Cote de Pablo on Returning to NCIS — Like an Undercover Mission Coming back to NCIS wasn’t just a return. It felt like going home… quietly. Cote de Pablo opens up about what it was really like stepping back onto the set for the Season 17 premiere. So much had changed. Some familiar faces were gone. New ones had arrived. But the heart of the show was still there. To keep her return a secret, the set was locked down. NDAs were signed. Only a handful of people were allowed in the room. No announcem