When a television series reaches a milestone as significant as 500 episodes, expectations naturally rise. For NCIS, that moment didn’t just mark longevity—it delivered a turning point that few viewers saw coming.
At the center of it all was Leon Vance, the long-serving director of the agency, portrayed by Rocky Carroll. After nearly two decades on the show, Carroll’s character met a dramatic end in an episode designed to shake the very foundation of the series.
A Twist Meant to Redefine the Show
The decision to write out such a central figure wasn’t made lightly. According to Carroll, the conversation began quietly, sometime in mid-November, when executive producer Steve Binder approached him after filming.
“The middle of November, I believe, is when our executive producer, our showrunner Steve Binder, came to me after a day of filming and said, ‘So the 500th episode of NCIS is coming up and we want to do something big. We want to do something that shocks our loyal viewers and just really turns the NCIS universe upside down,’” Carroll says. “And I was like, ‘Oh, wow, that sounds great. Tell me more.’”
What followed was a storyline that threatened not just a character, but the existence of the agency itself. Binder described a plot where unseen forces were working behind the scenes to dismantle NCIS entirely—pushing Vance into a final act of leadership.
“In the process of saving the agency, Director Vance loses his life. It’s a great story.”
For Carroll, the weight of that revelation didn’t land immediately—it lingered.
“I remember sitting there for a minute and having this out-of-body experience,” Carroll says. “Steve, he goes, ‘You want to hear more about the story?’ And I was like, ‘Let me process the whole thing, what you just told me. Let me take a moment, because right now I’m kind of having a bit of an out-of-body experience.’ This wasn’t one of those scenarios where I came to the network or I came to the producers and said, ‘Hey, it’s been a great run, but I think I want to move on.’”
Coming to Terms with the End
If the storyline itself was shocking, the timeline made it even more surreal. Carroll discovered he had only a couple of episodes left before filming his final scenes.
“The only thing that surprised me more than being told what the storyline was, was how quickly I was able to come to terms with it and be okay with it,” he admits. “I guess the director and the creative in me, my response was, ‘Really, that is actually a great story. It’s a terrific story.’”
That perspective—balancing emotion with storytelling—speaks to the deeper philosophy behind NCIS. For Carroll, the show’s enduring appeal lies in its moral clarity.
“People still like simple justice,” he says. “There are good guys, there are bad guys, and at the end of the hour the bad guys get brought to justice.”
A Farewell Felt Beyond the Screen
The final days on set carried a different kind of weight. Carroll’s connection to the series extended beyond acting—he had also spent years directing episodes, forming bonds across every department.
“I have a very unique and different relationship with the guys on the crew, because three or four times a season I get to be a part of their world,” he says. “I’m on the other side of the camera. So my relationships with the crew run a lot deeper. All the guys, camera, lighting, sound, I know all these guys on a deeper level, because I also direct. So, yeah, it was very emotional.”
There was also a shared responsibility between Carroll and Binder to ensure that the emotional gravity of the moment translated to viewers.
“Steve Binder said, ‘This is going to be a love letter to your character,’” Carroll notes. “‘It’s going to be a tribute to Vance.’ And when we finished it, I said, ‘I think we accomplished that.’”
Reflecting on an 18-Season Legacy
When Carroll first joined NCIS back in 2008, longevity wasn’t part of the plan—it simply unfolded that way.
Eighteen seasons later, the departure feels less like a loss and more like the closing of a remarkably full chapter.
“I’ve been a series regular on NCIS for 18 seasons, and if this had happened in my third season as a cast member, I’d be devastated,” Carroll says. “But 18 seasons, to me, that’s the equivalent of living to be 105. I said jokingly to my friends, ‘You go to a memorial service for somebody who lived to be 105, you’re kind of betwixt, in between, because you’re like, ‘Yeah, it’s sad that he’s gone, but geez, he lived to be 105!’”
Even then, the goodbye isn’t entirely permanent.
“Here’s the best part,” he adds. “It was my goodbye. The last day of shooting was December the 11th. That was the last day we shot this episode. But in the back of my mind I knew it was goodbye for now, because a month later I came back and directed an episode of the show. So I’m sort of a visiting relative. It’s not your traditional, ‘He shot his last scene and there he goes off into the sunset, never to be seen again.’ As far as I know, I’ll be back next season to direct episodes. We’ve already talked about bringing Vance back in flashbacks.”
What Comes Next
With more time now open, Carroll isn’t rushing into the next chapter. Instead, he’s allowing space to reflect—and to imagine new possibilities.
“My real dream is to take the Anthony Bourdain route, and travel around the world and film myself eating in exotic places and immersing myself in other cultures,” he reveals. “Having my own show, à la Tony Shalhoub or Eva Longoria. That would be the fun job if I wasn’t acting or directing.”
At the same time, stepping away from a role that has defined nearly two decades brings its own adjustment.
“But for the last 18 years, it’s kind of like you’ve been in a very long-term relationship,” he jokes. “So I don’t even know how to use the dating site, because I’ve been otherwise engaged for so long. So I’m just going to enjoy the time here.”
In the end, the 500th episode of NCIS doesn’t just celebrate a number—it captures a transition. For viewers, it’s the loss of a steady presence. For Carroll, it’s the closing of one journey and the quiet beginning of another.
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