NCIS adds Katrina Law and Gary Cole as series regulars for Season 19

CBS’ long-running procedural NCIS is getting ready to start filming its 19th season, with some changes coming in the cast.

Katrina Law and Gary Cole have signed on to star as series regulars for the upcoming season, according to a new report from Deadline. 

The news comes as longtime star Mark Harmon will have a severely diminished presence this season, said to appear in just a handful of episodes as Special Agent Gibbs, with Emily Wickersham announcing her departure at the end of Season 18.

New stars: CBS’ long-running procedural NCIS is getting ready to start filming its 19th season, with some changes coming in the cast

Cast: Katrina Law and Gary Cole have signed on to star as series regulars for the upcoming season, according to a new report from Deadline 

Diminished: The news comes as longtime star Mark Harmon will have a severely diminished presence this season, said to appear in just a handful of episodes as Special Agent Gibbs, with Emily Wickersham announcing her departure at the end of Season 18

Law will return as Special Agent Jessica Knight, who was introduced in the final two episodes of Season 18 as a recurring guest star with an option for a series regular.

Knight is described as a, ‘formidable REACT (Regional Enforcement Action Capabilities Training Team) agent who specializes in hostage negotiations and handles daily high-risk operations with skill and precision. 

She is described as ,’sharp, athletic and tough, she is fiercely tenacious and with a wry sense of humor.’

Return: Law will return as Special Agent Jessica Knight, who was introduced in the final two episodes of Season 18 as a recurring guest star with an option for a series regular

Cole will be playing Special Agent Alden Park, and while no details were given for his character, it was said that he will not be directly replacing Harmon’s Gibbs.  

The exact number of episodes Harmon will be appearing in is not known, though it’s said to be just, ‘a handful.’

‘We take it year by year with Mark, we’d love to have him as long as he’d like to be here,” CBS President Kelly Kahl revealed in an interview last month.

Special Agent: Cole will be playing Special Agent Alden Park, and while no details were given for his character, it was said that he will not be directly replacing Harmon’s Gibbs

‘Even in this past season, he might have been light in a couple of [episodes], so we’re happy to work around his schedule,’ Kahl added.

‘We haven’t shot a single frame quite yet, but with the addition of Gary Cole and Katrina Law to the cast, this is already shaping up to be one of the best seasons yet,’ NCIS executive producer/showrunner Steven D. Binder said in a statement.

‘Going into season 19, we are excited to have new characters and stories to tell that adds to and reenergizes the world we’ve come to love over the 400+ episodes,’ he added.

Schedule: ‘Even in this past season, he might have been light in a couple of [episodes], so we’re happy to work around his schedule,’ Kahl added

Other returning cast members include Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Rocky Carroll and David McCallum.

Cole is coming off ABC’s Mixed-Ish, a spin-off of Black-Ish, which ran for two seasons, along with HBO’s Veep.

Law most recently starred as Quinn Liu on CBS’ Hawaii Five-0, and Nyssa al Ghul in The CW’s Arrow. 

Cast: Other returning cast members include Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Rocky Carroll and David McCallum