‘NCIS’s Gary Cole Makes Every Project He’s in Undoubtedly Better

The NCIS franchise is one of the most successful in the history of broadcast television, as the 2003 crime procedural has launched several successful spinoff programs that have curated strong followings in their own right. While the NCIS franchise’s accuracy has been debated, it’s unquestionably been successful in showing the perils of law enforcement due to the strong performances by its talented ensemble. Although actors like Mark Harmon, David McCallum, Maria Bello, and Pauley Perette all saw significant boosts in their career thanks to their work on NCIS, the franchise is set to enter a new era with Gary Cole fronting the ensemble as Supervisory Special Agent Alden Parker. While he may seem like an unusual choice to lead the series, Cole is an underrated character actor who has been making films and shows better for decades.

Gary Cole Is an Industry Scene-Stealer

While the term “character actor” can be sometimes seen as a mild insult, Cole is an actor who has made the most of limited roles. There is truly no such thing as a “small part” for actors that can steal a scene, and Cole has managed to leave a memorable impact on films when he only has a limited amount of screentime. Cole’s career was kickstarted in the 1990s thanks to his working relationship with horror director Sam Raimi, who cast him as the criminal Vernon Bokovsky. Despite the brevity of the role, Cole adds tension to Hank Mitchell’s (Bill Paxton) plight that makes his scheme even more exciting. Cole’s subsequent appearance as a procuring attorney in Rami’s underrated supernatural drama The Gift indicated that he could heighten the stakes of a film with a brief appearance.

While he’s rarely been considered an “A-List” star who can generate enthusiasm for a project based on his name alone, many of Cole’s best performances have become popular culture icons. Despite being a mild disappointment at the time of its release, the 1999 comedy Office Space succeeded in growing an adamant cult following based on its authentic depiction of working within an ineffective corporate infrastructure. Cole’s performance as Bill Lumbergh, the dull-witted supervisor of the software company Initech, embodies the type of obnoxious manager that anyone can relate to. In the years since the film’s release, Lumbergh has become a frequently referenced character thanks to Cole’s hilarious performance.

Cole is an actor who can stand out within a talented ensemble, as he is able to change his persona based on the parameters of a given project. Adam McKay’s NASCAR satire Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby called for complete absurdity on the part of the entire cast, and Cole certainly commits to this tone with his eccentric performance as Reese Bobby, the father of Will Ferrell’s titular racing star. Cole has also shown a more subtle side to his abilities in films, like the underrated 2007 spy thriller Breach, in which his character Rich Garces is essential in the investigation into the suspected FBI traitor Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper).

Gary Cole Makes the Most of Every Appearance

While it’s great to see that he will be taking over the NCIS franchise for the foreseeable future, it’s hardly the first time that Cole has appeared on an acclaimed drama series. One of Cole’s most memorable roles to date was his guest performance on The West Wing as Vice President Bob Russell, a seemingly simplistic political pawn who secretly harbors his own ambitions to become commander-in-chief. Russell was among the most interesting characters on The West Wing because it was unclear where his moral center was; his adeptness at dealing with political debates made it challenging to determine when he was being sincere. While The West Wing took a dip in quality in its later seasons, Cole’s performance certainly made the series more exciting than it would have been otherwise.

Cole’s guest roles have earned him critical acclaim, as he has often been able to add something different to shows that were already at the peak of their popularity. While standing out alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Tony Hale would pose a challenge to most actors, Cole’s guest star appearance on Veep as the former senior strategist Kent Davison was perfectly placed within the ensemble. It was a heralded performance that earned Cole a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. With multiple appearances throughout the series, Cole was able to justify giving Davison a serious character arc without it feeling like a distraction to the main narrative.

Although he’s often a fun familiar face to see onscreen, Cole has an equally impressive resume of animated roles. With recurring appearances on Family Guy, Kim Possible, Bob’s Burgers, and Archer, Cole has brought to life over-the-top characters that would be too ridiculous for live-action projects. Most notably, his lead role as the titular attorney in Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law was essential in crafting one of the most acclaimed Adult Swim shows of all-time.

It’s About Time Gary Cole Played Another Lead

While he’s never failed to find work, it’s been far too long since Cole has been given a leading role in a major project. It’s easy to forget that one of Cole’s earliest performances was as the patriarch Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel, films that took on the impossible task of living up to the legacy of the acclaimed series. While Cole’s performance drew from past interpretations of the character, he was able to make his own interpretation of Mike Brady that was entirely unique.

Cole’s appearance on NCIS bodes well for its future, as any series that has run for so many episodes is bound to go stale after a while. While there’s always the fear that NCIS’s best episodes are behind it, Cole’s idiosyncrasies as an actor suggest that the series will go in an entirely new direction, and could succeed in grating the show an audience that it wouldn’t have found otherwise.

NCIS is streaming on Paramount Plus in the U.S.