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No rest for 'NCIS': Most-watched scripted TV drama keeps busy in Season 11

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Author: 
Cassie Dresch / TV Media
Emily Wickersham stars in “NCIS”

Emily Wickersham stars in “NCIS”

It's been a busy season 11 for the cast and crew of the most-watched scripted television drama in America.

CBS's "NCIS" has said goodbye to one character, welcomed another, had to bury a friend and breathed life into a new venture (or two). Despite the hectic nature of the season thus far, the 11th installment of the popular police procedural drama keeps chugging along, with a new episode airing Tuesday, April 8, on CBS.

Fans of the show are still in an uproar over the departure of the beloved character Special Agent Ziva David, played by the alluring Chilean actress Cote de Pablo ("The Jury"). De Pablo first came on board with "NCIS" in season 3 and had been a mainstay on set until her contract expired at the end of season 10. In July 2013, she announced she wouldn't be returning to the show, except to conclude her character's story.

It's not just fans of the show -- a reported 60,000 wrote letters to get her to come back -- that are upset by her departure. David McCallum ("The Man from U.N.C.L.E."), whose character, Ducky (the team's chief medical examiner), has been with the show since its inception, told the U.K.-based news service DigitalSpy that he felt a lot of anger at de Pablo's decision to leave.

"It was frustration and anger that someone should just walk out on us," he said. "I just don't understand how a leading lady in a show that's worldwide, who ostensibly wants to have a career as an actress, suddenly walks away from such a gem and just vanishes a couple of days before we start production."

It didn't take executive producer and showrunner Gary Glasberg long to replace de Pablo. Blonde bombshell Emily Wickersham ("I Am Number Four," 2011) made her debut near the start of season 11 as NSA analyst Ellie Bishop, a reclusive data freak who isn't afraid to speak her mind.

"She will shed some light on everybody, on who our people are, as well on the way that politics and terrorism and crimes are handled," Glasberg told TVLine in November. "She possesses an interesting mind, an intellectual, smart way to approach doing what this team does -- not with kicks and punches and knocking down doors, but by really thinking."

In a bit of unfortunate news, the "NCIS" team had to say goodbye to a friend who, while not showing up often in the series, played a stirring character in his limited appearances. TV legend Ralph Waite ("The Waltons") passed away in February and, according to CBS, Glasberg and the entire "NCIS" crew plan to pay their respects to the man who played Agent Gibbs' father, Jackson.

"Gary Glasberg and the writers are working on something special to address the passing of Ralph Waite in the [s]eason [11] finale," CBS told TVLine in February, "to honor both the memory of Ralph, as well as the character of Jackson Gibbs."

The cast of “NCIS”

The cast of “NCIS”

As one door closes, however, another door opens -- except this time it's two doors. The "NCIS" cast and crew get to embark on two new adventures going forward. In what is probably one of the easiest decisions to make, CBS renewed "NCIS" for a 12th season back in March, and fans and cast members alike couldn't be more thrilled.

"In case you haven't heard #NCIS was renewed for Season 12! HOORAY! Thanks you guys! You're amazing!" Pauley Perrette ("Time of Your Life"), who plays the eccentric forensic scientist Abby Sciuto, tweeted when the new season was announced.

Perhaps the biggest news to come out of season 11 is the introduction of a new spinoff of "NCIS" center in the Big Easy. Similar to how "NCIS" was introduced through a backdoor pilot on the military legal drama "JAG," "NCIS: New Orleans" saw many of its characters come to life on the small screen over the past two weeks in episodes titled "Crescent City Part 1" and "Crescent City Part 2."

Lead actor Mark Harmon ("Chicago Hope"), who plays Special Agent in Charge Leroy Jethro Gibbs, is an executive producer on the New Orleans spinoff, along with Glasberg, and the two plan to use the Big Easy for its visuals and culture, not just its location.

"The idea was always talked about as New Orleans being every bit as important as any character," Harmon told "USA Today." "It’s a really interesting place to shoot. There’s music everywhere. There are sounds everywhere. There’s culture everywhere. The idea was to try to bring the outside in."

The backdoor pilot introduced audiences to a few new characters in New Orleans. Scott Bakula ("Quantum Leap") plays Special Agent Pride, the head of the "NCIS: New Orleans" team, Paige Turco ("The Agency"), plays Agent Pride's wife, Emmy-nominated actress CCH Pounder ("The Shield") plays the Jefferson Parish medical examiner, Dr. Wade, and Zoe McLellan ("JAG") plays Brody, a special agent in Pride's unit.

With so much going on in season 11 -- and it's only halfway finished! -- it's impressive that the "NCIS" team has been able to keep up. With the loss of two characters, the addition of one and the introduction of a new spinoff, "NCIS" continues to roll along. Catch a new episode of the most watched scripted drama in the United States Tuesday, April 8, on CBS.