“Been talking about it”: NCIS showrunner opens up about Eleanor Bishop’s return in Season 23’s fall finale episode

NCIS fans, stop scrolling right now. December just gave us a big holiday surprise. A familiar face is back, and yes, it is Eleanor Bishop. In the Season 23 fall finale, the show quietly opened the door and let Ellie walk back in.

The answer to the big question is simple and exciting. She is back because the team wanted it, the timing worked, and as the showrunner, Steven D. Binder said in an interview with TVLine,

“We’ve been talking about it.”

This return is real, emotional, and already changing everything.

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Why Bishop’s comeback was always on the table and just needed the right moment

If you ever wondered if Eleanor Bishop would return to NCIS, the truth is that the idea never went away. Steven D. Binder, the showrunner, spoke to TVLine and explained that the conversation started almost as soon as Emily Wickersham left the show.

He said,

“You know, as soon as they leave, it’s: ‘When can you come back?’ I’d say we’d been talking about the idea for a year.”

He added that Bishop was part of the early pitch for the season and that the hope was always there.

Binder told TVLine that timing was the hardest part. Emily Wickersham no longer lives nearby, which made things tricky. Still, once the talks became serious, everything clicked. Binder shared,

“We’ve been talking about it. Now we want to actually do this.”

He also confirmed that Wickersham was fully on board. He said he spoke to her directly, and she was excited from the start. According to Binder,

“She was game. She wanted to come back. I had a conversation with her and she was gung ho.” That excitement never faded.

In the fall finale, NCIS made the moment count. Jess learns her first Elite assignment and finds out her target is Bishop. At the same time, viewers see Bishop watching the team from afar. It is quick, quiet, and powerful. For fans, it feels like a gift wrapped at the last second.

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What Bishop has been through and why NCIS is now looking for her

Bishop is not the same person who left the show in Season 18. Binder made that very clear in his interview with TVLine. He explained that Bishop has been working dangerous missions in foreign places for years.

He said this kind of work is hard and deadly, and it changes people. Binder told TVLine,

“She left on a pretty dangerous, interesting mission in a foreign land, and she has been doing that kind of work since then.”

He added that people die on these missions and that responsibility leaves a mark.

Binder also confirmed something big. Bishop did do something wrong. When asked directly by TVLine if she is a criminal suspect, he answered honestly. He said she is still Bishop in some ways, even joking that she still likes her Klowny Kakes, but she is also very different now.

He explained that what she has done will explain why NCIS is after her. He said,

“Yeah, and she has done something wrong. The question is: What is her motive? And that’s what we will explore.”

Nick Torres is also part of this story. Binder talked to TVLine about how Nick might feel seeing Bishop again. He reminded viewers that Bishop left without fully telling Nick the truth. Binder said Nick has every right to be upset.

He explained that Bishop lied and almost left without saying goodbye. Binder added that Nick’s reaction will feel real and honest, and fans should not expect anything fake or easy.

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Bishop’s return to NCIS is short, but it matters. Steven D. Binder told TVLine that this story will play out in one episode and then reach an ending. He said they want to give fans closure, even if it is not what everyone expects.

Still, the door is open. Bishop feels more real now, more worn, and more interesting. For fans, this return feels like coming home, even if just for a moment.

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