# NCIS season 12

The twelfth season of the police procedural drama NCIS premiered on September 23, 2014, in the same time slot as in the previous seasons, Tuesdays at 8 pm. This is the first season in which NCIS: Los Angeles did not air after NCIS. This season, NCIS: New Orleans aired after NCIS. The entire season eleven cast renewed their contracts and returned for the new season. The premiere episode aired on September 23, 2014 and was seen by 18.23 million people.
The main antagonist of the season is Sergei Mishnev, played by Alex Veadov. This character first appears in the premiere episode "Twenty Klicks". In episode four, "Choke Hold", one of Sergei's associates is sent to the United States to kill a Russian scientist who refused to work with him. Anton Pavlenko (previously seen in "Twenty Klicks"), portrayed by Lev Gorn, a Russian counselor, reappears in this episode. Veadov returns as Sergei in "Check" where he "gets personal" with Gibbs by killing Gibbs' ex-wife Diane in the same way that Caitlin Todd was killed, stalking Rebecca, another of Gibbs' ex-wives, and staging murders mimicking the deaths of Mike Franks and Jenny Shepard. Sergei returns again in "Cabin Fever", where he is killed by Tobias Fornell, who was also married to Diane at one point and who was dealing with intense grief and depression following Diane's murder. It is revealed that Sergei and Ari Haswari are half brothers from Ari's mother, whereas Ari and Ziva David were half brother and sister from their father, Eli David.

## Cast
### Main

* Mark Harmon as Leroy Jethro Gibbs, NCIS Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) of the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) assigned to Washington's Navy Yard
* Michael Weatherly as Anthony DiNozzo, NCIS Senior Special Agent, Second in Command of MCRT
* Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto, Forensic Specialist for NCIS
* Sean Murray as Timothy McGee, NCIS Special Agent
* Brian Dietzen as Jimmy Palmer, Assistant Medical Examiner for NCIS
* Emily Wickersham as Eleanor "Ellie" Bishop, NCIS Probationary Special Agent
* Rocky Carroll as Leon Vance, NCIS Director
* David McCallum as Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard, Chief Medical Examiner for NCIS

### Recurring

* Alan Dale as Thomas Morrow, Homeland Security Section Chief and former NCIS Director
* Joe Spano as Tobias Fornell, FBI Senior Special Agent
* Adam Campbell as young Donald Mallard
* Salli Richardson-Whitfield as Carrie Clark, former FBI Special Agent, turned criminal attorney
* Susanna Thompson as Hollis Mann, DoD Special Agent, Gibbs' former girlfriend and former Army CID Special Agent
* Robert Wagner as Anthony Di Nozzo, Sr., Tony's father
* Michelle Pierce as Breena Palmer, Jimmy Palmer's wife
* Tamer Hassan as Agah Bayar, NCIS target
* Diane Neal as Abigail Borin, CGIS Special Agent in Charge
* Kiara Muhammad as Kayla Vance, Leon Vance's daughter
* Melinda McGraw as Diane Sterling, IRS Special Agent and Gibbs' and Fornell's ex-wife
* Matt L. Jones as Ned Dorneget, NCIS Special Agent, Cyber Division
* Leslie Hope as Sarah Porter, Secretary of the Navy
* Margo Harshman as Delilah Fielding, DoD Computer Specialist and McGee's girlfriend
* Juliette Angelo as Emily Fornell, Tobias Fornell's daughter
* Jamie Bamber as Jake Malloy, NSA Attorney and Bishop's husband
* Kent Shocknek as Guy Ross, ZNN news anchor
* Tony Gonzalez as Tony Francis, NCIS Special Agent
* Marisol Nichols as Zoe Keates, ATF Special Agent and DiNozzo's girlfriend
* Rafi Silver as Qasim Naasir, a translator who worked with NCIS
* Mimi Rogers as Joanna Teague, CIA Agent and Ned Dorneget's mother
* Alex Veadov as Sergei Mishnev, NCIS target

