The time has come for NCIS fans to watch Michael Weatherly portray a different character in his new CBS series, Bull. The drama follows Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull, the leader and founder of a trial consulting firm that uses science, social media and technology to predict and influence trial verdicts.
The character is inspired by Dr. Phil McGraw’s early days, when he founded a high-profile trial consulting firm. McGraw is also an executive producer of Bull. It’s hard to imagine (and will take a lot of getting used to for NCIS fans) Weatherly in the shoes of someone else after having played Tony DiNozzo for 13 seasons. For those who are a bit hesitant about tuning in to Bull, maybe it will make you feel better to know that Weatherly’s newest character actually has a lot in common with DiNozzo.
That’s right, Dr. Jason Bull = Tony DiNozzo. They aren’t 100 percent the same person, and I’m sure Weatherly wants NCIS fans to keep an open mind while watching. Not to mention he also probably hopes his biggest supporters will try to take DiNozzo out of the equation and remember that he is now playing Jason Bull, not everybody’s favorite goofball yet extremely caring NCIS agent.
Though, if DiNozzo fanatics need a little reassurance and a reason to watch, here are a few ways Jason Bull and Tony DiNozzo are alike.
They both fight crime
Like DiNozzo, Bull is fighting crime too, but just in a different way. He doesn’t have a gun or a badge, nor is he a law enforcement officer, but Bull is part of the criminal justice system.
Really, he and Tony could bond over that and share stories of saving the innocent and ensuring the guilty are the ones who get put behind bars.
They both have a way with women
It’s no secret that Tony DiNozzo loved women and that most women loved him. Have you seen his face? Plus, he was beyond charming, funny and definitely smooth. It appears that Jason Bull will have a similar relationship with women.
Executive producer Mark Goffman, who spoke with Yahoo in September, had the following to say about Weatherly’s character: “I think we’re going to get to see him be very playful and charming, and outside of the boundaries of the case, we will get to see him in a lot of really fun situations with women and with relationships.”
It sure sounds like Tony and Jason would get along real well — or be each other’s competition.
They’re both front and center
Tony wasn’t the team leader, but he was the senior field agent and even dubbed himself “Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo.” Despite Gibbs being the boss, Tony was still very much at the forefront. He also always managed to make himself the center of attention.
Seeing as Jason Bull is the lead character, the founder of the trial consulting firm and is running the show, it’s probably safe to say that he will also be at the front and center, like DiNozzo.
They both dress great
When didn’t Tony look dapper in his suit? He was always well put together.
The same can be said for Jason Bull. If you’ve taken a look at any of the promos, then you know he looks good in a suit just like Tony does.
Oh, and can we talk about his glasses? Wow. Who knew Michael Weatherly could pull off wearing glasses so well? Too bad Tony never wore any, but at least fans get to see Bull sport them, right?
They’re both funny
During his time on NCIS, Tony was known as the comedian. He could lighten any mood and couldn’t help but be sarcastic, even at the most inopportune times. That was just him and what made him so lovable.
As several trailers for Bull have showcased, it seems that Weatherly is going to channel a bit of Tony’s sense of humor for Jason. He’s so good at being funny it would kind of be a letdown if Weatherly’s new character wasn’t a little bit humorous too.
They’re both good at their job
Tony wasn’t a “very special agent” or senior agent for nothing. He earned the title and position mainly because he was really good at his job. From his investigative skills to his interrogation talents, to taking risks to analyzing information, DiNozzo was a great NCIS agent.
The same can be said for Dr. Jason Bull. He is smart, successful and the best at what he does. Executive producer Goffman also told Yahoo in September that Bull knows exactly what he’s doing. “Here’s this incredible character who has three Ph.D.s and is really a mastermind.” A mastermind? Yeah, it sure sounds like his intelligence is off the charts.
They both hang around smart people
While at NCIS, Tony had a really smart team, which included Gibbs, McGee, Kate (before she died), Ziva (before she left), Ellie, Palmer, Ducky, Abby and Vance. Not one person ever gave up, nor were they dumb at their job. They always knew how to fix any situation and solve the case.
As Weatherly told TVGuide.com in September, “Bull isn’t so much the smartest guy in the room as he’s the guy who made sure that he surrounded himself with the smartest people. And that makes him the smartest guy in the room.”
So it seems he has a smart and successful team, just like Tony did.
They’re both emotional
When Tony wasn’t busy being funny, he was expressing himself. He wasn’t always the class clown but someone who cared deeply for others and wasn’t afraid to show it. Remember during Weatherly’s last episode as Tony and he cried tears of both sadness and anger over Ziva (right)? That was only one of the many times Tony got emotional.
Bull is the same. He isn’t just charming and funny, but an emotional man. During a September appearance on CBS This Morning, Weatherly described Bull as a kind guy. He said Bull is a “very compassionate guy who emotionally plugs into people.” That’s something that even affected him during filming, as he explained, “It actually surprised me when we were doing one scene, I started having tears in my eyes working with this kid.”
It’s good to know that Bull has some complexity to him — and also a little DiNozzo in him.
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