‘NCIS’ Sneak Peek: Tony Opens up About Replacing Vance as Director

NCIS has officially replaced Leon Vance as director after Rocky Carroll‘s exit in the 500th episode, and it’s Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) filling that role beginning with the end of the 24th season premiere. Now, in the Tuesday, October 13, episode, we’ll see him in action, and that includes what the others think of him taking over. TV Insider has an exclusive sneak peek of a conversation between Tony and Alden Parker (Gary Cole) about just that.

Parker’s waiting in the director’s office when Tony enters, late because MTAC ran long. “Not the first impression I like to make on a first date,” the new director admits. “I think you mean update,” Parker corrects him before presenting the pastries he brought for the occasion. Tony takes a bite as they discuss the case (though he clearly wishes there were chocolate chips in them), until Parker calls him out on pretending to like raisins.

CBS

Tony confesses he hates them but then turns the tables on Parker. “Now it’s your turn,” he says. “Stop pretending this isn’t hard. Leon Vance was a giant, and now the former wild card is sitting in his office.” Parker heard he was the class clown. Watch the full sneak peek above to see Tony make clear he knows what it means for him to be taking the job previously held by Vance as well as for some details about the case — a man is murdered after a neighborhood dinner party and every guest is lying about pretty much everything.

This sneak peek is an example of what showrunner Steven D. Binder told us to expect from Tony and Parker’s dynamic: “We are thinking of them as two people on a first date, getting to know each other, laughing at each other’s jokes, getting a little awkward maybe.”

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As for the others, “The nut to crack about this is what is his relationship with all these other characters because this has always been a relationship show, and we cover the gamut,” Binder explained. “I won’t tell you exactly why yet you’ll see it, but Knight [Katrina Law] sort of adopts a mother hen role towards Tony, making sure that he’s sticking to his diet and things like that.”

As for those who know Tony already, “we redefine [Brian Dietzen‘s Palmer and Tony’s] dynamic in a really fun way,” he added. “And then the big one is McGee [Sean Murray] and Tony because their relationship initially was probie and frat boy who was hazing him. They’re both a lot older now. They’re both parents. They’re going to relate to each other on a much different level.”

What do you think of Tony as director? Let us know in the comments section below.

NCIS, Tuesdays, 8/7c, CBS