### Guest appearances

* Sasha Alexander as Caitlin Todd, deceased NCIS Special Agent who was killed by Ari Haswari
* Jessica Steen as Paula Cassidy, deceased NCIS Senior Special Agent
* Tim Kelleher as Chris Pacci, deceased NCIS Special Agent
* Lauren Holly as Jenny Shepard, deceased NCIS Director
* Muse Watson as Mike Franks, deceased retired Senior Special Agent for NCIS and Gibbs' former boss
* Jeri Ryan as Rebecca Chase, Gibbs third wife and ex-wife #2
* Millie Bobby Brown as Rachel Barnes

## Production

On March 13, 2014, CBS renewed NCIS for this season. On June 11, 2014, at the Cannes Film Festival, NCIS was cited as being the most-watched drama in the world, with 57.6 million viewers worldwide. Gary Glasberg, the executive producer of the show, said, "As NCIS enters its 12th season, we couldn't be happier to learn we're now the #1 drama in the world. It's no secret that determination and teamwork have allowed our cast and crew to continue to deliver a show we're truly proud of. We also know we wouldn’t be here without the support and loyalty of the best fans in television. Thanks to our worldwide audience for helping us start the new season off right." In the first half of July 2014, the cast was given the script for the premiere episode, "Twenty Klicks". Filming began on this episode in the last week of July.

