NCIS: Jennifer Esposito Set as New Series Regular as [Spoiler] Exits
Jennifer Esposito is eyeing a return to the CBS procedural fold via NCIS.
Sources confirm to TVLine that the Blue Bloods alum is joining Season 14 of TV’s most-watched drama in the series-regular role of Special Agent Alexandra “Alex” Quinn. An experienced NCIS agent who left field work and became an instructor at the Law Enforcement Training Center, Quinn is lured by Gibbs (Mark Harmon) back into the field as part of his team, where he will take advantage of her sharp wit, quick mind and immense talent as a federal agent.
Meanwhile, TVLine has confirmed that Sarah Clarke — who boarded the CBS juggernaut last season in the recurring role of Special Agent Tess Monroe — will not be returning.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Jennifer Esposito joining us for Season 14,” said EP Gary Glasberg in a statement. “She embodies everything that we hoped for in the character of Quinn and we can’t wait to have her come be a part of our team.”
Esposito — who most recently co-starred in ABC’s Mistresses — marks NCIS‘ latest significant Season 14 move, following last month’s casting of Wilmer Valderrama (also as a series regular) and this week’s promotion of Duane Henry (Officer Reeves). This comes as NCIS heads into its first season without Michael Weatherly, whose 13-year run on the CBS juggernaut ended with last month’s Season 13 finale.
NCIS kicks off its 14th season on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8/7c.
Good to have her back. I still miss her in Blue Bloods.
Me too!!! I always thought it was a bad move to replace her in blue bloods. I’m so excited she will be joining my favorite show. Her strength of character will make for a lot of fun in the upcoming season(and yes I will miss Weatherly)
Yes, it’s good to have her back on the air, and I, too, miss her in Blue Bloods. I might even start watching NCIS!
She (Jennifer Esposito)is as bad as it can get, we do not watch NCIC anymore because of her
I totally agree with you Lucy and Ron-Jennifer Esposito has no place on this show. I don’t know if it’s the way her character is written (don’t suspect this is it) It’s something about the way Esposito plays Alex Quinn-I want to quit watching too. She hasn’t the “intelligence and wit” producers were hoping she would bring. She comes across as an opportunist. Please replace her; I used to like this show SO MUCH!
Happy for Duane and Jennifer but why exactly do they need three new regulars to replace Michael?
To offset Michael Waverly’s departure. I’m glad of the changes its about time. The new changes will bring a freshness to the series,there are only so many storylines u,can involved the series regulars.
Because he was awesome!!!!
Remember SVU, the first year without Meloni? They had to bring in two characters to fill his void.
Frankly, 2 would have been enough. I thought Sarah Clarke had a real chance of staying. I had a feeling the English guy, Duane Henry would also stay. But adding Valderrama really came out of left field. I know we’re going to miss Michael Weatherly’s comedic presence, but I don’t think adding another comedian is going to help.
I don’t know why but I keep thinking they will kill one of the 3 newbies off during one of the 3 sweeps. 3 new agents seems like a lot.
Probably because they can? These guys are making newbie regular salaries versus Weatherly’s ending pay. They can afford to pay these salaries. It’s an investment in finding the best fit for one of their strongest brands. Math, baby! ;)
Duane is an excellent addition to the show-durn, he’s good. Jennifer E. brings nothing, unless you need a flatliner.
Darn, I really like Sarah Clarke.
Makes her available for more work in Bosch.
I thought she was in Denmark dodging a lawsuit?!
Only if you get your news from discredited gossip sites. Or Fox “News”.
The whole Denmark story was bogus. She posted live video from her store in Manhattan to prove it. Fox News had picked it up from Page Six and broadcast it without doing proper fact checking.
Big surprise. Fact checking is not in Fox News vocabulary.
Or any other media outlet either.
Just as long as she does NOT return to Mistresses!
It’s what websites do these days. Very few of them have actual reporters. They just see what other sites post and then they repost it themselves. It’s all about chasing clicks.
