Cote de Pablo is invoking Gibbs’ Rule No. 11 — “When the job is done, walk away” — and has decided to leave CBS’ NCIS.

The actress — whose contract expired at the end of Season 10 — will appear at the start of Season 11 (premiering Sept. 24) to conclude Ziva’s story.

“I’ve had eight great years with NCIS and Ziva David,” the actress shares. “I have huge respect and affection for Mark, Gary, Michael, David, Rocky, Pauley, Brian, Sean, all of the team and CBS. I look forward to finishing Ziva’s story.”

In a statement, CBS said, “We respect Cote’s decision, thank her for being an important part of the NCIS team, and for eight terrific years playing Ziva David. Cote and CBS share a great respect for the NCIS audience, and we look forward to working with her and the producers on appropriate closure in this chapter of Ziva’s story.”

News of De Pablo’s departure comes at the proverbial 11th hour, since NCIS is due to resume production next week. Her future with the show has been conspicuously in question since the spring, when her character of Ziva was steered into a dangerous mission of vengeance, at one point winding up in a (seemingly) brutal car crash.

After emerging from that episode-ending cliffhanger surprisingly unscathed, by season’s end Ziva and others had resigned from NCIS — and then the season ended with a four-month time jump, the disenfranchised agents thus far unaccounted for.
Show boss Gary Glasberg maintained back in April, when de Pablo stood as the only cast member unsigned for Season 11, “I’m confident that things will work out, and we’ll present the best finale that we can and go from there.”

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Please tell me the names of the guest stars on the April 17 show on NCSI. –Suzan
If by “the April 17 show on NCSI” you mean “the April 30 episode of NCIS,” which has yet to release a guest cast list, I can confirm that that hour marks Oded Fehr’s first episode back as the elusive Ilan Bodnar.

Is it too late to ask for more NCIS scoop? That promo for next week’s episode has me very excited to see the finale arc kick off. –Cheryl
Ever since I broke the news of Marina Sirtis’ casting as new Mossad director Orli Elbaz, several have wondered if Eli David’s successor is familiar with his feisty daughter. “There is a lot of history between Ziva and Orli,” show boss Gary Glasberg confirms. “We discover something at the end of the [April 23] episode, a nice little twist and a surprise that absolutely will inform us moving forward about the two characters. There is more to [their relationship] than meets the eye.”

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All hands on deck: A beloved JAG officer is poised to show up just when NCIS needs him most.

John M. Jackson will reprise his role of Judge Advocate General A.J. Chegwidden in the JAG spin-off’s 10th season finale, which finds a federal witch hunt threatening the future of Gibbs’ gang.

“We needed a lawyer, a really good lawyer, to assist Gibbs and the team in the finale,” NCIS executive producer Gary Glasberg tells TVLine exclusively.

Enter Chegwidden, now retired from the Navy, who will step away from his powerful D.C. law firm to help Gibbs & Co. in the episode. Glasberg calls the outing a “nail-biter which will hopefully leave fans stunned all summer long.”

Fans of JAG will remember Chegwidden as Mac and Harm’s boss – and sometime father figure – whose gruff demeanor belied a deep devotion to his team. He was in charge during the Season 8 episodes that introduced Mark Harmon’s Gibbs and served as NCIS‘ planted pilot.

Since leaving JAG in 2004, Jackson has guest-starred on series including Bones, Private Practice, CSI, Castle and Perception.
The retired Navy big shot is just one of the surprise guest-stars who’ll show up during the eventful season-ender, which airs Tuesday, May 14 (8/7c).

“Our NCIS team may never be the same again,” Glasberg adds.

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NCIS’ season finale is going to be pretty tough on Gibbs. Fortunately, he’ll have an old friend to help him through it all.

Muse Watson will reprise his role as Gibbs’ mentor and best friend Mike Franks in the Season 10 finale, TVGuide.com has learned. Of course, Mike was killed by the Port-to-Port Killer in Season 8, but his specter made an appearance in Season 9 during Gibbs’ own near-death experience in the show’s 200th episode.

