NCIS season 22 introduced a new villain, Gabriel LaRoche, to the series, and it’s about time. Some of the best seasons of NCIS involve an over-arching narrative with a recurring villain, setting up NCIS season 22 to stand out among the rest. The series cast Seamus Dever as the Gabriel LaRoche character, who had a mysterious role in the season 22 opening investigation. LaRoche’s positioning in the case flipped during the premiere, introducing a shifty character to challenge Alden Parker (Gary Cole) and his Major Case Response Team (MCRT).

LaRoche will join the ranks of the other villains of the series, like NCIS antagonist Ari Haswari (Rudolf Martin), who joined the series in NCIS season 1. Ari’s narrative revolved around Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) and her introduction to the series in NCIS season 3. Ziva eventually revealed that Ari was her half-brother, and how the events played out with Ari through some of the best episodes of NCIS set up considerable shifts in the NCIS universe. As such, LaRoche’s presence in the series could set up even more significant events.

NCIS Season 22 Premiere Introduces Gabriel LaRoche

Seamus Dever Is DOJ Inspector Gabriel LaRoche

The NCIS season 22 premiere included Seamus Dever as Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Gabriel LaRoche. McGee reached out to LaRoche to help them find Special Agent Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) after he called into the “hello” line at NCIS, set up so that Torres can always check in during his deep undercover mission with a local fentanyl dealer. The moment was when NCIS introduced the IJ, who refused to help Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) and referred to NCIS as a lesser agency.

Timothy McGee also interviewed for the NCIS Deputy Director position in the
NCIS
season 22 premiere.

When the team suspected a leak of NCIS information because their raids of Nexus hideouts (those used by a local cartel connected to Nick’s undercover assignment) had all been flops, La Roche confirmed the apparent leak. He revealed NCIS was under investigation after the DOJ tracked a large deposit to an offshore account. At the end of their investigation, the team was shocked to uncover, per their perpetrator, that the only person who could have leaked NCIS information was DOJ Inspector LaRoche. To worsen things, LaRoche was appointed NCIS Deputy Director at the end of the premiere.

How LaRoche’s New Position Impacts MCRT’s NCIS Season 22 Story

LaRoche Will Be Back To NCIS Season 22

LaRoche will likely have a considerable influence on the NCIS season 22 story. At the end of the season 22 premiere, LaRoche’s role in the leak of NCIS information was left unresolved, but it looked like LaRoche was a mole. In NCIS season 22, Parker’s MCRT must prove the alleged connection. The MCRT’s investigation of LaRoche must be covert since the former IJ is in arms with NCIS as its deputy director. For instance, Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) was not yet aware of LaRoche’s suspected betrayal, and the team will have to convince Vance their investigation has merit.

Torres and McGee’s ties to LaRoche via the Nexus cartel and the deputy director position will provide the agents with the background they need.

While Parker’s team has their work cut out for them in season 22 with the new villain revealed, they have plenty of assets to help take LaRoche down. Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) has returned to the team after six months at Camp Pendleton in California. Agent Knight will be essential to the investigation, especially since it involved one of her former REACT trainees. Torres and McGee’s ties to LaRoche via the Nexus cartel and the deputy director position will provide the agents with the background they need to hit the ground running.

Who Plays LaRoche? Seamus Dever’s Most Notable Roles

Seamus Dever Played Different Characters In The NCIS Franchise Before

Dever has a rich history within the franchise and its many NCIS spinoff shows. He first appeared in the NCIS universe as Corporal Caden Duran in JAG, a 1990s legal procedural show from which NCIS spun off. He returned the following year in season 4 of NCIS as Graham Thomas. The occasion marked Dever’s first character in the flagship NCIS, but it was just a one-off appearance. After many years away from the show, Dever popped up in NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Hawai’i in the 2020s, landing a recurring role in the Cali-based series.

Moreover, Dever has a robust career as a guest star in popular TV police procedurals. He appeared in The Rookie, MacGyver, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Cold Case, and Without a Trace. The actor also had a prominent role in ABC’s Castle, portraying Kevin Ryan alongside Nathan Fillion’s Richard Castle and Stana Katic’s Kate Beckett. Dever’s role in NCIS will continue the actor’s police procedural streak and add to his noteworthy dedication to multi-series franchises like CSI and NCIS.