NCIS: Rocky Carroll Teases the Kind of Episode ‘The Audience Really Craves’
In his sixth turn directing CBS‘ NCIS, the biggest challenge that Rocky Carroll faced was… himself.
“If I had my druthers, I would stay on one side of the camera, behind the camera, when I’m directing,” the series vet tells TVLine of helming the episode “Family Ties” (Tuesday at 8/7c), in which his Director Leon Vance leads the B-story.
“Sometimes I’m amazed when I see movies or shows that are directed by the star,” he says. “Denzel Washington directed and starred in Fences, but [with features] you have a longer rehearsal process and a longer shoot time. We make our ‘movie’ in eight days, so to be on both sides of the camera was a real challenge. My biggest concern was that something was going to suffer, either the directing or the acting — but we tried to cover the bulk of what I had to do in front of the camera all in one day.”
In the episode, Vance — who was tragically widowed five years ago — must deal with his daughter’s arrest for shoplifting. Now 17 (and played by Naomi Grace), “Kayla is a high schooler and she’s running with a crowd that Dad’s not too crazy about. Because of his full-time job, she’s letting herself be guided by sources other than him,” Carroll explains. “It’s teenage behavior that a lot of people will be able to relate to. We’re not pulling something out of thin air.”
Will Vance, who is often a force to be reckoned with at HQ, firmly lay down the law at home? “He’s going to do what every other parent does,” says his portrayer. “As much control as he has in his job, sometimes at home it doesn’t translate. When you’re dealing with a 17-year-old, sometimes you’ve got to be ‘nontraditional’ as a parent. We see Leon in a scenario where one plus one doesn’t always equal two.”
This week’s A-story, meanwhile, finds Gibbs’ team investigating a hit-and-run where the lone, teenage witness inexplicably flees before she can be questioned — along with her parents (played by Beverly Hills 90210‘s Gabrielle Carteris and My Boys‘ Jame Kaler).
“Usually the A and B story are completely different, but these are actually very parallel, and they kind of meet up at the end,” Carroll shares. “I thought it was a nice twist how Brendan Fehily wrote the episode.”
Further teasing the hit-and-run story, Carroll says, “You think you sort of get it all in a nutshell early on, but then you realize there is so much more to it. There are no shootouts, there are no car crashes, there are no explosions, but it stays true to what we do on our show. Every once in a while, the audience really craves this type of episode.”
Watch an exclusive sneak peek with Carteris and Kaler:
15 seasons in and this show still delivers. Time to get that renewal for Season 16.
I second this!
me three
Me four. lol
He is always good
I have watched every NCIS DIDNT LIKE LOSING MIKE FRANKS OR ZEVA OR QUINN . BUT I STILL WATCH BECAUSE OF GIBBS ANGIE MAGEE JIMMY AND DUCKY AND LEON . NOW WITH THE NEW CREW I HOPE TO WATCH FOR MANY MORE YEARS
I still watch every week. I am still not a big fan of Bishop. They could get rid of her and it would be ok. Love Gibbs…McGee…Ducky and Palmer……
I crave the episode/season where they Finally find a good team mix again. Since Bishop was added it has not been right. She should have left instead of Quinn
Agree. A strong character is needed in Bishop’s position. She’s far too bland.
I don’t like having this narrator. Very annoying.
I think they missed something in this episode. How would the girls have been able to start the car if it was equipped with a breatholizer? And if they did discover it and start the car, why didn’t Abby pull their DNA from it? I still love this show! Big fan!
The girl would simply blow into the Breathalyzer- she hadn’t been drinking, and that’s the only thing it would have tested. And what database is going to have DNA from a 15 year old?
Is it me or did they completely disregard the dead marine. The girl that struck and killed him gets a “reward” with her new legal family and thats it. The marine is an after thought? Love the show but they lost alot of cred this episode.
You misunderstood what took place. There were two girls; the one you referred to was not driving. It did not address any ramifications she might face for participating in the joy riding part, but that does not mean there would have been none – that would have been up to a DA as to whether there would be charges.
This episode was rather sub-par, really just ok.