NCIS Will Reportedly Begin Filming Season 18 After Labor Day

The recent news that Maria Bello is set to depart NCIS in Season 18 might’ve been the most-anticipated secret to drop from the show in a long time, but a new development will likely get fans even more excited: production on the series may be resuming in early September.

Obviously, with Season 17 cut a little short, everything that was initially planned is up in the air, including the plot twists and turns that might’ve made Bello’s departure a little easier to see. That is, of course, just one of the many storylines fans are keen to gorge their eyeballs on, and, back in April, TV Guide spoke with executive producers Frank Cardea and Gina Monreal to share some insight on what we can expect. Here’s everything we know so far about Season 18 including what might be in store for Sloane, Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Torres (Wilmer Valderrama), and the rest of the crew.

Production intends to resume after Labor Day
Deadline reports that NCIS is aiming to resume shooting in Los Angeles on Sept. 9, which means that the show could get back underway just after the Labor Day holiday which marks the unofficial end of summer. These plans are tentative and dependent on the ever-fluctuating COVID-19 situation, of course, but should all go to plan, the series could be back on the air in time to make CBS’ ambitious fall schedule.

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Gibbs will be a more emotionally open leader.
As reported previously, Gibbs’ experiences in the tear-jerking last episode will lead him to be more transparent about his emotions. Of course, emotional vulnerability is not something we’ve known Gibbs to be — and it’s doesn’t mean “weak” either. “One thing about the Gibbs character,” Monreal said, “he’s constantly evolving.” Added Cardea: “I think he’s going to be taking some risks and chances he never would have taken before.”

Sloane is on her way out, but how remains a mystery
There’s a longstanding theory among NCIS fans that Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane (Maria Bello) might be meeting her demise soon — and recent news reporting Maria Bello’s departure from the show prove those theories may have merit. According to the conspiracies, Sloane’s would-be death at the end of the season would’ve closed it on a dramatic note, keeping Gibbs in an unnerved state that’s more interesting for the series. Of course, Sloane dying is just one way she could leave: she could move away, retire, or numerous other outcomes. When asked back in April if Sloane might die as the show moves forward, showrunner Frank Cardea laughed it off. “We never talk about what we’re going to do,” he said adding that if word got out that Sloane’s death was in the cards, they wouldn’t do it. That likely means the team is crafting a number of scenarios to avoid the death fans saw coming a mile away. Then again, maybe they’re planning a death so shocking it’ll even surprise the fans who’ve been waiting on it!

A big milestone episode will be a flashback.
NCIS was set to air its 400th episode this season, a monumental achievement the producers, writers, cast and crew had obviously been looking forward to. Though plans were put on hold, that whopper of a birthday is going to be celebrated as soon as possible, and the plans are for that episode to be a flashback. “It’s about how Gibbs and Ducky met,” Cardea said. “It’s a case that brings them back. There are wonderful moments and we see how Ducky and Gibbs met under strange circumstances.”

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