'NCIS' Season 11 Spoilers: What To Expect From Bishop & Delilah After Ziva David Exit
NCIS said goodbye to Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) on Oct. 1 and according to the show's executive producer it will be difficult to move on. But, the two new female characters may make the transition a bit easier.
"This is a huge deal for us and to suddenly not have Ziva present is something that we're absolutely going to feel moving forward and if we didn't feel it we'd be cheating ourselves and the audience," Gary Glasberg told Entertainment Weekly in a Tuesday report. "That absence in the squad room, that empty desk is something that we're going to acknowledge."
While many assumed that the new character, Ellie Bishop, will be Ziva's replacement, Glasberg told the publication otherwise.
Ziva David's Emotional Goodbye Recap
"Well I don't necessarily view her as a successor," he said. "The way we approached it was, how do we bring someone new into the fold? What could she bring to the group and to the party?"
Glasberg described Bishop's character (Emily Wickersham) as a NSA analyst and a "thinker." He added: "I think she'll provide something different... I'm really excited about what she's going to bring to this and how she's going to bring the character to life. We'll have some fun with it."
Cote de Pablo Talks About Her Decision To Leave NCIS
Another female has also joined the cast. Character Timothy McGee will have his eyes on a new love interest named Delilah (Margo Harshman). While her character was briefly introduced in the beginning of season 11, she will return for more episodes.
"That's a relationship that we're having some fun with, and we've got some plans in store," Glasberg said. "I'm excited about it, actually."
De Pablo, who played Ziva for eight seasons, announced her departure from the show in early July.
"I've had eight great years with NCIS and Ziva David," she said in her statement. "I have huge respect and affection for Mark [Harmon], Gary [Glasberg], Michael [Weatherly], David [McCallum], Rocky [Carroll], Pauley [Perrette], Brian [Dietzen], Sean [Murray], all of the team and CBS. I look forward to finishing Ziva's story."
