‘NCIS’ Mourns Vance & Gives Update on Next Director
Spoiler Alert
What To Know
- The NCIS team struggles to process Director Vance’s shocking death in the March 31 episode.
- Plus, there’s an update on who will replace him.
How does NCIS — and the agency on the show — move forward after Vance’s shocking death in Episode 500? Well, it’s a slow process, but it begins in the Tuesday, March 31, episode. (Rocky Carroll remains in the opening credits.)
That means, while “it feels really wrong,” as Knight (Katrina Law) puts it, observing the chaos of Fleet Week just one week after Vance’s funeral, the team does have to solve a case and begin packing up Vance’s office. Warning: Spoilers for NCIS Season 23 Episode 14 ahead!
Unsurprisingly with how TV shows work, the team can relate to the case a bit — the only important part really is that a sailor thinks, for some time, that he may have murdered his best friend after being poisoned (he didn’t). He mourns just as the team grieves their own loss. And as Parker (Gary Cole) tells the sailor, “Your friend’s not coming back, he’s gone, but you’re still here, so you have the opportunity to try to help other sailors who might be exposed to this toxin, and I think Kyle would want that.” Vance, too, would want the team to continue doing what they do best.
The agents are very much still mourning. Not even a week out from the funeral, and “it’s like we haven’t had a chance to process anything,” McGee (Sean Murray) points out. But the world moves on, Parker says, and that includes having to clear out Vance’s office by Friday, even though the interim director hasn’t even stepped foot in the building. They also expect there to be five more interim directors before someone permanent comes in.
It’s because of that loss that Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) is offended by the drunk sailors of Fleet Week calling them the “fun police.” Knight gets it: “Vance sacrificed everything so we could keep doing this job.”
Parker, in particular, is hit hard by the loss; he and Vance were, after all, close and did just clear the air after tension for most of the season. It’s also falling on him to talk to the vice admiral’s communications advisor during the course of the case, in Vance’s assistant’s office, with the interim director not exactly hands on. Once alone, Parker looks to the closed door to Vance’s office and remarks, “You made it look easy, Leon.”
He also doesn’t react well when he thinks boxes in the hallway are Vance’s belongings; they’re actually their case files being returned from Army CID. “I don’t know how I am,” he admits to Knight. “I haven’t had a second to think about it.” He thinks that he “should be an expert in handling loss after this last year,” but she points out that’s not how it works.
Kasie (Diona Reasonover), meanwhile, doesn’t even want to think about new equipment in her lab since the software upgrade was the last thing Vance had approved for her. Torres gets it, nothing, “We all honor him in different ways.”
In the final scene, Parker, McGee, Torres, Knight, Palmer (Brian Dietzen), and Kasie gather in Vance’s office, not to pack just yet, but instead to toast with what the late director kept in his desk for special occasions (and something non-alcoholic for Torres). Parker also puts out an extra glass, which McGee moves in front of Vance’s empty chair as they gather around the desk.
“The last couple weeks, been nonstop, one thing after the other, just seems like the world would like nothing more than just to move on, to forget,” Parker says, “But the only way I know how to get through this is by remembering him and there’s no one I would rather remember him with than all of you guys. So, to Leon.” With that, they all raise their glasses to Vance’s empty chair, and the episode ends on the glass on the desk in front of it.
What did you think of how NCIS began to mourn Vance? Let us know in the comments section below.
NCIS, Tuesdays, 8/7c, CBS
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Conversation42 Comments
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S
I think killing Vance was not the best storyline to shake things up a bit.
42
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C
I agree
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S
I think that McGee should get the directors position. He will keep the team the way Vance and Gibbs did.
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A
McGee didn’t like sitting at a desk plus he wouldn’t be on TV very much
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P
Very appropriate ending. Many an episode included Leon pulling out the bottle to toast .
16
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G
I don’t care for the fact that the tribute to Vance wasn’t held until the closing minutes of the episode. The agents should’ve held a “Moment of Silence” at the beginning, before heading out to address Fleet Week incidences without their Director!
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A
See that’s what I think too. It just seems weird to jump right into it not have a funeral. It just seems strange. Maybe it was on the episode before forget a lot I don’t watch it a second time so I would have to watch it again.
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A
As a subscriber to Comcast/ Xfinity which is embroiled in a failed negotiation with Scripps, which controls CBS in this region, we were shut out from accessing CBS programming starting last evening, so thanks for the update. I am really fed up with fat cats playing their games while we pay for their showdowns.
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B
For the most part NCIS followed Federal protocol. Early NCIS even mentioned the GS pay scale, NCIS Director would be a Sec Nav appointment. Considering all the shenanigans McGee did last year, with the Dep director including violating every privacy rule in the government, he would not be credible for a Sec Nav to appoint him to anything. So if he gets it NCIS joins the realm of the imaginary not reality.
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F
First of all I'm just not ok with Vance being gone.... I'm just not. He was the quiet and steady backbone of the team....a father figure who corrected when needed and cheered when needed. The kind of boss we all hope to have and are sometimes blessed enough TO have. The fact that they thought he was expendable is not ok to me. Do I think they did the episode well.... yes I do... do I like how they tied in Ducky and his wife that passed.... yes I do.... but they still chose to remove an anchor that the team needed.... and frankly deserved.
