NCIS Season 11: The Post-Ziva Era Begins; Will Emily Wickersham Fit In?

Tomorrow begins the post-Ziva (Cote de Pablo) era and all NCIS fans will be watching to see in what direction the series is heading.

One of the major questions will be, “Can the most watched television show keep its status without the presence of one of its major characters?”

Last week we got a glimpse at post-Ziva life. During Episode 2, Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Fornell (Joe Spano) and McGee (Sean Murray) investigated a case together and quite frankly—it felt like something was missing. If this is what fans can expect heading forward then the writers and production team have some things to work out.

Earlier this year, Michael Weatherly (Tony) reminded fans that the show has seen major loss before. However, this is the biggest loss "NCIS" has taken. There was a chemistry de Pablo brought to the table that many fans enjoyed. And it was not just the chemistry between her character and Tony. As a grou the entire cast, including de Pablo, was able to add drama, suspense and most importantly, make you laugh. With the myriad of fill-ins coming to the show, are we going to even get a glimpse of that chemistry?

I believe showrunner Gary Glasberg and his team will be able to reconstruct the show and keep it at a high level. A lot will depend on Ziva’s replacement Bishop, played by Emily Wickersham. We won’t see Wickersham till November, so fans may have to grit their teeth through the fill-ins as they wait. However, if Wickersham does not work out then there could be a huge problem. Let’s hope fans are as excited about her character as Weatherly is.

“NCIS” airs Tuesdays, at 8/7c on CBS,