Jon Cryer will be in the premiere of NCIS Season 13 as Dr. Taft, a surgeon holding Gibbs' life in his hands.

Cryer describes Dr. Taft as the Jeff Goldblum of Naval surgeons. He's a wiseass, and probably too comfortable cracking jokes in the operating room. 

As it turns out, Cryer has always wanted a part in the show. (Haven't we all?!) Over the years, he would hound NCIS' actors "incessantly for a chance to act on the show." But this role isn't at all what he had in mind!

"I always wanted to be one of the characters who die entertainingly in the first two minutes of the show. Then you'd see me dead on a slab in Ducky's lab with my genitals all lit up later on," Cryer said. 

To prepare for his role, Cyer spent a day with a surgeon, who ended up standing beside him in the scenes. As a matter of fact, he shared that all of the people around him were trained medical professionals, and only he, the supposed "badass" surgeon, was an actor! 

Apparently they weren't taking any chances with Mark Harmon, right?!

NCIS returns Sept. 22 at 8/7. If you need to catch up, watch NCIS online right here via TV Fanatic!

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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.