NCIS’s Vance Replacement Frontrunner Sets Up Season 24’s Crisis

by

Be warned, this article contains spoilers for the season 23 finale of NCIS. The show has chosen a new director to replace the late Leon Vance, and this decision is likely to cause major problems in season 24.

It’s been almost two months since Vance was killed off in a recent episode of NCIS, marking the end of Rocky Carroll’s nearly 20-year run with the show. While last week’s episode provided closure with the avenging of Vance’s death by Leroy Jethro Gibbs, viewers are still wondering who will take over as the new director of NCIS.

Since Vance passed away, the agency has been managed by temporary directors who haven’t been publicly identified. At the end of season 23, a permanent director hadn’t been chosen. But in the episode “Sons and Daughters,” Seamus Dever’s character, Gabriel LaRoche, returned and expressed interest in the position.

LaRoche caused trouble for the NCIS team during season 22. Although he wasn’t as evil as they initially believed, he still had a competitive side. This became clear by the end of season 23, as he cleverly positioned himself to potentially become the new NCIS director when season 24 begins.

Gabriel LaRoche Is Gunning To Replace Vance In NCIS Season 24 Explained

LaRoche last appeared on NCIS in the season 22 finale, revealing he’d been placed as Deputy Director as part of a secret Department of Defense operation. After the team accidentally got involved with his mission, he tasked them with dismantling the Nexus cartel.

The mission succeeded when Carla Marino died early in season 23, but LaRoche returned in the episode “Sons and Daughters” as the new U.S. Associate Attorney General. This time, he focused on Kayla Vance, the daughter of the previous director, after learning that her secret Archive operation was receiving funding from illegal sources.

Kayla was found to have done nothing wrong, so LaRoche closed her investigation. However, LaRoche plans to shield Vance from negative press regarding the illegal fund, seeing it as a potential political weapon. LaRoche made it clear to Alden Parker – with a pointed glance at Vance’s empty seat – that protecting Vance’s reputation was his priority.

What Are The Chances Of LaRoche Becoming NCIS’s Director (& What It Means For The Team’s Future)

There’s still a chance LaRoche might not become the new NCIS director. When season 24 of NCIS begins on CBS in the fall of 2026, something could happen to prevent him from getting the position – he might decide to step aside himself, or he could be convinced not to take the job.

Currently, LaRoche’s manipulative tactics appear to be giving him an edge in the competition for the NCIS director position. He’s also threatened to expose damaging information about Agent Parker if Parker tries to hinder his ambitions. While Parker insists he has nothing to conceal, the suggestion that he assisted Gibbs in a past incident might become a problem if LaRoche uncovers it.

If LaRoche takes over as NCIS director, he’ll likely challenge the team much more than Vance did. However, even if he gets the job, it might not be permanent. He could leave during the current season, potentially opening the door for someone to eventually fill Vance’s position long-term.

It’s obvious that LaRoche still has plans for the team at NCIS. The big question now is how many of those plans will actually work, and how long the team will have to cope with this new threat from someone they thought was in the past.

Like our live coverage on ScreenRant? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for the latest news on network TV shows, including exclusive insights from the stars and creators behind your favorites. Just be sure to select “Network TV” in your newsletter preferences!

Read More

2026-05-13 04:18