The Mentalist Seasons 1-3 DVD Box Set NCIS Scoop! Abs-solute Surprise Is Among Season 9's Many Family Reunions

Matt Webb Mitovich
August 22,The Mentalist Seasons 1-3 DVD Box Set, 2011 10:04 AM PST NCIS Scoop! An Abs-solute Surprise Is Among Season 9′s Many Family Reunions

As CBS’ NCIS unspools its ninth season and inches ever closer to its its 200th episode (airing this winter), TV’s most-watched scripted series will reunite viewers with some familiar, familial faces as well as introduce new ones — including someone holding a key to Abby’s (Pauley Perrette) mysterious past.

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“R.J. [Robert] Wagner is coming back [as Tony's dad], Ralph Waite will come back [as Gibbs' father]…,” executive producer Gary Glasberg tells TVLine. “We’re going to reopen the NCIS family album.”

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New entries in said scrapbook include Lily Tomlin (Laugh-In), guest-starring as McGee’s grandmother, and Abby’s yet-to-be-cast brother.

Teasing the long-awaited venture into the enigmatic Ms. Sciuto’s backstory, Glasberg says, “We’re going to learn something about Abby’s family and background that no one is going to see coming — and we’re very excited about that.”

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NCIS premieres its new season on Tuesday, Sept. 20; Abby’s backstory will be explored somewhere “in the first six episodes,” says Glasberg.

In what way do you think Abby’s past will be surprising?