10
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V
I was shocked about Vance but it was a good show and I enjoyed last night's ending.
10
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J
For whatever reason, the CBS affiliate in my area (which is a pretty large market) aired an Atlanta Braves game last night, instead of NCIS and the show after that. Not a smart move!
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N
Scripps (a big CBS station owner) and Xfinity are currently having a "tiff" over payments. We are the ones getting hosed, as CBS programming is not available to anyone using Xfinity cable.
Xfinity, get this fixed!!
7
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A
CBS probably wants everybody to pay big money to watch them.
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S
CBS with dish is doing the same! Have missed several episodes because of their selfishness in getting more money from Dish
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M
I thought that the tribute at the end of the show was very appropriate. It fit perfectly with the mood of the team. I do sympathize with those of you who missed the show. It's so frustrating when the executives are having a disagreement over money.
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S
I think it was a terrible idea to kill off Vance. I'm done, won't be watching anymore.
6
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F
With Duckys death, there was flowers and people sending condolences from other NCIS offices and them getting ready for the funeral but this episode opens with the funeral already over.. I feel like they just brushed over the funeral
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6
Guess he was tired of being on a long-term show and needed a change. I will miss him, hopefully the replacement will fit in and be a good addition to the show
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L
He didn’t know anything about it until the writers shared the script with him.
9
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L
How do you know this?
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J
I think there is an interview with Rocky Carroll somewhere on this Insider site. Do a search of his name and it'll probably pop up.
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V
He had an interview on ET and addressed the issue. He had no idea until they came to him. He will be directing some episodes of NCIS and hopefully others
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J
Mr. Carroll has directed quite a few episodes of NCIS. There's probably no reason he can't continue to do so if he wishes.
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O
23 14 was one of the worst episodes in 23 seasons. Really disappointing.
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F
WISH I COULD OFFER AN OPINION, BUT IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN THERE WAS A BREWERS GAME.
READING THESE OTHER COMMENTS IT LOOKS LIKE WE MISSED OUT ON THE EPISODE. APPARENTLY THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAS NOT PREEMPTED. WHEN ABC SHOWS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL OUR DIRECTV GUIDE SCREEN SHOWS THE PREEMPTED LINE UP WILL BE ON EARLY MORNING AND AT LEAST YOU CAN RECORD THE SHOWS.
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R
Watch it on Hulu or Paramount+ maybe
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T
I thought they would show his funeral but they didn’t. I wish they wouldn’t have killed him off. I really liked him.
1
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P
Perhaps a heads up by CBS as to when it might air in rerun??
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L
Very upset 😡 there was a ball game on instead I sure do hope this one will be on this Tuesday
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A
Well I was hoping that there was going to be a few flash backs and more memories like they they did with Dr. Mallard! I mean I think they did that for everybody I know they did it the day he left and I really did like that but I thought they would do more for like each character. I don’t know what I was expecting. Maybe show more of a funeral or something not jumping right into a case.
1
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T
I wish Gibbs would come back. I think he should get the position since he was 2nd in charge forever.
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Z
Bring ,Gibbs backl as the new director. He has aged and does not need to be outside that much.
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L
Should've had someone read the poem that Vance read after Emily Fornell died.
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L
The toast was perfect. Now, give McGhee the Director's position. He's been there from the beginning(two or three episodes in). He deserves the title!!!!
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D
While I was totally shocked he was leaving the show I found the way they went back and forth in the shots leading up to the final reality, of the Director's fatal outcome, to be exemplary, smart and extremely saddening. Truth it hit me hard and I cried in sobs.It took a bit for me to compose myself so well done. Only one person missing for the ending. I definitely would have thought Gibbs would be in that office. Oh well, that's my only complaint. I love this show for the actors, writers and the very different story lines. Although I just started watching sometime last year,, due to origins, I've completed 12 full seasons,watch it syndicated even though they are older or all the seasons in between. This show is as well written as some of my favorites that are off regular air time. Criminal Minds, Without a trace and one very important comedy I can't get enough of, The Golden Girls. Which is tough to find on regular TV. But, that's ok I watch because they never get old and still entertain. Thanks for listening.Oh, glad to hear that Vance will still have something to do with the show.. .Please stop killing off the regulars or having them leave the show. The more you replace it changes the show, and that's when I tend to stop watching. I guess that's selfish on my part but!!!
1
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M
I dont like the new direction as of now but we will see. I hope McGee is up for the director or asst. Director
1
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M
I don't get why there's instability for successorship of NCIS. Why McGee thinks the job's unstable.
The series left me with the impression that the job has had 3 residents since it's been rebranded from NIS in the 1990s.
Morrow (judging from backstory clips, he'd been in place since Gibbs arrived in D.C.)
Shepard
Vance
Morrow moved to a Deputy Directorship at Homeland... his successor was approved before he left.
Vance was established like a senior deputy director before his predecessor had her finale O.K. Corral moment in California.
He was in D.C., filling in, wanting to get back to S.D. where his wife & kids were... as soon as the Director returned.
They just did an arc where the Deputy Director was played by an ex-Castle cast member.
Apparently... after that storyline, he left NCIS...?
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D
I haven't had time to process@
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A
Sam (LL) should be the new director!!!
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T
Did they even try to have Gibbs make an appearance??
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D
Tony
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