Looking Forward to Season 8 NCIS

With the season 7 finale airing tomorrow night in the USA, I thought I might look ahead to season 8. To that end I have composed a little wish list of things I would like to see in season 8. Some are serious and some not so serious. You get to work out which is which. *grins*

• More scripts from the collaborative team of Jesse Stern and Steven Binder. Their first joint script in season 7, "Moonlighting" was brilliant.
• More appearances by Muse Watson. Mike Franks is one of my favorite characters and one I want to see a lot more of in future seasons.
• Ziva dealing properly with what she went through in Somalia. The trauma of the beatings and rape she endured need to be properly dealt with so the character can grow and move forward. And yes, I did say rape. Held captive the way she was, that was inevitable. Her responses in "Patriot Down" paint that quite clearly as well.
• More appearances by Joe Spano. Tobias Fornell is an excellent character and, like Mike Franks, one I am always delighted to see.
• Death of Hollis Mann. Just so the underlying fear that she could return at anytime will go away. May I suggest eaten by a shark in Hawaii?
• Removal of Margaret Allison Hart. She Who Bears My Name has rapidly become She Who Gets Up My Nose. Maybe she could join Hollis Mann in aforesaid shark's stomach?
• Return of Holly Snow. I like this character. She is gutsy and quirky and makes a good female foil for Gibbs. My only reservations about the character are the inevitable comparisons people will make with the Gil Grissom/Lady Heather relationship in CSI.
• Continued growth of McGee. Would like to see more McGee story lines. We had a few good Tony ones in season 7. Maybe season 8 could be the season of McGee stories?
• Expansion of the Leon Vance story arc begun in the season 6 episode "Knockout".
• Return of baby agent Dwayne Wilson. Maybe we could find out who the NIS agent was who proved his father's innocence when he was accused of murder in Vietnam. It's my thought that the agent was a young Mike Franks.
  
• Resolution of the Ziva/Eli David story arc. I cannot believe Eli David would tamely accept his daughter turning her back on Mossad and Israel and becoming a U.S. citizen.
• At least one, maybe two or three, shower scenes a la "SWAK". Gratuitous titillation, I know, but we devoted female followers deserve something light-hearted and slightly naughty after the angst and escalating terror of the final three episodes of season 7.
• Meet McGee's parents. May I suggest Jonathan Frakes as McGee's father?
• Increased role for Jimmy Palmer in season 8. We haven't had a really good Palmer story since season 5's "About Face". It's about time Jimmy got another major story.
• A look at Abby's background. She's another character we only know snippets about. What happened in her past that has made her cling to Gibbs as a substitute father?

That's my wish list for season 8. What's on yours?

The Joy of Writing

What is it about writing? The joy of expression? The joy of creation? I'm not really sure. I do know that I derive great enjoyment and satisfaction in seeing my words and thoughts on the screen or on paper.

I love writing my NCIS Mavericks fan fiction. It's got to the point where the character I created, Sam, almost feels real. I love being able to play with my favorite characters, even if some of them have a tendency to do what they want, not what I want. I find Gibbs and Ducky to be the worst offenders. I know what I want to write....and I find myself writing something else entirely! lol. That mistletoe kiss in my Christmas Mavericks episode was NOT my idea!

It's also a real buzz when other people enjoy Mavericks. I've had several people contact me asking me when they're going to see some Sibbs action! Took me a while to realize what the heck they meant. Then the shock that set in as I realized that Sam was becoming as real to others as she is to me!

I am also loving writing the blog on the NCIS Fan Site. It is very different to writing fiction, but equally as satisfying. I try to include people's names where I can when I have had feedback. I know the simple joy of seeing your name in "print" somewhere. I remember the shock I got in reading one of Rocky Carroll's blogs to discover myself mentioned in his blog. Actually, shock doesn't come close. *laughs* Rocky mentioned several regular blog readers with a "these are the ones that come to mind readily" sort of comment. I'm memorable? Wow! *laughs* Is it wrong for me to want other people to feel a similar buzz? I'm no celebrity blogger, but a name in print is a name in print, I guess.

And then there is the simple sharing of thoughts with friends (and casual readers). As satisfying and as warming as any other form of writing.