Cote de Pablo played former Mossad agent Ziva David on NCIS from 2005 until her untimely d3ath in 2013. Many fans assumed that the actress would never reprise her role after citing personal reasons for her departure and explaining that her character was not treated with the “respect” she deserved.
That didn’t stop fans from fantasizing about the day she would reappear in front of their eyes on the CBS Tuesday night phenomenon.
Cote de Pablo returned to NCIS in the final moments of the season sixteen finale, satisfying fans all over the world.
Ziva’s return was suspenseful, emotionally stirring, and completely satisfying, appearing at the top of Gibbs’ staircase before hurrying down the steps to warn her former boss of impending danger. Gibbs said one word, “Ziva,” and the scene was over.
While fans are overjoyed that Cote de Pablo will return for season seventeen of NCIS, one co-star may be even more overjoyed.
Emily Wickersham, who plays Eleanor Bishop on NCIS, was brought on as Cote de Pablo’s (sort of) replacement in 2013, and while she does her best, she isn’t the most admired character on the show.
Some blame Bishop’s character development on the writing, while others blame the unrealistic expectations subconsciously placed on the actress to live up to the beloved Ziva David.
To understand why Cote de Pablo’s return may benefit Emily Wickersham and her character Eleanor Bishop, you must first understand the foundation of fans’ dissatisfaction with Bishop.
Why do so many ‘NCIS’ fans dislike Emily Wickersham’s Eleanor Bishop?
According to one viewer, Emily Wickersham’s character Eleanor Bishop can come across as “immature” and annoyingly quirky.
Eleanor Bishop’s character is described as “dorky, lovable, and refreshing” by one fan, which means that for fans who adored Ziva David’s personality and role on the show, she’s a stark, and thus unsatisfying, contrast.
However, the overarching theme surrounding Bishop’s disdain is her lack of character development. If you read fan forums, YouTube comment sections, or a few digital media publications, you’ll notice that her character is frequently described as “shallow.”
Ziva, played by Cote de Pablo, had a rich backstory and a compelling father-daughter dynamic with Agent Gibbs, a simmering romance with DiNozzo, and a hardened exterior in need of breaking.
Eleanor Bishop, on the other hand, was merely existing for the majority of season sixteen in order to set up Ziva’s return. Furthermore, many believe that she has lacked the complexity that Agent Todd and Agent David have possessed since the beginning.
Why Emily Wickersham and her character Eleanor Bishop on ‘NCIS’ will benefit from Cote de Pablo’s return
Emily Wickersham will no longer be expected to fill the shoes of one of the show’s most admired characters now that Cote de Pablo has returned. While Cote de Pablo had to replace Agent Todd, Sasha Alexander (the actress who played her) was only on the show for two seasons, whereas Pablo was on the show from 2005 to 2013.
How do you effectively replace someone who has lived in the hearts of viewers for so long? Wickersham has been up against an impassable barrier.
Now that Pablo is back, hopefully the writers will focus on giving Eleanor Bishop a fascinating backstory as well as future complexities that are both in line with her character and essential to the narrative progression. Because her character is no longer attempting to bring Ziva back, she will be able to exist as a solo force (in contrast to Ziva David’s plotline in the following season).
Emily Wickersham will feel a huge weight lifted off her shoulders with Cote de Pablo’s return, and if the writers do their job correctly, she will be given a story that is inspiring, unique, and important in its own right.
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