Casting Update on “NCIS” Prequel Series

“What’re you lookin’ at, probie?!” — Special Agent Mike Franks, “NCIS”

It was just this past February that I wrote (in one-third of a newsy post) about an in development, CBS prequel series in the “NCIS” franchise: “NCIS: Origins”. Since then, a few casting announcements have come out, so I wanted to get caught up on them. I considered waiting until they cast a young Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, but then I discovered that he didn’t join NIS/NCIS until Dec. 1992. Since the new show will be set in the 1991/1992 timeframe to begin, Ducky may not appear in the beginning or at all in Season 1.

So…

Stowell

Austin Stowell (Whiplash, Bridge of Spies) will take the lead as new NIS agent — the agency doesn’t become ‘NCIS’ until 1993 — ‘Leroy Jethro Gibbs’, Gunnery Sergeant (USMC), assigned to a new team based out of Camp Pendleton. Stowell is pushing 40, as was Gibbs at this point in his career. As far as I can tell, Stowell seems like a pretty good choice. Btw, he already has experience with the franchise, having played a Marine corporal in the second season of “NCIS: Los Angeles” (2010).
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Molino

Mariel Molino (The Shade, “The Watchful Eye”) will play a new character, ‘Special Agent Lala Dominguez’. She is “a former Marine who navigates her 1990s male-dominated field with a steely resolve and a dark sense of humor. When a tormented Leroy Jethro Gibbs joins her team, the ensuing story between these two enigmatic outsiders is filled with sparks and turns that will keep the audience guessing.” (Note: The series begins after Gibbs’ first wife and their daughter were murdered, which longtime viewers of the original show are familiar with.)
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Schmid

Kyle Schmid (“Six”, “Being Human”) has signed on to play NIS team leader (and mentor to Gibbs) ‘Special Agent Mike Franks’, a recurring character played by Muse Watson in “NCIS”. Franks is a proud Texan, thick-skinned, and “a born leader with an unwavering moral compass who’s determined to find justice by any means necessary.” I can see Schmid as a younger version of Watson, and early 40s is the right age. Schmid has played tough characters, even Navy characters, before, and I expect this will turn out to be a good piece of casting.
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Most recently, casting for a couple more new characters were announced. Diany Rodriguez (“The Blacklist”, “Twisted Metal”) once played ‘DHS Agent Garcia’ in an episode of “NCIS: New Orleans” a few years back. Now, she will have the role of “‘Special Agent Vera Strickland’, a no-nonsense, sharp-witted Brooklynite who’s tough as nails and never minces words. She’s spent her entire career being underestimated by misogynistic morons (as she calls them), but if it’s a fight those good ol’ boys are looking for, then it’s a fight they’re going to get.”

Abercrumbie & Rodriguez

Tyla Abercrumbie (“The Chi”, “Low Winter Sun”) will be ‘Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo’. In a nod to government acronym-mania, she calls herself the “HSIC” (Head Secretary in Charge). She is the lifeblood of the Camp Pendleton office, and she knows “where the bodies are buried.” Sounds like a fun character!

As long as the writers don’t overdo the womyn-fighting-for-respect-amongst-a-bunch-of-sexist-jerks angle, I think I may enjoy this show, which is scheduled for the 2024-2025 season. First, though, I really need to check out the last two NCIS spinoffs…

More Stranger Things and Then Some

As you have probably heard, the Duffer Brothers’ uber-popular fantasy/horror/drama series, “Stranger Things”, will be returning to Netflix for a fifth and final season — but, not until Spring/Summer 2025. Here are a few more details we can expect (that you may or may not know already) and questions to consider…

1) The town of Hawkins will probably be transformed (or still be transforming) into the likeness of its Upside Down counterpart. (Will it be under military quarantine?)

2) Vecna/Henry will return, probably as strong or stronger than before, which means Eleven needs to be practicing with her own powers in order to have a chance at beating him once and for all.

3) According to the Duffers, Will will return to “center stage” (presumably along with Eleven).

4) Will the gates between our world and the Upside Down be closed for good?

5) Assuming Max wakes up from her coma, what kind of shape will she be in? Will she be fully healed? Will she have any new abilities? What are the implications for Eleven if she is able to bring someone back from the dead?

6) There will be another time skip forward (a couple years?), which makes sense, given that several of the “teen” actors are already (or soon to be) in their 20s.

7) The cast and crew for Season 5 — working title/codename “JERICHO” — returned to EUE/Screen Gems Studios Atlanta Studio to film beginning in June 2023 (according to the last thing I read, anyway). It is scheduled to wrap up in June 2024. However, the recent WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes may force another delay.

8) There will be 8 episodes, and they cost around $20+ million apiece. The first is titled, “Chapter One: The Crawl”.

9) Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, 10 Cloverfield Lane) is set to direct one episode.

10) All of the regular characters will be back (unless they died in a previous season, of course). Other than various military guys, new minor roles will include two children, one boy (“Derek”) and one girl (“April”), both 8-10yo. One big name added to the cast this season is Linda Hamilton in an unspecified role. (Speculation is that she will be a high-ranking military officer, though a Congresswoman or other politician is a distinct possibility.)

Still frame from the VR project

A few more “Stranger Things”-oriented projects have also been announced, including: 1) an animated series centering on game-loving twin brothers in 1980s Tokyo; 2) a Saturday-morning cartoon about a young girl and her uncle; 3) a spin-off, live-action series based on an original idea by The Duffer Brothers. In addition, there are plans for a live-performance play, a video game VR project, and new comic book series (e.g., Tales from Hawkins and The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner).

Even before some of the above was revealed, CinemaBlend reported the following:

“Netflix officially announced that an untitled adult animated series set within the world of Stranger Things — which is the brand’s first cartoon — is officially in the works. It’s being developed by Eric Robles, who serves as executive producer on behalf of Flying Bark Productions. The Duffer Brothers will also act as EPs under their recently established Upside Down Pictures banner. Additionally, Shawn Levy, who also co-produces the parent show, does the same here as well alongside Dan Cohen by way of their 21 Laps imprint.”

I have no idea if this series is in addition to or in place of one of the other spinoff projects. Also, there is no clue as to whether or not any of the characters, locations, or even the time period is the same as the original series.

Once Season 5 is out and done, some people will probably feel a mix of emotional highs (if the finale is exciting and satisfying) and lows (‘cuz the series is over). But, assuming the writing and production values remain high-quality, these additions to the “Stranger Things” franchise ought to keep the fans happy for awhile, eh?