+125 TVLine Power User points (no cash value)
Yep, that Denmark nonsense was a steaming pile of hooey.
I’m good with this. But please, have her drop the NY accent she had in Blue Bloods. It’s annoying. I know it’s real. She’s from Staten Island. And I’m from Brooklyn. It’s still annoying. :)
I guess everything is relative. My mother is from Long Island, and Jennifer’s accent always reminds me of that side of my family. I didn’t mind Sarah Chalke, but I’m happy at the casting of Jennifer.
*Clarke, not Chalke
No Sleep `Till Brooklyn!
Wow! I wonder what’s going to happen to the rest of the cast? Not a lot of screen time for the long timers.
Three new full time characters to replace one seems a little extreme or paranoid.
It’s possible that the long timers actually want a bit less screen time. They work long days during the season (although not as much as when Bellisario was in charge). Could be they wanted easier work weeks. So, it might not make the fans happy, but if it makes them happy, I’m cool with it.
The casting of Jennifer Esposito on NCIS is worth a shot and I’m disappointed about Sarah Clarke exiting the show after her recurring stint last season.
You know that the character will have turned out to be a mole for some international crime organization.. She’ll always be ultimately bad based on her Nina role in 24. sorry for the typecast.. ha ha
She was good on Nikita.
Bosch getting renewed for a 3rd season might have affected the option they had on her
As long as Fez is still on the show, I won’t be watching.
I like her very very much, more than Tessa, maybe because she was Bella’s mother in Twilight i can not take her seriously anymore
Not surprised Sarah Clarke didn’t make the cut as the overall response to her was not good. While some liked her, most didn’t but I agree that three new cast members does seem a little much. What are McGee and Bishop going to do? Although Sean Murray used to work a lot less days but stepped up after Cote De Pablo left so maybe he wants to go back to what he used to do.
I don’t know why it is that people think the majority of tv watchers comment on the internet. Majority does not go to any of these sites. Out of all the millions that watch, not even 10,000 comment.
After the Blue Bloods fallout I’m surprised she’s back. Now time to wait for the first yahoo to bad mouth the show because like she-who-must-not-be-named Esposito is of hispanic decent.
Jennifer Esposito is Italian American, so not hispanic.
Plus Jen had anxiety issues on Blue Bloods per reports. Good blend per episode 4 all 3 can work 4 the show if any don’t be featured as Tony ‘star’ replacement…
I thought she had a “disease” that kept her from working long hours… I guess that got magically cured, although I’m surprised to see her on another CBS show given how she parted ways with Blue Bloods, which, by the way, has been better without her.
I think she has celiac disease (glutton intolerance). Maybe she was trying to get a handle on it while working the long hours at Blue Bloods. Hopefully she’s ok with it now.
Plus she opened a bakery dedicated to gluten free foods, so she now has, hopefully, a direct line on food she can eat. Taking care of what you eat while working long hours can be rough. I know plenty of vegans who do production work in Vancouver who’ve had to cheat more than a little just due to what’s available and what’s not, and in their cases their diet was optional. Someone with Celiac eats gluten like a hundred things can happen, some of them pretty darn bad.
glutton intolerance? how about GLUTEN. jackass
It was an auto-correct mistake, bud, lighten up!
The cast is much bigger on NCIS too, she might not need to work as long of hours as she did as Blue Bloods.
But is it a juggernaut? I don’t think you used the word juggernaut enough. Juggernaut. Juggernaut juggernaut juggernaut. There.
Yes Abby…LOL
They must have done a background check on Tess and discovered she was a mole.
Is there another descriptive for NCIS aside from “juggernaut”?
‘One of two show remaining from the early 2000’s’
Overpowering force of a show.
But really it’s the longest remaining most watched drama on tv so juggernaut it is.