## Episodes

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 259 | 1 | "Twenty Klicks" | Tony Wharmby | Gary Glasberg & Scott Williams | September 23, 2014 (2014-09-23) | 1201 | 18.23 |
| Gibbs and McGee escort an NCIS computer engineer with classified information back to the U.S. from Russia. Things go awry when their transport helicopter is shot down over the wilderness of the Kola Peninsula near the Finnish border. The team back at the NCIS field office in Washington, DC, find themselves having to navigate a diplomatic minefield when the Russian embassy keeps mum on search and rescue efforts and Abby discovers that the helicopter had been shot down with a Russian missile reportedly stolen by a dangerous group of mercenaries with a personal score to settle. ||||||||
| 260 | 2 | "Kill the Messenger" | Dennis Smith | George Schenck & Frank Cardea | September 30, 2014 (2014-09-30) | 1202 | 18.84 |
| A lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy is murdered before his private meeting with the President of the United States. The team investigates to see if he was another unfortunate victim of a criminal streak or intentionally targeted for valuable information. Director Vance receives some devastating news. ||||||||
| 261 | 3 | "So It Goes" | Leslie Libman | Steven D. Binder | October 7, 2014 (2014-10-07) | 1203 | 17.30 |
| Ducky returns to London after a case reveals a connection to his estranged childhood best friend. He is accompanied by Agent Bishop, who helps him interview his friend's family and coworkers. Meanwhile, Ducky recalls the choices he made in the past and the impact they've had on his adult life. ||||||||
| 262 | 4 | "Choke Hold" | Terrence O'Hara | Christopher J. Waild | October 14, 2014 (2014-10-14) | 1204 | 17.26 |
| SECNAV Porter places the NCIS team in a counterterrorism task force after a Russian scientist attempting to defect to the U.S. is found dead. ||||||||
| 263 | 5 | "The San Dominick" | Arvin Brown | Christopher Silber | October 21, 2014 (2014-10-21) | 1205 | 17.13 |
| Special Agent Gibbs and CGIS Agent Borin discover the body of a man who is a missing crew member from a ship that is sixty nautical miles away. Once aboard the ship, Gibbs realizes that it has been commandeered by pirates, but all is not what it seems. ||||||||
| 264 | 6 | "Parental Guidance Suggested" | Thomas J. Wright | Jennifer Corbett | October 28, 2014 (2014-10-28) | 1206 | 17.53 |
| A woman whose Navy SEAL husband's name is on a jihadist hit list has been murdered, and the team must figure out if her death was the result of a terrorist attack or something much more sinister. One of Tony's old friends, ATF Special Agent Zoë Keates, is introduced. ||||||||
| 265 | 7 | "The Searchers" | Tony Wharmby | Gina Lucita Monreal | November 11, 2014 (2014-11-11) | 1207 | 17.49 |
| After the murder of a retired master sergeant, NCIS uncovers a fraudulent charity that preys on those searching for missing military personnel. Meanwhile, Bishop agonizes over her probationary exam results. ||||||||
| 266 | 8 | "Semper Fortis" | Dennis Smith | Matthew R. Jarrett & Scott J. Jarrett | November 18, 2014 (2014-11-18) | 1208 | 18.10 |
| Gibbs looks for a way to clear a former Navy hospital corpsman 3rd Class Anna Dillon (Laura Seay) of charges after she had illegally helped the victims of a hit and run. Abby's relationship with Burt hits the two-month mark. ||||||||
| 267 | 9 | "Grounded" | Bethany Rooney | Scott Williams | November 25, 2014 (2014-11-25) | 1209 | 16.01 |
| While weather worsens outdoors, DiNozzo, Bishop, and her husband, Jake (Jamie Bamber), are stuck at Dulles Airport. Whilst there they end up working on a case involving a terrorist threat. ||||||||
| 268 | 10 | "House Rules" | Terrence O'Hara | Christopher J. Waild | December 16, 2014 (2014-12-16) | 1210 | 17.53 |
| When a DDoS attack crashes the Internet in Washington, DC, NCIS asks for help from three hackers they had previously encountered: Ajay Khan ("Canary"), Kevin Hussein ("Twenty Klicks"), and Heidi Partridge ("Page Not Found"). The case makes McGee think about Gibbs' rules and his strained relationship with his dying father. McGee typewrites a letter to his father, which he places in his father's casket at the end of the episode. Note: Cote de Pablo, Sasha Alexander, Liza Lapira, Muse Watson, Troian Bellisario and Lauren Holly appear in archive footage. ||||||||
| 269 | 11 | "Check" | Alrick Riley | Steven D. Binder | January 6, 2015 (2015-01-06) | 1211 | 19.76 |
| The NCIS team investigate a series of crime scenes that appear to be copycats of previous cases. Surprisingly, two of Gibbs' ex-wives (Diane (Melinda McGraw) and Rebecca (Jeri Ryan)) show up at one of the crime scenes to discuss something important with him. Dire consequences follow. Note: Lauren Holly and Muse Watson appear in archive footage. ||||||||
| 270 | 12 | "The Enemy Within" | James Whitmore Jr. | George Schenck & Frank Cardea | January 13, 2015 (2015-01-13) | 1212 | 19.87 |
