NCIS airs major surprise cast exit in milestone 500th episode for beloved crime show

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Okay, so just a heads-up for my fellow NCIS fans: I just watched the 500th episode, and it was a rollercoaster! It aired in the US on March 24th, but if you’re in the UK, be careful because it hasn’t come out yet, and there are definitely some major spoilers if you stumble across anything about it!

While viewers in the UK are still waiting for season 23 of NCIS, the show is currently airing in the US. It recently celebrated a major achievement by broadcasting its 500th episode.

This episode was particularly impactful, featuring the unexpected death of a fan favorite, Director Leon Vance, played by Rocky Carroll.

During the episode, Leon fought to save the team after the Department of Defense closed their agency. He successfully reopened it, but was tragically killed by a dishonest agent soon after.

Deon Cole first appeared on the show as Leon in 2008. He recently told TVLine he wasn’t responsible for the decision to kill off his character and only learned about it two episodes before it was filmed.

According to reports, the plot was created by executive producer Steven D. Binder with the goal of surprising both television viewers and dedicated fans.

Honestly, I was surprised how quickly I accepted my character’s fate. It would have been amazing, though, to be part of that final, symbolic closing down of the show – you know, being there when they literally boarded up the windows and announced it was time to wrap things up for good. That would have been a really poignant moment to experience as my character.

Everyone wants to be a winner, and after 18 seasons, I feel incredibly grateful for everything that’s happened.

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In an interview with TVLine, Carroll hinted he might reappear in future episodes through flashback scenes. He also shared that he’s already returned to direct several new episodes, having directed many others previously.

You can now watch NCIS on Disney Plus in the UK. A subscription to Disney Plus costs £4.99 per month or £89.90 for the year.

Watch NCIS! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now to get daily TV recommendations, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, an international TV production company. He has a BA degree in English and Theatre Studies, and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-03-25 15:06