"Ziva" is leaving NCIS

[spuwho]

Hey all you Jacksonville NCIS fans;

Just a note to let you know that CBS could not come to terms with actress Cote de Pablo, who plays former Mossad agent and now NCIS Agent Ziva David on the longtime hit show "NCIS".

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/07/29/cote-de-pablo-lot-of-money-ncis/



Her last show will be in the season premiere (their 11th). It is unknown if she will be merely written out to facilitate a future appearance, or killed off like her predecessor Agent Kate Todd. (played by Sasha Alexander, now of Rizzoli & Isles)

One thing NCIS fans have taken to heart over her 8 seasons on NCIS is how far the character had come and just how well Cote had played it.

Now if they can just get the producers (Bellisarius) to do a special location shoot at NAS Jax and Mayport. The one episode where the team flew into NAS Jax to track a killer was actually at a location in Los Angeles.  With two large Naval facilities, Jax would be a prime locale for a location shoot. Good for the local tourism, good for the local economy (hiring local extras and crew), and good for recruiting as it would show the Navy favorably.

A car chase scene from NAS Jax to Mayport through town as a naval flunkie tries to get to Mayport to hide critical evidence sounds like a good way to expose the city and its excellent views.

The state has a fund that helps Hollywood with location shoots, it has been awhile since Norman Studios featured the city prominently, perhaps our time has come?

[carpnter]

CBS is the current producer not Belisarius.  Bellisario was forced out at back in 2007 due to Mark Harmon refusing to return as long as Bellisario was running things.  CBS didn't want to lose their hit show so Bellisario was out.

[spuwho]

CBS is the current producer not Belisarius.  Bellisario was forced out at back in 2007 due to Mark Harmon refusing to return as long as Bellisario was running things.  CBS didn't want to lose their hit show so Bellisario was out.

Donald was forced out as a producer on the day to day activities by Mark Harmon, but his company is still listed as the official production company (along with CBS) . His two step-sons are still very much involved (Sean Murray as Tim McGee & Chad Murray is a producer for the show) Today he is listed in the credits with Don McGill as the creator and as the Executive Producer. Now in Hollywood terms, that credit may be simply contractual as is the fact they still get writer credits for all the episodes. The current masthead for NCIS is getting a bit lengthy:

Gary Glasberg, Chas. Floyd Johnson, Floyd Johnson, Mark Horowitz, Mark Harmon, Shane Brennan, George Schenck, Frank Cardea and Donald P. Bellisario are executive producers for Belisarius Prods. in association with CBS Television Studios.

Just like mass approaching the speed of light, shows running this long tend to die of their own weight.  As production costs escalate due to increasing salaries of the principals:

Details about Harmon's deal are being kept under wraps. I hear it is likely for two years and gives him a healthy raise over the most recent salary of more than $500,000 an episode, possibly over $700,000 an episode. In addition to starring, Harmon, repped by Paradigm and attorney Barry Axelrod, serves as an executive producer/profit participant on NCIS and has a production deal with CBS TV Studios for his company Wings Prods.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/mark-harmon-signs-new-ncis-deal-paving-the-way-for-renewal-of-hit-cbs-drama/

The Mark Harmon deal and potential early renewal come on the heels of NCIS delivering its second largest Live+same day audience two weeks ago (22.86 million viewers). That total rose to 25.36 million viewers in L+3, marking the first NCIS broadcast to deliver more than 25 million viewers in Live + DVR viewing. In its 10th season, NCIS continues to fire on all cylinders. For the first time ever, it ranks as television's most watched program, ahead of Sunday Night Football.

As actor, writer, producer costs escalate over time, the show begins to get expensive to produce.  de Pablo's contract renewed the same time as Harmon's. He got his take, it appears de Pablo will not. Some people do worry that it will suffer the Miami Vice effect, where Don Johnson and Philip Thomas salaries got so excessive, they had to cut out many of the well known site shots and effects to compensate.

This announcement is also causing some consternation as the scripts for Season 11 were several episodes deep in completion. Clearly with de Pablo's departure, some midnight oil will be in the mix for rewrites.

[acme54321]

I had no idea that may people watched NCIS.

[Debbie Thompson]

I like NCIS, but it has been on a long time and, yes, stars get greedy and then the show dies. Hard to imagine NCIS without Ziva.  We'll have to wait and see who they hire next to be the cheeky, pretty woman to argue with and take exception to Tony.

[If_I_Loved_you]

I like NCIS, but it has been on a long time and, yes, stars get greedy and then the show dies. Hard to imagine NCIS without Ziva.  We'll have to wait and see who they hire next to be the cheeky, pretty woman to argue with and take exception to Tony.

I have watched since the first season but it's time to say goodbye. So I'm hoping this is the last season or I will just stop watching it.