CBSNCIS might be saying goodbye to Michael Weatherly next week (yes, you might want to stock up your tissues now), but it's welcoming two new faces this week that will hopefully stick around for a while.
Tonight's episode introduces Tess Monroe and Clayton Reeves, the FBI and MI6 agents, respectively, who are collaborating with the NCIS team on the case they've all been chasing: an escaped British spy who is targeting agents all over the world.
This storyline will not only bring in the new faces, played by Sarah Clarke and Duane Henry, but Tony will also find himself involved as his exit grows closer. "It not only [sent] our team to England [last week], but it brings the manhunt to the United States," teases showrunner Gary Glasberg. "That sort of continues to snowball and build—involving Tony—ultimately toward our final episode."
Explains Glasberg, "That manhunt is responsible for also involving the FBI and MI 6, which is where our two new characters come into play. Tess Monroe, played by Sarah Clarke, is an FBI agent who's working in conjunction with Joe Spano's character, Fornell. She's very involved with the case and she works with our team and she's full of fire and cynicism and sarcasm and wit and energy and is extremely experienced and just a lot of fun and feels really organic to our group."
Continues the longtime NCIS producer, "The same goes for Clayton Reeves, who is a young MI 6 agent played by Duane Henry. He is edgy and fun and fast and has a real physicality to him and honestly just lights up a room. There's this sort of simmering, bubbling danger that's below the surface that we're taking full advantage of with him as well."
Both characters could potentially join the team full-time in season 14, but that is still TBD. "I'm really thrilled with the introduction of these people and we'll have to see where it develops and where it goes," Glasberg says." So far it's been great."
NCIS airs Tuesdays on CBS. Clarke and Henry make their first appearances on May 10.