Brian Dietzen is one of the longest-running actors on NCIS, and that’s continued throughout the 2026 TV schedule. Since the first season of the CBS procedural, Dietzen has portrayed Dr. Jimmy Palmer and, as it stands, it (thankfully) doesn't seem like the actor is looking to step down from that post. And, as if acting in 23 seasons wasn’t enough, Dietzen has also written four episodes and, evidently, it was a somewhat uneasy chat with a producer that led to that responsibility.
For context, Season 19 marked the first installment of NCIS to be written by Dietzen, as it was Episode 13, “The Helpers,” from 2022. He also wrote an episode each for Seasons 20 and 21, including the emotional Ducky tribute episode, “The Stories We Leave Behind.” And Dietzen most recently penned a script for Season 23.
