‘They May Have Missed The Mark’: How The NCIS Team Took Over Advertising One Of Tony’s Best Episodes After The CBS Promo Failed To Impress

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As a seasoned television critic who has witnessed the rise and fall of countless shows, I must say that “Requiem” stands as one of the most memorable episodes from the illustrious run of NCIS. Having followed the series since its inception, I can attest to the fact that this episode was a game-changer, a testament to the power of compelling storytelling and captivating performances.

Michael Weatherly hasn’t appeared as Tony DiNozzo on the popular CBS show NCIS, except for a brief cameo this year in an episode dedicated to David McCallum, for almost a decade. Luckily, fans who have followed the series can catch up on 13 seasons of Tony’s performances by subscribing to Paramount+ and streaming the episodes at their convenience. One particularly memorable episode is “Requiem” from Season 5. Interestingly, it was reported that the initial promotional material for this episode, which was produced by former NCIS executive producer Shane Brennan, didn’t receive a positive response, leading to the main team taking over the advertising responsibilities for the episode instead.

In a conversation on their podcast “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch”, Brennan discussed various topics with Cote de Pablo, who played Ziva David in NCIS. During this chat, Brennan disclosed the genesis of NCIS: Los Angeles and unveiled the specific NCIS episode that made him feel confident about the show’s future success. Regarding the advertising campaign for “Requiem”, Brennan initially explained why the CBS promo didn’t resonate favorably as follows:

We created that specific episode. A week prior, we’d receive promotional materials for each episode because they would play after our show had ended. Sometimes, we’d get a heads-up about the promo with only 24 hours notice and they’d ask us to verify it was correct. The promo for that particular episode arrived… and it was in sepia tones. There were old-fashioned framing and lace details around it, and the promo said, ‘Someone from Gibbs’ past returns to remind him of the daughter he lost.’ As I watched it, I thought, ‘They really didn’t hit the right note with this one.’

The seventh episode of NCIS Season 5, titled “Requiem”, saw Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Mark Harmon, reconnecting with Maddie Tyler, a friend of his deceased daughter, in a case involving the recovery of $4 million stolen from Iraqi aid funds. The episode highlighted Tony DiNozzo as a key figure, as “Requiem” began at the climax of the storyline, showcasing Michael Weatherly’s character diving into a bay to free Gibbs and Maddie from a submerged vehicle and then reviving them. However, the producers at CBS opted for a straightforward promotional teaser for “Requiem”, which failed to build anticipation around Tony’s significant moment, disappointing showrunner Shane Brennan, who expressed his dissatisfaction by stating:

I managed to speak with Roy Poole, who was responsible for that particular episode. I informed him, “Roy, pause your work for a moment. We’re going to create a promotional segment.” So, we prepared a promo using only the opening and a carefully selected pitch, gradually fading to black before revealing another segment without any additional information. At the end, we simply mentioned, “Next Tuesday,” and similar phrases. I then sent it back to them, anticipating their angry response, such as, “What on earth are you doing? We have an entire department dedicated to creating promos!” But instead, they called me, apologizing for missing this opportunity. They explained that this was one of the best shows they’d ever produced, yet hadn’t aired due to lack of promotion. In the end, the promotional clip became just the opening sequence, which inadvertently revealed most of the episode’s content. However, its compelling nature made me confident that viewers would say, “I must watch this episode.

Displaying a glimpse of Tony’s heroic act in the promo may seem like revealing the main event of the episode, but I concur with Shane Brennan that it was a wise move to publicize it. As he pointed out, by showing Tony firing at some assailants and diving into water to save Gibbs and Maddie from drowning, you pique viewer curiosity about the circumstances surrounding these events. This isn’t just my assumption based on events from 2007, but rather a valid response considering that “Requiem” attracted 18.15 million viewers according to The Futon Critic. At that time, it was one of the largest audiences for NCIS, and ultimately became the most watched episode of the season.

Swing by Paramount+ to catch “Requiem” – whether it’s your first time watching or a rewatch. If this article piques your interest! And mark your calendars, as NCIS Season 22 will air again on Monday, January 27, according to the 2025 TV schedule. Also, remember that Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo are set to return to the NCIS world in their exclusive streaming spinoff, titled NCIS: Tony & Ziva.

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2024-12-28 05:37