Mar 24, 2026 6:08pm PT

‘NCIS’ Shocker: Rocky Carroll Tells All on His Unexpected [SPOILER] and Playing Director Vance for Nearly Two Decades

Chris Willman

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Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

ChrisWillman

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CBS

“NCIS” has not been shy about letting some of its tertiary characters die a dramatic death, but when it comes to letting any of the show’s main cast come to a sad end, there’s been more of a historical hesitation there. So the fandom was little prepared when the big surprise of the show’s 500th episode Tuesday night turned out to be Director Leon Vance, portrayed by Rocky Carroll, going gentle into that good night.

Much of the episode focuses on Vance flashing back on recent events to a seemingly antagonistic interrogator, who eventually reveals himself to be a young version of Ducky, the coroner whom, of course, the director knows to have gone on to the great beyond. At that point, Vance slowly but surely comes to accept his fate, even cracking a joke as he wonders whether having a blinding white light is a little bit “on the nose.”

'NCIS' Shocker: Rocky Carroll Tells All on His Unexpected [SPOILER] and Playing Director Vance for Nearly Two Decades