DeepSummary
Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, former co-stars on NCIS, host Brian Dietzen (who played Jimmy Palmer) to discuss his journey on the show. Dietzen shares how he landed the recurring role by writing letters to casting directors, his early experiences working with David McCallum, and stories from behind the scenes.
They reminisce about McCallum's professionalism, quirks like memorizing lines on notecards, and fond memories together. Weatherly and de Pablo also recount amusing pranks and challenges on set, like Weatherly's tough underwater filming and de Pablo's scary experience with a jackknifing truck.
The group discusses the episode "Silver War" from season 3, taking a fun Civil War trivia quiz. They explore key moments like Ziva's introduction, the mysteries surrounding the Civil War-era casket, and engaging in playful banter throughout.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Dietzen's journey from guest role to main cast member on NCIS was unconventional but rewarding.
- David McCallum was a consummate professional who brought entertainment value even to mundane lines.
- The NCIS cast had a tight-knit, family-like rapport filled with playful pranks and banter.
- Shooting complex scenes like underwater sequences or with heavy vehicles posed unique challenges.
- The group fondly recalled cherished memories working together over many seasons.
- Weatherly and de Pablo displayed great chemistry analyzing the "Silver War" episode's mysteries.
- Discussions blended insightful commentary with amusing anecdotes for an engaging retrospective.
- McCallum's passing was a profound loss for his co-stars who had deep respect for him.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I make this shit sound good. And it was this recognition of, like, yes, I'm here to have fun and perform with my partners and all that sort of stuff. My scene partners, but also I'm here to entertain.“ by Brian Dietzen
- “He never lost sight of that part of it.“ by Brian Dietzen
- “There was a story that. Yeah, there's a story story that I told with his family recently. And I remember this one time we were doing a scene with Mark especially. It must have been like season four or five, something like that. And I didn't have a lot to say, but usually what I had were punchlines. In autopsy, he would deliver the bulk of the expository stuff, and then I would have a punchline here or there, make myself look silly or kind of shy away from Gibbs. And between takes, I got a laugh or two out of some crew member. And between takes, he came over and he said, don't think I don't know what you're doing. And I said, what am I doing? And I actually thought, are we about to have our first conflict? And he goes, I did it to Robert Vaughn from years. You're stealing these scenes from me, Dietzen. And I was like, really? And he goes, keep doing it.“ by Brian Dietzen
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Episode Information
Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch
Spotify Studios
6/25/24