In simpler terms, the final episode of NCIS Season 22 concluded earlier in May as per the 2025 TV calendar, leaving fans on edge with a heart-wrenching twist for Gary Cole’s Alden Parker. As we anticipate the start of Season 23, which is scheduled to air as part of CBS’ fall TV schedule for 2025-2026, some viewers might find themselves reminiscing about when Gary Cole replaced Mark Harmon in the early episodes of NCIS Season 19. The actor portraying Parker recently shared his thoughts on this transition period with me and discussed why he felt his character had a particularly strong debut.
Following Cole’s analysis of the surprising finale closure of Season 22 and his predictions for how it might alter Season 23 for Parker, I inquired about the most significant transformation he believed his character had undergone since we were initially introduced to him in “Nearly Departed.” The former star of Office Space began by sharing his insights with me:
I’ve always appreciated how skillfully his character was introduced. It felt organic for a newcomer in a long-running show when the lead character is departing. They managed it gracefully; it wasn’t like a fresh face just knocked on the door and announced himself as the new guy. Instead, he was already part of the group, but not yet fully acquainted with them. As I got to know the team better, I realized that he was quite distinct from Gibbs.
In brief, FBI agent Alden Parker made his entrance on the NCIS stage, encountering Leroy Jethro Gibbs during an investigation into Paul LaMere, who explosively damaged Gibbs’ boat while he was aboard. Ultimately, Gibbs, Parker, and the principal NCIS characters managed to gather enough proof to arrest LaMere’s superior, despite Parker being dismissed from the FBI for failing to apprehend Gibbs as instructed. Following Gibbs’ decision to remain in Naktok Bay, Alaska, Parker opted to join NCIS, assuming the role of team leader that had previously been held by Gibbs.
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As a film enthusiast, I can say that introducing Parker during the gradual exit of Harmon made for a more seamless transition compared to if Parker had appeared right after Harmon’s final bow. It also didn’t take long to notice that Parker’s leadership approach was starkly different from Gibbs’, as Gary Cole pointed out.
He didn’t identify as a leader; it was more of a role to him. However, in certain situations where leadership was needed, he stepped up. Yet, he seldom took on this role, and when he did, it was subtly done, as portrayed by the writers.
Later on, Cole shared an illustrative instance from one of his initial NCIS episodes, where Alden Parker admitted that it felt strange to all, even Parker himself, that Gibbs was no longer present. The actor explained this scenario in detail.
In my opinion, there was likely an episode, perhaps it was two episodes following Mark’s departure, where there was a typical squad room scene involving us discussing the identity of the villain, my plans, and our locations. During this discussion, Parker interjected, ‘I understand this feels strange. I understand you had someone here for a while, and I feel odd too,’ essentially acknowledging that although this situation is different from what we’re accustomed to, we must all adapt to the change.
Hi there, let’s tackle the obvious subject before we wrap up, shall we? Gary Cole seemed quite open to this, concluding this part of our conversation with that remark.
I really liked it, because it was both amusing and authentic – it accurately depicted what happened. Over time, we grew as a team. Each actor I collaborated with had something relatable that I could connect to, and I hope they felt the same way about me too.
It appears Gary Cole’s career is thriving as he enters his fifth season on NCIS. However, while Cole continues to enjoy his role on CBS, the character Alden Parker is currently struggling due to recent events. Furthermore, the enigma surrounding a girl from Parker’s past named Lily, which was initiated in the Season 21 finale, remains unsolved.
It’s clear that Parker has a busy time ahead in NCIS Season 23, and we’ll make sure to keep you updated about him and the rest of the main cast once the new episodes begin. In the meantime, fans eagerly waiting for Leroy Jethro Gibbs should check out Austin Stowell portraying a younger version of the character in NCIS: Origins, which is set to return for Season 2.
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2025-05-14 23:15