Dynamics. Relationships. Sincerity. Determination. Perception. Humor. Some of the traits that make NCIS consistently great television.
Add in Senior FBI Agent Tobias Fornell (guest star Joe Spano) and get the best bromance on television.
Spano and Mark Harmon have been doing television for a long time. They know how to exploit a reaction shot to the split-second, and the pair excels at “bringing the funny.”
They even are talented enough to make the audience believe that each of them could marry, divorce, and mourn the death of the same wife and still remain best buds.
Tonight, the FBI and NCIS tag team to investigate a case involving a possible prison break, weapons stored at a laser tag facility and a former spy.
Jurisdictional claims seem to be in flux when Gibbs (Harmon) theorizes that Fornell, who defers to NCIS, may have weekend plans.
Hearing “weekend plans for Fornell,” viewers might start looking for a red-haired love interest among the guest cast. While there always is an opportunity for a trip to the hair stylist, one upcoming guest star has been a redhead before. Will her guest stint be part of the springboard into upcoming episodes that are bringing on new faces?
Guest starring on May 3rd is 24’s Reiko Aylesworth. Aylesworth will play Anne Marshall, a deployed Marine Master Sergeant’s wife whose 14-year-old son foils a home invasion.
Might she be returning to the red tresses that she has sported from time to time. Could she be the possible “weekend plans” that Fornell has, or is that just a red-herring (pun intended)?
On the heels of Aylesworth is fellow 24 alum Sarah Clarke. As previously reported, Clarke will play Tess Monroe, a smart and sexy agent transferring from New York.
Guest starring in the last two episodes of the season with Clarke is British actor, Duane Henry, cast as MI-6 Officer Clayton Reeves.
Monroe and Henry are rumored to be the new NCIS agents who will be filling the gap left by the departure of Michael Weatherly (DiNozzo) at the end of this season.
Does tonight set up the backstory that could bring an MI-6 agent into the NCIS fold? Possibly. The case that NCIS and FBI join forces on does involve two British prisoners, espionage, an escape and the arrival of a mysterious shipping container.
Also adding to the UK aspect is British actor, Andy Beckwith (GAME OF THRONES), who guest stars tonight as the Custodial Manager of Her Majesty’s Prison Service.
But, what is bigger than a 24 combo and GOT guest star? Rumored to appearing in upcoming episode is First Lady Michelle Obama.
Whether the FLOTUS rumor is true, Harmon is reported to have said that the show shot scenes at the White House.
Regardless of rumors and theories, one thing is certain…NCIS will be pulling out the stops in dynamics, relationships, sincerity, determination, perception and humor for the rest of the season.
NCIS also Pauley Perrette, Sean Murray, Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen, Emily Wickersham and David McCallum.
Other guest stars on tonight’ episode, “Return to Sender,” are Alan Dale, Vince Nappo, Dan Hildebrand, Kate Vernon, Douglas Olsson, Tiffany Ariany and Jill Czarnowski.
“Return to Sender” was written by producer, Christopher J. Waild, and directed by Leslie Libman.
NCIS airs tonight (April 19) at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS (U.S.) and on Global TV (Canada).