David apparently you favor Fox News as does millions,by chance do you work for MSNBC OR CNN[CLINTON NEWS NETWORK]
It’s good to know she is back. She was always on of my favorites. I didn’t like the part that Sarah Clark played. I don’t know if it was her or the writers. But it wasn’t a fit made in heaven. Jennifer probably will be. Very happy
Loved her on blue bloods, glad to see her back, and on 1 of my favorite shows
I am glad to see Jennifer back. I’ve been going through Blue Bloods in syndication and I prefer her episodes over the later ones. I didn’t like Sarah Clarke much. She could pull off the tough, experienced agent fine, but they tried to make her sexy too, which didn’t seem right at all. I am not too sure about Duane Henry. His accent was a little too heavy sometimes and I think they were trying to make him sarcastic, like early-Tony. We’ll see how they all fit.
KLS,have you ever watched ION Television on Thursdays,they run Blue Bloods episodes all day ( from 11:00 AM until midnight Eastern Time )
Yes. ION is where I am catching up. I get a little annoyed that they skip episodes, but I get over it fast. Thanks!
I watch very little television unless it hits the spot-NCIS has been on the list since the beginning. All transitions over the years have “worked.” Adding Duane Henry works; Writers have developed a character with just enough mystery balanced with insight into his innards and he plays the strengths with the vulnerabilities well. If any casting and writers have gotten it right it’s those of NCIS. First mistake was Esposito. She brings nothing in terms of the strength of other female characters; Viewers are waiting for her to flip her hair during an interrogation. She’s not a Jenny, Kate, Ziva or Ellie. JE has not the ability to come across with an identity that one wants to learn from, emulate, or even understand what other NCIS team members value about her “skills.”
Nooooooooooo! Please say it’s not true! I don’t like this news at all. :-(
Agreed. Not a fan. Was hoping to get back into the show once ‘Tony’ was gone (he was so irritating [character, not actor]) but now I don’t think I will. Hated her acting on Blue Bloods {mind you, I don’t like the woman who replaced her either}.
Bishop is the next next NCIS agent to get off that is why they need three to replace Micheal. My wife and I both have had enough of NCIS. No longer a fan and will not watch
Oh, we are all so heartbroken to lose you…said no one ever. So, since you are no longer a fan and aren’t watching, we won’t be seeing any of your pithy comments either–right?
Good shot
oh touche!
No loss! Love Jennifer Esposito. Was struggling with symptoms of Celiac Disease which took long painful diagnosis. Read her enlightening book and Facebook Page. Great Bakery for Celiac on line I know I have Celiac disease An Autoimmune disease and GLUTEN is not the only thing to avoid Educate yourself!!!She went through alot of pain and misdiagnosis
We loved her on Blue Bloods, and were sorry to see her leave this successful show. So, we are really glad to see her resurface. And on Blue Bloods….this is great! Wish her the best of luck in pulling off this great coup! Hard shoes to fill, but she is the one who can do it!
Not to excited over this. Hated her in Mistresses, liked her in Blue Bloods until she claimed discrimination. That did it for me.
I don’t know, CBS seemingly has a pattern of not treating actresses well. Criminal Minds, CSI, come to mind. Fan favorites were let go. Only the parties involved know the truth, but since they caved on PERSON OF INTEREST, I’m getting annoyed with CBS in general. And I know having an employee with a chronic health problem (Ms. Esposito?) is a challenge, and sometimes not possible to accommodate. Just wish there were more rumors of ‘good manners’ in the handling, instead of what we get.
I’m sorry her not wanting to die or suffer ongoing health problems due to the simple but surprisingly complicated matter of getting food that won’t screw her up to set offends you.
It wasn’t discrimination in the sense of her being a woman. They didn’t like that she wouldn’t be able to work the long hours. When you find out you have a disease & need to get a handle on it, it kind of takes time. I know of a radio personality that had to take 2 years off. I understand her view as well CBS being a business. But it’s not like she could do anything else about it.
This such overkill……..they are ruining the show!!
Yeah yes Jennifer will bring it!!I love her,she’s an amazing actress,she’s so sultry. She got a bad deal when she took ill,with her celiac disorder. Good for her,I’m excited for her return,to a dramatic series.