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NCIS: Los Angeles boss Hetty is back in the office. After a long absence, she’s ready to get back to work. Now that Admiral Hollace Kilbride will be around more often, we’ll see a lot more of their interactions. Be prepared for some interesting scenes during NCIS: Los Angeles Season 13.

‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ producer on Hetty and Kilbride’s dynamic

Linda Hunt appears in a scene from NCIS: Los Angeles, wearing a military outfit
Linda Hunt | CBS via Getty Images

NCIS: Los Angeles Executive Producer R. Scott Gemmill says sparks will fly during Hetty (Linda Hunt) and Kilbride’s (Gerald McRaney) interactions. Hetty and Kilbride have strong personalities, so it’s no surprise there will be some conflict between the two. Although they sometimes clash, Kilbride does have admiration and respect for Hetty.

“They’re both very smart and very stubborn, so it makes for a fun and volatile dynamic,” says Gemmill during an interview with TV Insider. “Kilbride outranks Hetty, but he does respect her, even if he disagrees with her methodology and [sometimes] questions the cost of her successes.”

 Hetty’s mission doesn’t go as planned

Hetty was absent for most of NCIS: Los Angeles Season 12 because she was working on a mission. Unfortunately, the mission goes sideways, and she has no choice but to bring in the whole team and rely on them for assistance. “She’ll try to resolve that on her own, but in the end, it will suck in the entire team—much to Kilbride’s [disapproval],” says Gemmill.

Tensions rise between Hetty and Kilbride. He doesn’t like the idea of tying up resources. The agents could be working on other cases, so if they’re working on Hetty’s mission, this cuts into their available time.

Gerald McRaney was promoted to series regular

Gerald McRaney as Admiral Hollace Kilbride holding a mug and talking to Renee Felice Smith and Barrett Foa on the set of NCIS LA.
Gerald McRaney as Admiral Hollace Kilbride | CBS via Getty Images
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McRaney was recently promoted from a recurring character to series regular. One of McRaney’s early roles was in the 1969 movie Night of the Bloody Horror, in which he played the character Wesley Stuart. The following year, he appeared in the film Women and Bloody Terror. He played the character Terrance Bradford.

In 1981, McRaney joined the cast of Simon & Simon. He played the character Rick Simon until the series ended in 1989. That year, McRaney starred in the sitcom Major Dad. He played Major John D. MacGillis for 96 episodes until the end of the series in 1993. McRaney is also known for his appearances in This Is Us, House of Cards, 24: Legacy, and Promised Land.

McRaney’s promotion comes after the departure of Renée Felice Smith (Nell Jones) and Barrett Foa (Eric Beale). Smith tells Showbiz Cheat Sheet her NCIS LA departure had been in the works for some time. Unlike many viewers, she wasn’t surprised by the script detailing Nell’s farewell.

“It’s been on the table for a while,” Smith tells Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “Similar to Nell, I really enjoy having a home base. NCIS: LA and all its parts have really become an extension of my family. Nell is a smart girl, and she chose stability for a long time because that was the smart choice. But now, she’s really questioning what she wants. And I commend her for that, for even considering that line of questioning, because I know how difficult it is.”

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