The countdown to the return of NCIS is almost over, and Season 24 is already giving fans plenty to talk about. The long-running CBS drama is coming back with familiar faces, unresolved storylines, a major returning character, and now another intriguing casting detail that could add a very different emotional layer to the new season. According to a recent preview, NCIS Season 24 is preparing to introduce a special guest star in a role that could become more important than a typical one-episode appearance.
The news arrives just days before the Season 24 premiere, making the timing especially interesting. CBS has confirmed that the new season begins Tuesday, October 6, at 8/7c, with the premiere episode titled “Wayward Son.” The episode will pick up after the dramatic Season 23 finale while also bringing Michael Weatherly back as Tony DiNozzo.
For a series that has been on television for more than two decades, guest stars are nothing unusual. NCIS has repeatedly used familiar actors to introduce new suspects, government officials, relatives, former colleagues and characters connected to the team’s complicated history. But Season 24 appears to be approaching its guest appearances with an additional sense of purpose. One newly teased guest role is reportedly connected to a family member of one of the show’s central characters, while another casting tease points toward a recognizable star from an iconic television series of the 1980s.
That combination has naturally created questions about who the actor could be, which character they will play, and how long the storyline might last. At this point, not every detail has been officially revealed, so there is still a line between what CBS has confirmed and what television outlets are reporting or fans are speculating about. But there is already enough information to make this one of the more intriguing casting stories surrounding the new season.
A Major New Chapter for NCIS Season 24
Season 24 arrives after a finale that left the team facing serious personal and professional consequences. The Season 23 ending placed Timothy McGee’s family at the center of a dangerous situation after Torres confronted McGee’s son, Mateo, over his secret access to an NCIS computer. The consequences of that confrontation will be part of the opening story when the series returns.
CBS’s official description for the premiere reveals that the team will also investigate a mysterious new threat involving the Secretary of the Navy. At the same time, Tony DiNozzo arrives back in Washington, D.C., creating another unexpected connection between the current team and the show’s earlier years.
That means the Season 24 premiere is already carrying several storylines at once. The team has to deal with the fallout surrounding McGee’s son, investigate a potentially serious threat, and adjust to the sudden presence of Tony, who has been away from the Washington team for years.
The return of Tony is especially significant because Michael Weatherly spent 13 seasons playing the character and appeared in more than 300 episodes before leaving the original series in 2016. CBS has announced that Weatherly will be part of a season-long arc, rather than simply making a brief one-episode cameo.
That already gives Season 24 a strong connection to the history of NCIS. The possibility of another major guest star adds yet another layer.
The Special Guest Star Mystery
The most interesting part of the new casting tease is that the identity of the special guest star has not been completely revealed.
A recent report from Hidden Remote noted that a preview for Season 24 teased a cameo involving a well-known actor from a television show of the 1980s. Showrunner Steven D. Binder reportedly described the series as one that was among his favorites and suggested that it was also beloved by many other viewers from that era.
That description leaves plenty of room for possibilities, but it does not establish a specific identity. Until CBS or the actor confirms the casting, it is better to treat the identity as an unresolved mystery rather than presenting one particular name as fact.
What is more interesting is the description of the role itself. The guest appearance is reportedly expected to fit into the story in a “really nice, heartfelt way,” suggesting that this may not simply be another mystery-of-the-week character.
For NCIS, that could mean a character connected to someone’s personal history rather than the investigation itself. The show has always balanced procedural cases with relationships between its characters, and family stories can provide an opportunity to explore sides of the team that viewers rarely see during a standard case.
Could the Guest Star Be Playing a Family Member?
One of the most intriguing pieces of information surrounding the new season is the tease that viewers will meet a family member of one of the main characters.
The identity of that family member has not been officially revealed in the available information, which makes the casting announcement particularly interesting. The guest star could potentially introduce a new dimension to one of the team’s established characters without changing the show’s central procedural format.
Family members can also create stories that cannot be solved simply by collecting evidence or interrogating suspects. When an investigation becomes personal, the agents have to confront their own history, loyalties and vulnerabilities.
That possibility fits naturally with the direction of Season 24. McGee is already dealing with a storyline involving his son, while Torres remains closely connected to the consequences of his confrontation with Mateo. Meanwhile, Jessica Knight, Nick Torres, Timothy McGee and Alden Parker each have personal histories that the series can explore beyond their work inside the NCIS office.
Because CBS has not identified the character connected to the teased family member, fans will have to wait for the episodes themselves before knowing exactly where the storyline leads.
Michael Weatherly’s Return Changes the Dynamic
Even before the mysterious guest star enters the picture, Tony DiNozzo is already one of the biggest stories of Season 24.
Michael Weatherly’s return is not simply a nostalgic appearance. CBS says Tony has arrived in Washington to establish a satellite office for his private security company, creating a practical reason for him to cross paths with the current NCIS team. In the Season 24 premiere, the team will receive help from Tony while investigating the threat to the Secretary of the Navy.
That setup allows the writers to bring Tony back without simply recreating the old NCIS team.
Tony is no longer the same character viewers knew during the early seasons. Years have passed since he worked alongside Gibbs, McGee and the rest of the original team. His life has changed, and his experiences with Ziva and their daughter have given the character a different perspective.
His return therefore creates two parallel stories. On one level, viewers get the familiar Tony DiNozzo energy that helped define the show’s early years. On another, the current team has to interact with someone who belongs to NCIS history but is no longer part of the everyday operation of the agency.
That distinction could become particularly important if other guest characters are introduced during the season.
