NCIS producers have begun casting for Cote de Pablo’s replacement. Pablo plays Agent Ziva on the CBS show and will be leaving in the upcoming season.
According to Huffington Post, Ziva’s replacement will debut in January or February. She is described as “bright, educated, athletic, attractive, fresh-faced, focused and somewhat socially awkward. She has a mysterious mixture of analytic brilliance, fierce determination and idealism. She’s traveled extensively, but only feels comfortable at home.”
The character, named Bishop, will not be the first replacement for Ziva. Executive producers Gary Glasberg reveals they will “rotate some fun people”. Glasberg told TVLine, “The first two episodes are all about Ziva’s departure. And then in the third episode we introduce, for instance, a woman in her 50s who is a few days away from retirement and just needs to fill the desk time. She, in theory, knew Gibbs all the way back to the days of Mike Franks. So we’re going to bring in people like that and have some fun with different characters. And then, hopefully, when people are comfortable enough, one will walk in and be The One.”
Fans can rest assured that Ziva will not be killed off in her final two episodes, and that there will be a resolution to her “romance” with Michael Weatherly’s Tony. “The will they/won’t they is answered,” Weatherly recently told TV Guide, “Tony’s going to be forced to face this Sword of Damocles that’s been hanging over him since Season 3.”
Season 11 of NCIS premieres on Tuesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.