Michael Weatherly is directing his first episode of NCIS, which will introduce a recurring female agent named Erica Jane Barrett (to be played by Brothers & Sisters vet Sarah Jane Morris). In Erica’s introductory episode on March 1, it’s revealed that she accepted a job previously offered to DiNozzo by Director Shepard to lead an NCIS team in Europe.

Michael, who was involved with Sarah Jane’s casting, describes the character as “a team leader who will be a very beautiful, strong, hard-charging, highly dramatic addition to the cast.” He goes on to say, “She also represents a romantic threat to someone.”

Since a show rep tells me this new character will share sparks with Tony, we can safely say Ziva (Cote de Pablo) had best watch out!

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A CBS drama is going somewhere it has yet to explore this season. So far fans have seen how Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), and even Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) joined NCIS–but they have yet to see the same for one Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly). But luckily for fans, that’s changing in an upcoming episode.

Tony origin episode

It was revealed earlier this month that an episode this season would be going into Tony’s past, and specifically, how he joined Gibbs’ team. If that wasn’t exciting enough, Debra Birnbaum, the editor-in-chief of TV Guide Magazine, tweeted earlier:

“Just chatted with #NCIS star Michael Weatherly about the Tony origins episode coming in May. We’ll see the first head slap! #bafta”

Unfortunately this means that fans are going to have to wait until close to the end of the season for this episode, but they will get to see how the head slap began! And that’s key to the Gibbs-Tony relationship on this series. It’s impossible not to love (and expect) when Tony is due to receive a head slap from Gibbs, and the show has been lacking in them lately.

It will also be interesting to see the first meetings between Tony and Abby and Tony and Ducky. There were allusions to the first back in season 1 when Kate (Sasha Alexander) first joined the team, but it will be so much better to see it in a flashback.

What are you most looking forward to in the NCIS episode that delves into Tony’s past?

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NCIS star Michael Weatherly will pull double duty later this season as he makes his directorial debut.

“I like cameras and I like sets and the surgical nature of make believe that happens — the whole process,” Weatherly tells TVGuide.com. “I love all aspects of production, and I have a great deal of respect for the whole craft. I’m really excited about directing; it’s an extension of my curiosity about film and TV.”

Weatherly expects to go behind the camera for an episode filming in January. He says the crew may also document his directorial experience for a special feature on the forthcoming Season 8 DVD.

Weatherly, who has made known his desire to direct for some time, says his curiosity about filmmaking began when he was a cast member on the ABC soap opera Loving. “I think that was always fascinating to me,” he says. “When I was on the soap opera, I’d sit in the editing booths when they’d tighten up the show to see how they did that and what the technical process was. I probably should’ve started getting into the technical side of it earlier.”

Although a CBS rep confirms that Weatherly will helm an upcoming episode, no other details about the episode were immediately available. But Weatherly — whose character, agent Tony DiNozzo, is known for his trademark sense of humor — promises the episode will stand out.

“I’ve got a lot of ideas about my version of NCIS,” he says. “I can promise that it will be a little bit different. It’s daunting to imagine that I am going to be running around in charge.”

And Weatherly, who likes to cut up as much as his character, says his co-stars are in for a ride. “Everyone is terrified,” he jokes. “Sean Murray [McGee] is probably most terrified because I have got a lot of acting notes for him.”

Weatherly, 42, has starred on the hit CBS procedural for all eight seasons. He signed a multi-year contract extension earlier this year. NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

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