Brian Dietzen attends a salute to the NCIS universe celebrating "NCIS" "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "NCIS: Hawai'i" during the 39th Annual PaleyFest LA at Dolby Theatre on April 10, 2022 in Hollywood, California

Brian Dietzen Just Dropped a Major Spoilers About the Future of ‘NCIS’

Following the cancelation of ‘NCIS: LA,’ some fans of the flagship are concerned that season 20 could be the last for ‘NCIS.’

by Perry Carpenter

Published on February 21, 2023

3 min read

Brian Dietzen teases a major spoiler about the future of ‘NCIS’

NCIS fans have been a little worried about the show’s future after CBS canceled the spinoff, NCIS: LA. The series will not be returning following the end of season 14, which got fans wondering if the original show was going to call it quits as well.

Dietzen thankfully put viewers at ease during a recent interview. According to Hello Magazine, the actor accidentally dropped the spoiler when he asked about writing another episode in the near future. He didn’t reveal any details about season 21, but his comments made it clear that the beloved series will be returning to the small screens.

On writing another installment, Dietzen shared, “It won’t be for this season, though. I’ve been chatting with our showrunner Steve [Binder], talking about what we’re going to get ready for next year. That’s in the works right now, but nothing that’s impending for this season.”

Talk about some major news! And fans of the show were quick to ask when the network is going to officially confirm the new season. CBS announced season 20 last spring, so it shouldn’t be too much longer before we get some solid confirmation.

Given the ongoing popularity of NCIS, it doesn’t come as a huge shocker that it is getting renewed. But it is nice to get some assurance from a cast member.

‘NCIS’ star Brian Dietzen opens up about his love for scriptwriting

Dietzen’s debut as a co-writer for NCIS was earned through his contributions to the season 19 episode “The Helpers.” While Dietzen expressed some hesitancy in undertaking this role, his efforts were ultimately successful and led to another writing experience in season 20.

In episode 14, titled “Old Wounds,” Dietzen helped write yet another captivating story. In this installment, murder case linked to a valuable shipment of opioids forces Special Agent Parker (Gary Cole) to confront his FBI past and deal with ghosts that he thought were long buried.

Speaking to Looper, Dietzen opened up about his writing process and revealed that he is heavily influenced by playwrights from the 20th Century, including the likes of Eugene O’Neill and Arthur Miller. The actor also stated that he has plenty of experience working on Shakespeare sets, which also deals with a lot of emotions.

“There are other TV shows that are ripped from the headlines,” Dietzen explained, “and our shows tend to be ripped from the characters.”

A look at fan-favorite Jimmy Palmer

If you’re a long-term fan of NCIS, you probably know and love Dietzen’s Jimmy Palmer, aka the Autopsy Gremlin. When Parker first appeared the show, he played the role of medical examiner assistant to Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, played by David McCallum. But even though his appearances were only sporadic at first, Parker soon became a recurring character on the show.

When it comes to the medical examiner on NCIS, there’s no one better equipped to handle the high-stakes drama that comes with the job than Dr. Palmer. As the one responsible for investigating the causes of death and other key medical details that help the team solve each case they tackle, Dietzen’s character is no stranger to extreme pressure and intense situations.

Given his importance to the series and expanding role as a scriptwriter, it’s safe to say that fans are looking forward to seeing Dietzen write another episode in season 21. Not to mention viewers should be plenty thrilled about the series returning for at least one more season.