NCIS Season 23’s Ellie Bishop Return Gets Worse After New CBS Update

CBS’s latest update about NCIS season 23 makes Ellie Bishop’s return situation more frustrating. After slipping down from the ratings in the last couple of years, the long-running premier procedural appears to be pulling all the stops for the 2025-2026 TV cycle. NCIS season 23 has rolled out a few memorable episodes, and it hasn’t even reached its midpoint.

Amid everything that has happened in NCIS season 23, however, arguably the biggest surprise has been the return of Emily Wickersham’s Ellie Bishop. The character walked away from MCRT shortly before Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ retirement, but unlike Mark Harmon’s exit, her departure was more convoluted and less ironed out. The NCIS season 23 finale ended with the cliffhanger that she’s back, leaving viewers waiting anxiously for some answers.

The Wait For Ellie Bishiop’s NCIS Cliffhanger Resolution Is Now Longer

CBS

Unfortunately, the public will have to wait longer to find out what truly brings Bishop back to Washington D.C. For context, she left her job with the MCRT to be a long-term undercover agent, which means that no one from her old team has heard from her in years. So, when Director Leon Vance informed Jessica Knight’s first ELITE target was Bishop, questions followed about what happened to her.

CBS, however, is delaying NCIS season 23’s 2026 return, effectively pushing the timeline for the show to provide answers about the character. Originally, the procedural was poised to return with new episodes on February 24, alongside the rest of the Super Tuesday block. The network recently changed NCIS season 23’s comeback to March 3, in order to give way to President Trump’s speech to Congress.

CBS Breaks NCIS’ Cardinal Rule For The First Time Ever

After 23 years on the air, CBS breaks a cardinal rule for NCIS for the first time ever, setting up an interesting future plot for the MCRT.

While it’s just a one-week delay, it’s important to note that by then, NCIS season 23 would have already been off the air for two and a half months. Historically, CBS would bring the premier procedural in January following its mandatory holiday break. So having to wait this long is something new, and Bishop’s cliffhanger is making it worse.

Why Bishop’s NCIS Return Is Equal Parts Exciting & Scary

Seeing any returning character is always a treat for NCIS, but there’s something more special about seeing someone who played an important role in the show’s long history. When Bishop joined the MCRT, she was very different from Ziva David despite being her permanent replacement. She grew into the role thanks to the guidance of Tim McGee, Anthony DiNozzo Jr., and Gibbs. Watching her grow was one of the most satisfying arcs in the series.

That said, the way she exited left a bad taste in both of her former co-workers and viewers’ mouths. The way she would have callously abandoned everyone without an explanation remains a divisive creative choice until now. Ideally, rooting for her would be the default for everyone, but it’s difficult to say how the last few years changed her. The people behind NCIS have remained mum about any spoilers that would give an inclination to what to expect, but Bishop’s return will likely bring up old wounds, especially for Nick Torres.

Enjoy ScreenRant’s primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for my weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check “Network TV” in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.

NCIS

6/10

Release Date: September 23, 2003
Showrunner: Donald P. Bellisario
Directors: Dennis Smith, Terrence O’Hara, Tony Wharmby, James Whitmore Jr., Thomas J. Wright, Michael Zinberg, Arvin Brown, Rocky Carroll, Diana Valentine, Leslie Libman, Tawnia McKiernan, Colin Bucksey, William Webb, Bethany Rooney, Alrick Riley, Jeff Woolnough, Alan J. Levi, Lionel Coleman, Martha Mitchell, Peter Ellis, Michael Weatherly, Edward Ornelas, Stephen Cragg, Tom Wright