Torres Has Another Complicated Story Ahead
Another major storyline waiting for Season 24 involves Nick Torres.
The Season 23 finale left Torres and McGee’s family in an extremely tense situation. CBS’s Season 24 premiere description confirms that the team will still be dealing with the fallout from the shooting involving McGee’s son.
Torres has always been one of the more emotionally guarded members of the team. His undercover background and personal history have shaped the way he approaches cases and relationships. The events of the finale place him in a particularly difficult position because the consequences are no longer limited to his professional life.
The new season therefore has an opportunity to explore what happens after the immediate danger ends. Even if the central incident is resolved quickly, the relationships affected by it may take considerably longer to recover.
That is where a guest character could become useful. A family member, former colleague or person from a character’s past can force an established member of the team to confront something they might otherwise avoid.
Mike O’Malley Is Also Joining the Story
The mysterious 1980s connection is not the only guest casting news surrounding Season 24.
Hidden Remote reports that Mike O’Malley will appear in Episode 3 as Walt Keller, a former handler connected to Torres. According to the report, Torres turns to Keller after someone uses his former undercover identity as part of a murder scheme.
That storyline sounds particularly suited to Torres because it reaches back into the character’s undercover past.
Unlike a guest character who simply appears as a witness or suspect, a former handler has an established relationship with an NCIS agent. That means the episode can potentially reveal more about Torres’s history while also advancing the present-day investigation.
It also reinforces a broader pattern for Season 24: the writers appear interested in using characters from the team’s past to complicate the present.
Why Guest Stars Matter on a Show Like NCIS
After 23 seasons, introducing new characters can be difficult. The audience already knows the main cast, understands the team’s routines and recognizes the basic structure of a typical episode.
Guest stars provide a way to disrupt that familiarity.
A new character can challenge an established agent, expose a hidden part of their history, introduce a family connection or bring information that the regular team does not possess. In some cases, the guest character can also provide emotional contrast with the main cast.
For Season 24, this could be particularly useful because the show is simultaneously balancing its current characters with a major returning figure from its past.
Tony’s presence gives the season a nostalgic element, while the new guest characters can help keep the storytelling moving forward rather than simply looking backward.
That balance may be one of the most important aspects of the upcoming episodes.
The 1980s Connection Has Fans Asking Questions
The tease involving an actor from an iconic 1980s television series is perhaps the most mysterious element of the story.
There are countless possibilities when it comes to beloved television series from that decade, and the description alone is not enough to identify the actor with certainty. The fact that the showrunner apparently singled out the series as one of his favorites makes the casting sound personal as well as professional.
It also creates the kind of mystery that NCIS fans naturally enjoy.
The franchise has spent years bringing back familiar faces, connecting characters across generations and using recognizable actors in unexpected roles. A guest appearance from a performer strongly associated with an iconic 1980s series could become one of those small moments that viewers remember long after the episode ends.
Whether the appearance lasts one episode or becomes something larger remains unclear.
What Fans Can Expect From the Season 24 Premiere
The first episode, “Wayward Son,” is scheduled to air Tuesday, October 6, at 8/7c on CBS. It will also be available through Paramount+, with availability depending on the subscriber plan.
The official synopsis gives viewers three major pieces of information. The team is dealing with the fallout involving McGee’s son, a mysterious threat involving the Secretary of the Navy becomes the central investigation, and Tony DiNozzo returns to Washington to establish a satellite office for his private security company.
That is already a crowded premiere.
It also means that the mysterious guest-star storyline may be part of a broader season-long strategy rather than the central focus of the opening episode. Some casting revelations may not become clear until later installments.
For viewers, that could make the early episodes particularly interesting because several separate threads are being established at the same time.
A Season Built Around the Past and Present
Perhaps the clearest theme emerging from the early Season 24 information is the collision between the past and the present.
Tony DiNozzo represents the show’s history. He was one of its defining characters for more than a decade, and his return naturally brings memories of the original NCIS era.
Walt Keller represents another kind of past: Torres’s undercover career and the professional relationships that existed before he became the agent viewers know today.
The mystery guest star may represent yet another version of that idea, particularly if the role connects to the family history of one of the current characters.
At the same time, the season is not abandoning the present. Parker, McGee, Torres, Knight, Palmer and Kasie remain at the center of the series, while the premiere introduces a new threat involving the Secretary of the Navy.
That combination gives the upcoming season a structure in which familiar elements can coexist with new stories.
The Return of NCIS Is Almost Here
With Season 24 arriving on October 6, the waiting period is nearly over. CBS has confirmed the return date, the central cast and Michael Weatherly’s involvement, while additional previews have started to reveal more about the guest characters who will appear throughout the season.
The biggest unanswered question remains the identity of the special guest star connected to the teased family storyline and the possible 1980s television connection. At the moment, those details remain limited, and fans should be cautious about treating online speculation as confirmed casting news.
What is confirmed is already enough to make the new season a significant one for the franchise.
Tony DiNozzo is back. Torres has unfinished business. McGee and his family are dealing with the consequences of the Season 23 finale. The team faces a new threat against the Secretary of the Navy. And additional guest characters are waiting in the wings.
That gives NCIS Season 24 plenty of material to work with from the very beginning.
The special guest star may ultimately appear in only one chapter of that larger story, or the character could become an important part of a more emotional storyline. Until CBS reveals more, the exact role remains a mystery.
But with the premiere just days away, viewers will not have to wait much longer.
NCIS Season 24 premieres Tuesday, October 6, at 8/7c on CBS, with new episodes also available through Paramount+ according to the official CBS/Paramount information.