NCIS Season 23 is in its final stretch of episodes on the 2026 TV schedule, meaning that the finale is right around the corner. The long-running CBS procedural is known for going big for its season cappers, and series co-star Brian Dietzen recently spoke out about what’s in store for it. And, needless to say, I wasn’t expecting him to mention Vance’s death while describing it.
The show surprisingly killed off Rocky Carroll’s NCIS Director Leon Vance during the 500th episode in March, likely changing the direction of the show moving forward. Considering there are still a handful of episodes left, I assume the show isn’t done throwing out surprises. Comments that Dietzen recently shared with TV Insider seem to confirm that notion, as he went as far as to mention Vance’s death when teasing what's to come:
This season was a tumultuous one for our show because of the 500th episode, of losing Director Vance. The finale, I got to say, I’m not going to say it’s the same as the 500, but there’s echoes of it. And people are not going to want to miss the last, what, five minutes of this show because it has the potential to change a lot within our universe yet again.
NCIS has killed off characters and thrown other curveballs in the past, so it wouldn't be surprising at all if another major twist to close out the season. But Dietzen just mentioning Vance’s death truly speaks to how much of a roller coaster Season 23 has been, and it’s wild to think it's not even done. It’s hard to imagine what exactly will be in store for the finale, which will see the team working on an explosion case that might be connected to one from the previous year.
Article continues belowAt the very least, it can be assumed that NCIS won’t kill off another main character since they already did this season. (At least, I hope another one isn't killed off.) Plus, Carroll’s replacement and by extension, Vance’s replacement still hasn't even been found yet. NCIS is basically working without a director which leaves the organization in a precarious place. If anything, though, it sounds like whatever happens in the finale will further change the show.
The good news is that while NCIS will likely be further changed by the Season 23 finale, there will be more stories to tell. At this point, the show has been renewed for Season 24, and CBS confirmed it would premiere later this year. It's also worth mentioning that the show's producers are definitely not afraid of ending seasons on cliffhangers and keeping fans in suspense for months. So, while some may dread the possibility, it's possible fans may be left hanging after whatever Brian Dietzen is teasing.
With the finale essentially having “echoes” of the 500th episode (in whatever way that means), fans should prepare themselves for the Season 23 finale. It could be quite intense, and I'm both excited and nervous about it. Let's hope we don't end up saying goodbye to yet another character following Vance's death.
The Season 23 finale of NCIS airs on Tuesday, May 12 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, streaming the next day with a Paramount+ subscription.
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