In only a week, the long-running NCIS franchise is increasing into worldwide waters. NCIS: Sydney is heading to CBS this month, which is a prospect that is certain to excite followers. Headed by Olivia Swann and Todd Lasance, the sequence will see a staff of U.S. NCIS Brokers forming a job drive with the Australian Federal Police as they examine naval crimes within the titular metropolis. In fact, a contemporary crop of characters needed to be developed for the procedural, and its showrunner simply spoke about crafting a forensic scientist that does not really feel too much like Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto.
That is the fifth sequence within the franchise, and every of the applications function distinctive rosters of characters. On that notice, it is simple to think about that the writers and producers may run into challenges on the subject of maintaining stated people distinct. In an interview with TV Insider, Sydney showrunner Morgan O’Neill what followers can anticipate from the present’s main gamers. Amid that, he additionally weighed in on how he and his staff sought to not replicate the flagship present’s iconic Abby by one of many new faces:
The problem while you’re creating one other iteration of such a well-known franchise is that you just don’t wish to repeat characters. You don’t wish to simply take the cookie-cutter model of one thing and make it your personal. And on the subject of a personality just like the forensic scientist in a present like this, folks go so shortly to the character of Abby [Pauley Perrette] as a result of she’s so iconic. She form of outlined that function. We wished to guarantee that we weren’t replicating that.
Sciuto undoubtedly introduced numerous life to the OG present, and all of that was due to Pauley Perrette’s spirited efficiency. Whereas Perrette in the end left the present throughout Season 15 resulting from some on-set points and remains to be missed. It’s onerous to copy that very same form of magic she had and arguably much more troublesome to keep away from copying it. On the subject of the solid of NCIS: Sydney, the character who suits Abby’s mildew is Bluebird Gleeson. Fortunately, Morgan O’Neill and co. have been capable of finding methods to make her distinctive:
Then we discovered Mavournee Hazel, who performs Bluebird Gleeson, who’s out of her depth. She has full imposter syndrome, like she shouldn’t be there. She’s too younger, she’s too inexperienced. She’s carrying a complete bunch of actually uncommon, attention-grabbing backstory that we’ll peel away because the seasons go on. However she’s extremely good at her job. She’s form of socially awkward. I simply discovered the mix of all these issues made her really feel very actual to me. I’ve labored with lots of people who work on this planet of science, and she or he simply felt like she resonated that sense of mental energy and social awkwardness, which I cherished.
I am thrilling to see how the writers and producers dig into these characters and make us really feel for them. It looks like the staff has actually labored onerous at making the sequence totally different from its predecessors. That is admirable, as engaged on a brand new sequence for a franchise that has been round for 20 years isn’t any simple feat. I will give them the good thing about the doubt, although, and look ahead to seeing what Mavournee Hazel brings to Bluebird.
Like its predecessors, Sydney will nonetheless reference the opposite exhibits sometimes. Whereas it could be onerous to do crossovers with the sequence filming and happening in a distinct continent, I am hopeful they will occur. Such occasions wouldn’t solely be enjoyable for funs however would additionally assist Morgan O’Neill and his staff really present simply how his characters distinction from the likes of Abby Sciuto, Leroy Jethro Gibbs and extra.
NCIS: Sydney premieres Tuesday, November 14 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS! Episodes can even be streaming the next day for these with a Paramount+ subscription. Be sure you try the 2023 TV schedule to see what else to catch for the rest of the 12 months.
