NCIS's Brian Dietzen Finally Gets Promoted To Series Regular After Eight Years

After eight long years of playing Assistant Medial Examiner Jimmy Palmer on the CBS procedural NCIS, actor Brian Dietzen is finally getting promoted from "recurring" cast member to series regular status.

Dietzen has been serving as the right-hand man to Medical Examiner Donald "Ducky" Mallard since the 21st episode of the first season of the show, which will be entering its tenth year this fall. With his boss suffering a heart attack in the most recent season finale, this new deal could indicate that Dietzen's character will be promoted.

The 34-year-old actor had this to say about the good news - "I’m very excited. After eight years of being with the show, I got a contract with CBS, and I couldn’t be happier about it." The fates of several members of the NCIS crew were left hanging at the end of season nine, but Dietzen assures fans that Jimmy Palmer will be fine - "As far as I know I’m safe, and a contract is a good thing to indicate that."

Dietzen's promotion to regular also means that he will at last be featured in the opening credits sequence along with the rest of his colleagues, a change many fans have been demanding for years - "I believe this year my name will be up at the front of the credits with everyone else, so we’ll have the full team at the front. [For my featured shot], I’m hoping I can put on a wig with some long hair and run topless across the beach — something subtle but still classy.”

Are you happy that Mr. Dietzen has finally acheived the job security that a network contract brings?

Source: EW.com