PREVIOUSLY ON… | In the wake of the deadly manhunt for Ilan Bodnar, DoD investigator Parsons went after Gibbs hard, citing a pattern of rule-bending behavior — while it was revealed to Vance that the CIA had in fact killed Arash Kazmi. Tony, Ziva and McGee tendered their resignations, while Gibbs got pulled into a top-secret op; in a four-month flash-forward, he was seen training a rifle on FBI agent Fornell!

COMING UP NEXT | The season picks up right where the finale left off, and over the first two episodes fills in the “missing” months, sheds light on Gibbs’ mysterious gig (“If he takes this mission, the slate for NCIS will be wiped clean,” hints show boss Gary Glasberg) and also paves the way for Cote de Pablo’s exit. (“I hope it’s as cathartic for the fans as it was for me shooting it,” says Michael Weatherly; read more about Ziva’s farewell story.) All of that “sets up the season, which has the thematic aspect of ‘unlocking demons’” both figurative and literal, says Glasberg, by introducing a “pretty interesting adversary that will carry through the season.” On the lighter side of things, giving a face to McGee’s new girlfriend Delilah (Big Bang Theory’s Margo Harshman) will tee up “terrific triangle stuff with Abby,” Palmer’s plan to adopt delivers some “twists and turns” and Glasberg has a cryptic “something fun” on tap for David McCallum’s Ducky later in the season, “But I’m going to hold off a bit before I say more about that.”

TVLINE BONUS SPOILER | Around midseason, NCIS will celebrate its 250th episode with “something that the show definitely hasn’t done before,” Glasberg teases. “It’ll be unique, I promise you that!”

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