Recently, it was revealed that there would be a new character—FBI Agent Casey Stratton—joining the series, and now that role has been cast. Scott Wolf will be appearing in the first episode of the new season NCIS dvd in that role, and Gary Glasberg said, "Who he is and how he influences the NCIS team will come in due time, but I can promise you some unexpected surprises." He's supposed to have "an important role" in that first episode, during which everyone's going to be wondering about the figure given to Tony in the season 8 finale.

Glasberg also talked about that new classified assignment of Tony's: "We're going to start NCIS dvd boxset in real time, in September, look back all the way to May, and then jump through the mission Tony was on." That wasn't the only scoop about the premiere, as Glasberg has said, "I highly, highly recommend you not miss the first five minutes of the show because it is going to start with a bang." Could that have anything to do with the death teased in other spoilers released? Could whomever the agent is Tony's investigating be the one who dies and the flashbacks show just how Tony's assignment went?

How will Stratton play a role in all this? Could his FBI position mean a mention or an appearance of Fornell? What could the "unexpected surprises" linked to his character be?