NCIS introduced Casey as Ducky’s assistant and book editor, but it soon transpired that she has a degree in forensic science. On top of that, she literally fangirled when seeing Abby in person. We know Abby is leaving at the end of this season and it makes sense that the writers will try to add her replacement in now. Was this episode the introduction of Abby’s replacement?
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An Easy Connection with the Team
From her first moment onscreen, Casey integrated with the team relatively easily. Well, her first introduction was her fangirling over all the people in Ducky’s book, but she soon proved her ability to work with each member and connect to them in their own way. The only one it seemed she didn’t like at first was Abby, but it turned out she was just (understandably) star-struck.
Maybe this was because she’d already read about them. It was like she knew the people connected to Ducky already, but that didn’t stop her from learning more. She was also willing to accept them for who they were, instead of being annoyed with their quirks, such as Gibbs’ habit of just leaving a conversation without saying goodbye.
Fitting in easily with the team is important for new members. This is how the writers have introduced a number of good and memorable characters, including McGee, Torres and Jack. The only character that got away with not jelling right away was Ziva. Nobody can compare to her.
Proving Her Value
Casey also proved that she is valuable to the team. While the others worked everything they had, Casey used her contacts to learn more about the murder weapon. This helped the team find further missing pieces of the puzzle. However, they still didn’t have a physical connection of their murderer at the scene.
That again came from Casey. She found the smallest piece of evidence. Abby would have likely found it, but Casey was just in the right place at the right time. While finding it, though, she never made Abby feel small. There was no sense of a threat, just helpfulness. This hints that the writers want to make her likable, so she can ease into the position of Abby’s replacement in the future.
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No Sense of Her Being Forced
Trying to force a character into a position usually irks fans. The NCIS writers haven’t done that with Casey. Rather than create this elaborate character for us to love, they’ve worked with her quirks and fitted her into the lives of everyone seamlessly. The only thing that did feel forced was her awkwardness around Abby, but that was soon fixed when Abby learned Casey was just star-struck. From this point, it was easy to see the bond and put Casey back into her element.
While right now she is editing Ducky’s book, there’s nothing to say she won’t become Abby’s replacement. The big question will be whether the fans accept her.
Would you like to see Casey become Abby’s replacement? What did you think of her character in the episode? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS. Want more news? Like our NCIS Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of CBS)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Alexandria is a full-time freelance writer and journalist. Alexandria studied Computer Science at Aston University and Criminology at the Open University. She enjoys writing about TV shows and entertainment news. Other than writing, Alexandria loves reading, exploring new countries, and relaxing with her family.
