NCIS: Gibbs and McGee Will Suffer "Lasting Effects" from Paraguay Mission

NCISended things on a cliffhanger in the Season 14 finale with Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and McGee (Sean Murray) surrounded by enemy forces in Paraguay. Fortunately for fans, they won't have to wait long to find out what happens to our heroes. The new season picks up less than a minute from where we left off before jumping several months ahead.

"We start right back where we were, just to sort of remind the audience that McGee and Gibbs are in trouble," showrunners George Schenck and Frank Cardea tell TV Guide. "And then we go to the main title and then we come back and it's two months later."

It turns out that Gibbs and McGee will be stuck in Paraguay for far longer than we imaged, leaving the rest of the NCIS team (led by Bishop) to hold down the fort back in the United States, all the while wondering if their friends are even still alive. But even once Gibbs and McGee return from abroad, they'll have to deal with the far-reaching consequences of the ordeal.

"There'll be lasting effects. What happens down there will change them," Schenck explained.

One thing that will weigh heavily on Gibbs and McGee's minds is whether they're ready to get back into the field once they return from their harrowing ordeal abroad. "True to form, they have to go through a debriefing and all of that, which includes a psychological evaluation if they're ready to go back to work. So there's that process in the first few episodes of them getting back to work," said Schenck.

ER's Maria Bello Joins the Cast of NCIS

This season will also see a few changes with Maria Bello joining the cast as a forensic psychologist in Episode 4. And while there are currently no plans for Michael Weatherly to return as Tony DiNozzo, Robert Wagner will reprise his role as Tony DiNozzo Sr. this season. Laura San Giacomo is also set to return as Dr. Grace Confalone.

The NCIS family will also be welcoming a new member when Delilah (Margo Harshman) gives birth in an episode airing around the holidays. So while the team may be faced with some challenges this season, there will also be plenty of room for those happier moments.

Season 15 of NCIS premieres Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 8/7c on CBS.

(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS.)