The finale finds Gibbs (Mark Harmon) & Co. in the middle of a federal witch hunt related to the team’s unconventional methods in the international pursuit of the man who killed Ziva’s (Cote de Pablo) father and Director Vance’s (Rocky Carroll) wife. The investigation will ultimately threaten some of the agents’ futures with NCIS.

“Gibbs is going to face some very tough decisions,” executive producer Gary Glasberg tells TVGuide.com. “And who better to help him than his best friend, Mike Franks. … Imagine having a conscience, a moral compass, that speaks to you in the form of the wonderful Muse Watson. … This is going to be a lot of fun.”

Watson first revealed the news via his Facebook page.

NCIS’ Season 10 finale airs Tuesday, May 14 at 8/7c on CBS.

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Dexter‘s Colin Hanks has scored a killer arc on NCIS, TVLine has confirmed.

The actor will appear in this season’s final two episodes (May 7 and May 14) as Department of Defense Investigator Richard Parsons, a character executive producer Gary Glasberg describes as “Ken Starr, J. Edgar Hoover and an angry pitbull wrapped into one.”

Glasberg adds that Hanks’ “should make it a truly memorable finale.”

In addition to Dexter, Hanks’ TV credits include Roswell, The Good Guys and Mad Men.

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A storm’s a-brewin’ on CBS’ NCIS, and his name is Navy Admiral John McGee — and TVLine has a first look at the VIParent’s arrival.

In “Squall,” the March 26 episode of TV’s most watched drama, the NCIS team boards the USS Borealis to investigate a crime in the wake of a brutal storm. With most everyone a suspect, the tension only builds when McGee discovers that his estranged father — played by guest star Jamey Sheridan (Homeland) — was on board during the incident.

Is Gibbs about to grill the McAdmiral? Or give him props for raising a good boy?

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Is the rumour true that T.J. Ramini is returning to NCIS (as Mossad Officer Malachi Ben-Gidon)? –Ted
“It’s no secret Eli David’s killer is still out there — and Ziva wants answers as does Mossad,” answers showrunner Gary Glasberg. “But we will have to wait and see if that means Malachi is coming back as well.”

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Jamey Sheridan has recovered nicely from the Homeland Season 2 finale, scoring a plum role on CBS’ NCIS.

TVLine has learned exclusively that the actor will guest-star on TV’s most watched drama as NCIS agent Timothy McGee’s father, Admiral John McGee, in an illuminating episode titled “Squall” and likely airing in late March.

“Jamey Sheridan’s recent work on Homeland [as Vice President Walden] just reinforced what a terrific actor he is,” NCIS show runner Gary Glasberg tells TVLine. “The role of McGee’s father is complex and layered with some real surprises thrown in. We can’t wait to see what Jamey does with it and how he plays opposite Sean Murray.”

The introduction of McGee’s occasionally-mentioned, never-seen father — which was originally envisioned to fall during February sweeps — “will be part of what leads us into our final arc,” Glasberg previously previewed.

Prior to his Homeland stint, Sheridan’s TV resume included Arrow (as Oliver’s doomed dad), NBC’s Trauma and, of course, Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

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This is not really a scoop request (or maybe it is), but the press release for the NCIS episode “Canary” (Episode 10×14) seems to be lacking guest cast. –Daniel
You seem crafty, Daniel, so maybe you already dug this up. But if not, that guest cast includes Chuck alum/imminent Bones guest star Vik Sahay (playinga computer hacker), Ethan Rains (General Hospital: Night Shift) and Geoffrey Wade (aka Don’s Mad Men dentist). Did I mention Vik Sahay?

When is Jamie Lee Curtis making her re-appearance as NCIS‘ Dr. Ryan? I thought she was perfect with Mark Harmon. –Nancy
“I actually speak to her all the time,” NCIS boss Gary Glasberg said when I ran your Q by him. “She is a huge fan of this show and of Mark Harmon, and she would love to come back. But right now, there’s just a lot of talking. Nothing to report at the moment.”