Rocky Carroll returns to ‘NCIS’ Season 23 after Leon Vance’s exit, but not in the way fans expected
It’s not every day that a long-running character exits a show and still manages to stick around. However, that’s exactly what’s happening on ‘NCIS’ with Rocky Carroll. Longtime fans may still be processing the loss of Director Leon Vance, but there’s a twist in the tale. Carroll is back on set, but not in front of the camera this time. After nearly two decades of being a steady presence at the Navy Yard, the character was written out in a way that left little room for doubt. His death came during the show’s milestone 500th episode, and it hit hard. Dolan Thompson, a compromised Army CID officer, shot him as part of a wider plan to take the agency down.
The show made it clear that Vance’s story had reached its endpoint. Still, while the character may be gone, Carroll himself isn’t going anywhere just yet. According to a recent Instagram announcement shared by NCISVerse, the actor has returned to the set, stepping in as a director. He is helming Season 23, Episode 16, titled ‘S.O.S.’, which is set to air on April 14. For longtime viewers, this isn’t exactly new territory. Carroll has directed several episodes of ‘NCIS’ over the years. Now, with his character written out, this behind-the-scenes role might become his main connection to the show.
However, it makes sense. Few people understand the tone and rhythm of ‘NCIS’ the way he does. When someone has been part of a series for that long, they pick up on the little details. As for the upcoming episode, ‘S.O.S.’ seems to focus more on a fresh case rather than the lingering fallout from Vance’s death. The official description hints at a mystery involving a Navy lieutenant who suddenly reappears after going missing under suspicious circumstances. The synopsis reads, “As the team peels back the mystery of a crash that was anything but accidental, every answer sparks a new twist.”
The Major Case Response Team will have to piece together what really happened, and if the brief summary is anything to go by, the answers won’t come easily. That said, there’s still a big question hanging in the air: What's next for the leadership of NCIS? With Vance gone, the position of director is wide open. The show hasn’t rushed to fill that gap yet, which leaves room for speculation. Could Timothy McGee step up? Given his experience and long tenure with the team, it's a possibility. However, the series might choose to introduce someone entirely new.
