It’s a family affair for Retired Admiral Hollace Kilbride (Gerald McRaney) in the remaining episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles.
TV Insider has learned exclusively that Christopher Gorham has been cast as Kilbride’s estranged son Alex, for what is being described as “a rocky reunion.” The episode will air in the spring. This comes after Marilu Henner is set to guest star as Kilbride’s ex-wife, who hopes he’ll reconnect with their son, in the February 26 episode; she will not be in Gorham’s episode.
It was in Season 13 that Kilbride, in talking to Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen) about the challenges the investigator and Kensi (Daniela Ruah) faced trying to become foster parents (which they would be by the finale), shared a bit about his family.
“I have dedicated my life to the Navy, and I am proud of the career I’ve had. But I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the other side of that coin. My wife wanted a husband, my son wanted a father, and I was neither. At least my wife knew what she was getting into. My son didn’t have a choice. And there is not a day goes by that I don’t question whether it was all worth it,” Kilbride admitted. “If only the process for biological parents was half as stringent as what you and Agent Blye are going through, then perhaps my son could have enjoyed his teenage years instead of spending them in rehab.”
Deeks encouraged Kilbride to reach out, and while it had been ten years since they’d spoken, he didn’t think it was too late to fix it. “I guarantee he doesn’t hate you half as much as I hated my father. I mean, I shot the guy. In all fairness, he was pointing a gun at my mother, and I and I was 11 years old, but I still shot him,” Deeks pointed out. Yet he still would’ve given his dad a second chance. “My point is I think you should call him. Like it or not, you’re still his father,” he encouraged Kilbride.
Then earlier this season, again in a conversation with Deeks, this time as he tried to balance being a parent to Rosa, sick at home, and work, Kilbride noted, “it isn’t easy balancing the work that you do here with the equally important work that you do at home. Speaking for myself, I was never able to find that balance, and it is my life’s regret.”
We’ll be getting these family reunions for Kilbride leading up to what will be the end of the procedural drama. NCIS: Los Angeles is ending with its current 14th season, with the series finale set for May 14. We’ll have to wait to see if this upcoming reunion means the series will leave off on a happy — or at least promising — note regarding Kilbride and his relationship with his son. After all, executive producer R. Scott Gemmill did say last season about crafting the finale when not knowing if it would be the end that they “really wanted to leave the characters in a good place.” Fixing things with his son would allow that for Kilbride.
NCIS: Los Angeles, Sundays, 10/9c, CBS