'NCIS' season 14 release date, plot spoilers: Flashbacks to reveal truth behind farmhouse explosion; Wilmer Valderrama geared up for his season 14 stint

Premiere date for "NCIS" season 14 has been set, and fans who are eagerly awaiting the return of CBS' flagship American police procedural drama would be happy to know that season 13's cliffhanger ending will be addressed in the upcoming season.

Viewers would recall the farmhouse explosion that turned the world of Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) upside down, the very thing that made him leave Team Gibbs. The explosion that rocked season 13 left the fate of Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) uncertain.

However, Master Herald said that executive producer Gary Glasberg has teased that viewers would know whether Ziva is alive or dead when season 14 returns, particularly through flashback scenes. Apparently, the flashbacks would reveal what really transpired on that fateful day, as well as what happened to Ziva during the explosion.

The role that Weatherly left is a large one, so it follows that a major character will be brought in to fill the void. Through his Twitter account, Wilmer Valderrama of "That 70s Show" confirmed that he will be joining "NCIS" season 14 as a series regular.

The series is also said to be looking for a female series regular, and talks are rife that Sarah Clarke of "24" is the unanimous choice. She has appeared in a recurring role during the final two episodes of season 13 as FBI Special Agent Tess Moore, and while it hasn't been confirmed yet, there is a big possibility that the character will become a regular on the show.

According to The Bitbag, the other agents in the series would be clueless as to the entry of Valderrama's character, who is described as a field agent who went on a deep cover assignment years before and never resurfaced. It remains to be seen if his experience has affected him in any way, although earlier reports claimed Valderrama would play "a loose cannon."

"It's going to be super exciting and fun to join that ongoing train of goodness. I'm proud to be creating a new character. One of the reasons this partnership makes so much sense is that every character I create has a different weird look. From the villain to the cop to the soldier. I've been able to use the products to create a different tool for each character," Valderrama told E! News.

In related news, Deadline has confirmed that after Weatherly, no one else from the team will be leaving the show. "NCIS" favorites Pauley Perrette, Sean Murray, Rocky Carroll, and David McCallum have all recently signed a two-year contract. Mark Harmon who plays Jethro Gibbs had earlier renewed his contract through to 2018.

"NCIS" season 14 premieres on Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. ET. on CBS.