| NCIS hunts down a homegrown terrorist after a rescue mission in Syria reveals that an American was involved in the kidnapping of a social worker. McGee and Bishop question Tony's recent habits as ATF Special Agent Zoe Keates returns to work the case and turns out to be his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Tobias Fornell is struggling with the loss of Diane and raising Emily alone. ||||||||
| 271 | 13 | "We Build, We Fight" | Rocky Carroll | Jennifer Corbett | February 3, 2015 (2015-02-03) | 1213 | 18.64 |
| The team's investigation into an officer's death leads to the discovery that he was gay, and the investigation gets Hollis Mann involved when the victim was being considered for the Medal of Honor. Meanwhile, Breena goes into labor and gives birth to a daughter: Victoria Elizabeth Palmer. ||||||||
| 272 | 14 | "Cadence" | Tony Wharmby | Christopher Silber | February 10, 2015 (2015-02-10) | 1214 | 18.77 |
| When a Marine private is found dead, the investigation leads Tony and Bishop to the private's former school (and also Tony's), where they discover some dark secrets lurking in the academy. Bishop and Jake ask Gibbs, Tony, and McGee to dinner. ||||||||
| 273 | 15 | "Cabin Fever" | Bethany Rooney | Scott Williams | February 17, 2015 (2015-02-17) | 1215 | 18.06 |
| When an explosion at a summit for global terror results in the death of a Navy petty officer, the NCIS team investigates. Gibbs later opts to sit out for the duration of the case to help Fornell, who is on the verge of self-destruction following the death of his wife. Eventually, the NCIS team discovers that Sergei Mishnev is the half-brother of deceased terrorist, Ari Haswari. Sergei's regime of terror eventually comes to an end when he is shot dead, this time at Fornell's hands. ||||||||
| 274 | 16 | "Blast from the Past" | Dennis Smith | David J. North | February 24, 2015 (2015-02-24) | 1216 | 17.38 |
| When a murder victim is discovered to have an ID that Gibbs used for undercover operations twenty years earlier, the investigation leads to the discovery that several former undercover IDs have been leaked for use by Serbian intelligence. ||||||||
| 275 | 17 | "The Artful Dodger" | Terrence O'Hara | Gina Lucita Monreal | March 10, 2015 (2015-03-10) | 1217 | 16.22 |
| Following the murder of a lieutenant in an admiral's office, the team's investigation leads them to tracking down a painting that contains a listening device planted by terrorists. Tony's father returns after his fiancee left him and soon joins the case. ||||||||
| 276 | 18 | "Status Update" | Holly Dale | Christopher J. Waild | March 24, 2015 (2015-03-24) | 1218 | 16.23 |
| After a thief is murdered in a Marine's home, the team's investigation leads them to a joint effort with the DOD and Delilah to hunt down a terrorist. ||||||||
| 277 | 19 | "Patience" | Thomas J. Wright | Steven D. Binder | March 31, 2015 (2015-03-31) | 1219 | 16.60 |
| When a supposed petty officer and a woman he is transporting are murdered, the team's investigation leads Gibbs and Tony to bring in McGee and Bishop on a cold case they have been working years on — an unsolved bombing from 1979, and the current case may help them not only prove who was responsible, but where the bomber is. ||||||||
| 278 | 20 | "No Good Deed" | Arvin Brown | George Schenck & Frank Cardea | April 7, 2015 (2015-04-07) | 1220 | 16.85 |
| When a Marine is discovered to have been shot with a weapon gone missing from an ATF sting, NCIS discovers the victim had been pursuing a woman abducted by a rogue ATF informant. Meanwhile, things get complicated with Tony when his father comes back down to meet Zoë. ||||||||
| 279 | 21 | "Lost in Translation" | Tony Wharmby | Jennifer Corbett | April 14, 2015 (2015-04-14) | 1221 | 15.84 |
| After a Marine captain is found tortured and killed, the team's investigation leads them to an Afghani citizen who worked as a translator for the deceased, and his brother who is a ruthless Taliban operative. Bishop's past comes to light when she and Gibbs travel to Afghanistan. ||||||||
| 280 | 22 | "Troll" | Dennis Smith | Scott Williams | April 28, 2015 (2015-04-28) | 1222 | 14.85 |
| When a Navy computer tech officer working for ONI is found dead, her throat having been cut, the team reunites with Ned Dorneget to investigate her computer activity and their investigation soon leads them to a rough intersection with NSA and then to something even bigger. ||||||||
| 281 | 23 | "The Lost Boys" | James Whitmore Jr. | Gina Lucita Monreal | May 5, 2015 (2015-05-05) | 1223 | 14.05 |
| NCIS search for a terrorist organization known as "The Calling," a group that recruits young children and teenagers through the Internet. Note: Lauren Holly and Sasha Alexander appear in CGI footage; Jessica Steen, Tim Kelleher and Muse Watson make cameo appearances. ||||||||
| 282 | 24 | "Neverland" | Tony Wharmby | Gary Glasberg | May 12, 2015 (2015-05-12) | 1224 | 14.94 |
| In the aftermath of the terrorist attack that killed Special Agent Ned Dorneget, NCIS and CIA Officer Teague (Ned's mother) continue searching for members of the Calling, a terrorist organization that recruits teenagers through the Internet. However, this results in an emotional and shocking loss for the team. Note: This was the last appearance of Matt Jones as Agent Ned Dorneget. ||||||||

