binder told TV Line that characters will be explored in a way they haven't been in a long time, which is great news for fans of various team members. "We really want to get to everybody in a big way." he said. This decision is partially inspired by a recurring complaint where characters have been sidelined in favor of cases. Binder has heard these criticisms and the show will change to accommodate them in Season 23. He explained:
"I know people always say, ‘I watch the show for the characters’ — that was always our thing — and I really want to make this a character-forward show in a way we haven’t seen before. So, if you’re invested in these people, this is going to be the season for you.”
What to Expect for the Characters in 'NCIS' Season 23
Binder's comments align with some remarks he has made in the past regarding the future of certain characters. Season 23 finds Parker (Gary Cole) dealing with his father's death, and he will be out for revenge. "He is not going to find his inner zen, and not find a good place here. He’s going to be destabilized and he’s going to be out for revenge and out for blood in a way that it will seem very atypical for someone like him, not a way you’d expect a character like him to behave and yet entirely motivated and justified, which is what makes it interesting when people get put in situations where they act differently than they normally would," Binder told TV Insider after the finale.
For Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), the deputy director's ambitions will take the backseat, probably for good, because that is not what he wants. "Even if just imagining from the best version of McGee’s promotion is that he actually gets promoted to the real position where things actually need to be done and decisions have to be made, not just some middle management," Binder said. Regarding Knight (Katrina Law) and Palmer (Brian Dietzen), the showrunner said:
"Could they end back together again? Absolutely. But for now, we broke them up to bring them to a new place. And we’re still in the process of going to that bench touchstone first before we figure out where we’re going to take us. We still have a little more to do."
The above comments reflect an intended focus on the characters' journeys. We still don't have direction updates for others, such as Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) or Kasie (Diona Reasonover), but stay tuned to Collider.
Sources: TV Line, TV Insider
