Brian Dietzen Reveals How David McCallum’s Death Transformed NCIS Season 21
NCIS star Brian Dietzen has shared how David McCallum’s passing profoundly impacted Season 21. McCallum, who played Ducky, died at 90 just as plans for the new season were underway. In response, the show created a special episode, “The Stories We Leave Behind,” to honor his legacy.
Dietzen, who plays Dr. Jimmy Palmer, co-wrote the tribute episode with Scott Williams. Originally, he wasn’t scheduled to write for the season due to the WGA and SAG strikes, but McCallum’s death changed that.
Dietzen explained to TVLine that he was initially not going to be involved in writing due to the abbreviated 10-episode season. However, when McCallum passed, Williams suggested that Dietzen co-write the episode to pay proper tribute. The team agreed, and Dietzen gladly accepted.
The episode will focus on how Jimmy deals with Ducky’s death, including the poignant detail that Jimmy was the one who discovered Ducky’s body. “It made sense to tell a lot of the story through Jimmy’s eyes,” Dietzen said. He and Williams aimed to honor Ducky’s relationships not just with the current NCIS team but also with past team members.
“The Stories We Leave Behind” will air on Monday, February 19. NCIS Season 21 premieres on February 12, with previous seasons available for streaming on Disney+ in the UK.
