NCIS Star Teases Major Shakeups — Could a Beloved Character Be Killed Off After the Season 23 Finale?

If you thought the latest NCIS finale was a bit much — yes, that hail of gunfire in the alley — you weren’t alone. Even the cast seem only half in the loop about what on earth is happening next. Wilmer Valderrama, who’s been carrying the badge as Nick Torres for several years now, has spoken up about where things stand for Season 24, and the answer is: even more chaos, possible death, and a few faces you’ll need to Google when the episodes drop.

The gunshots at the end? Someone actually gets hit

First things first. We left Season 23 with Torres and Mateo (Patrick Keleher) dodging bullets in a shadowy alley. Loads of noise, cut to black — one of those classic cliffhangers where the writers hope you’ll stew for months. If you thought nobody actually catches a bullet in this sort of scene, think again.

Valderrama confirmed in a recent chat at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival that yes, the gunshots do find their mark. Here’s the twist: even the actors don’t seem to know which poor character ends up in A&E. The writers are apparently still trying to work it out themselves. Valderrama put it bluntly:

'To be honest, I don’t think we figured that one out yet. I don’t think we have an idea yet. I asked, "What do we want from it?"'

But for anyone hoping things will wrap up neatly for all involved, brace yourself – somebody does get shot, and, in his words, 'people might not like it.'

NCIS likes to remind fans they’re still breathing

The show’s been running for over two decades, and there’s a particular formula: peaceful times, then a good old shakeup just to keep everyone on their toes. Valderrama is upfront about that playbook, saying:

'Every couple of years, you guys know NCIS has to make sure you’re watching. So we shake up the TV a little bit, and we listen. We listen to where you, as fans, want to see us do. So we always really pay attention to what our fans want to really experience on the show.'

Season 24: Who’s new, who’s gone, and will Torres survive?

• Big changes ahead: Valderrama says you should expect 'major, major shakeup' next season. That’s not just idle chat — we’re talking cast turnover, new characters joining, and possibly one or two fan favourites biting the dust.
• New additions: There’ll be some fresh faces about, though none named publicly yet — just enough to stir the pot and get fans speculating.
• Trouble for Torres? Valderrama admitted that even he can only 'hope that he makes it out alive.' Not exactly reassuring if you’re attached to his character, but it’s the sort of teasing that keeps NCIS’s audience spinning up endless theories over the summer months.

For those hoping the NCIS writers are working from some masterplan, it turns out it may be more ‘make it up as we go’ than meticulous plotting. One thing is clear: don’t get too comfortable if you’re attached to anyone on this show.