## Ratings

| Episode | Ratings | Ratings | Ratings | Ratings | Ratings | Ratings | Ratings |
| Episode | Original air date | Live | Live | Live rank (viewers) | Live rank (viewers) | Live+7 | Live+7 |
| Episode | Original air date | Viewers (millions) | Rating/share (18–49) | Night | Week | Viewers (millions) | Rating/share (18–49)) |
| "Twenty Klicks" | September 23, 2014 | 18.23 | 2.9 | 1 | 3 | 22.47 | 4.1 |
| "Kill the Messenger" | September 30, 2014 | 18.84 | 2.6 | 1 | 2 | 22.57 | 3.9 |
| "So It Goes" | October 7, 2014 | 17.30 | 2.6 | 1 | 2 | 21.61 | 3.9 |
| "Choke Hold" | October 14, 2014 | 17.26 | 2.5 | 1 | 2 | 21.43 | 3.6 |
| "The San Dominick" | October 21, 2014 | 17.13 | 2.4 | 1 | 3 | 21.01 | 3.5 |
| "Parental Guidance Suggested" | October 28, 2014 | 17.53 | 2.6 | 1 | 4 | 21.39 | 3.6 |
| "The Searchers" | November 11, 2014 | 17.49 | 2.3 | 1 | 2 | 21.65 | 3.6 |
| "Semper Fortis" | November 18, 2014 | 18.10 | 2.6 | 1 | 2 | 21.65 | 3.6 |
| "Grounded" | November 25, 2014 | 16.01 | 2.5 | 1 | 4 | 20.38 | 3.7 |
| "House Rules" | December 16, 2014 | 17.53 | 2.4 | 1 | 2 | 21.71 | 3.6 |
| "Check" | January 6, 2015 | 19.76 | 2.8 | 1 | 2 | 23.75 | 4.1 |
| "The Enemy Within" | January 13, 2015 | 19.87 | 2.8 | 1 | 2 | 23.54 | 3.8 |
| "We Build, We Fight" | February 3, 2015 | 18.64 | 2.6 | 1 | 2 | 22.34 | 3.8 |
| "Cadence" | February 10, 2015 | 18.77 | 2.9 | 1 | 2 | 22.73 | 3.9 |
| "Cabin Fever" | February 17, 2015 | 18.06 | 2.6 | 1 | 3 | 21.86 | 3.5 |
| "Blast from the Past" | February 24, 2015 | 17.38 | 2.3 | 1 | 1 | 21.42 | 3.4 |
| "The Artful Dodger" | March 10, 2015 | 16.22 | 2.2 | 1 | 1 | 19.99 | 3.3 |
| "Status Update" | March 24, 2015 | 16.23 | 2.2 | 2 | 1 | 20.26 | 3.3 |
| "Patience" | March 31, 2015 | 16.60 | 2.2 | 1 | 1 | 20.57 | 3.4 |
| "No Good Deed" | April 7, 2015 | 16.85 | 2.1 | 1 | 2 | 20.25 | 3.1 |
| "Lost in Translation" | April 14, 2015 | 15.84 | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 19.60 | 3.1 |
| "Troll" | April 28, 2015 | 14.85 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 18.84 | 3.0 |
| "The Lost Boys (Part 1)" | May 5, 2015 | 14.05 | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 18.41 | 3.0 |
| "Neverland" | May 12, 2015 | 14.94 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 18.87 | 3.0 |

## International broadcast

The season airs simultaneously on Global in Canada. It began airing on September 30, 2014 on Network Ten in Australia. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it premiered on January 9, 2015 on Fox.