I think it’s possible for you to see that camaraderie and the comfort and familiarity.
It comes through to viewers.
I think everyone’s pretty damn proud of what we put together.
Brian Dietzen on ‘NCIS’.Sonja Flemming/CBS
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Congratulations on the 1,000th episode!
How does it feel to be a part of that legacy?
BRIAN DIETZEN:Oh, my gosh, think about 1,000 episodes.
Brian Dietzen on ‘NCIS’.Michael Yarish/CBS
That’s some pretty rare stuff.
So yeah, it’s incredible.
It’s definitely some pinch me pop in of stuff.
Well, I’d love to talk aboutthe episode itself.
Let me start by saying, poor Leon Vance [Rocky Carroll].
And, you know, you couldn’t get a better actor than Rocky Carroll to play him.
I just love watching Rocky Carroll.
I could listen to him read out of a phone book.
It’s always an absolute pleasure to have a story where Vance is a central character.
The episode throws it way, way back.
How important was it for everyone involved in the show to honor the deepest of those deep roots?
Well, I think youve got to honor everything.
There are a lot of people.
The ending, it just got me.
You know, the stuff that madeNCISwhat it is for two decades.
And you’re reminded that this is how we got here.
Yeah, it definitely got me.
I would love to talk about the evolution of Jimmy Palmer over 20 seasons.
What is it like as an actor to embody a character whos growing professionally and personally over two decades?
It’s really interesting.
Obviously, it’s not something that’s generally done in most actors careers, you know?
We grow and change.
Its been a delightful challenge to play.
And its not just me accepting that challenge.
Its definitely a group effort.
Yes, we all saw this coming.
From season 1, the assistant to Donald Mallard, we were like, That guy.
That kid right there.
The guy with the Harry Potter glasses.
That’s the guy that’s gonna have the lead romantic relationship.
]No, of course not.
That was never a thing.
Do you see that as an important component to a show with as much action asNCISgenerally has?
I think it’s vital.
But thats what makes our showgo.Those things complement each other really well.
Like when Vance falls to the ground and hes been shot [in A Thousand Yards].
Thats not something you saw coming.
What is it what is it that made you want to include writing in your arsenal of skills?
I’ve always loved writing, and I have a huge appreciation for our writers and what they do.
This show is not an easy show to write.
So I teamed up with Scott Williams for The Helpers and we just went with it.
I wanted that optimism, that thing thatNCISdoes so well, which is people looking after their own.
I was really happy with the way that it turned out.
And I was happy that I got to write again, two more times in the next three years.
Well write this thing as a team.
I have to say, those glasses did a lot of work for a long time.
But it’s great.
People don’t stop you because they hate your show.
People only stop you because they like it.
So it’s really been nice.
What can you tell us about whats in store for the rest of this season?
There’s plenty in store there.
It’s only a 10-episode season, right?
Having read it, I can’t wait to see what Gary does with the material.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
NCISairs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
