If you’ve been in a complete panic since the last season of NCIS ended on a cliff-hanger where Gibbs (Mark Harmon) was shot by a boy in Iraq, you can breathe a sigh of relief. The 13th season of the Navy procedural — and its sixth as the highest rated show on television — picks up moments later, and after being rushed onto a hospital ship and operated on by a surgeon (played by Jon Cryer in a multi-episode arc), Gibbs emerges with his health intact — mostly.

“After this life-altering experience, Gibbs sees the world a bit differently,” says executive producer Gary Glasberg. “There are physical and psychological changes to him, which the fans and the rest of our NCIS family are going to be aware of. We all have to adjust to a different man.”

Glasberg also promises more story lines this season with an awareness of the current political climate. “We’re in a never-ending communication with homeland security, with NCIS in Washington,” he says. “Whenever we can try to tackle a story that’s relevant to the military, that’s relevant to military and families, and our safety, it’s the kind of thing that we aggressively try to have our stamp on. We’re starting to discuss a storyline for NCIS that has to do with harassment on submarines. Now that female navy officers are allowed on submarines we have a storyline that involves that. We love to tackle the issues as best we can.”

NCIS premieres Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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