Dossier: Caitlin "Kate" Todd

"Caitlin" has been the name used for the female lead on three of Mr. Bellisario's shows, "NCIS" being one of them. In "Airwolf", the woman was Caitlin O'Shaughnessy. In "JAG", Mr. Bellisario's original choice for the female lead was Andrea Parker, who was Lt. j.g. Caitlin "Kate" Pike.

Also, Dr. Sam Beckett ("Quantum Leap") had a sister named Katie (but short for Katherine) - incidentally, played by the actress who appeared as Sara Lowell in "SWAK".

There hasn't been a reason given for why there are that many Kates in Mr. Bellisario's shows.

CBS profile for Kate     |     Rosefern profile for Kate     |     Kate in pictures

From the Paramount site: Sasha Alexander stars as Special Agent Caitlin Todd, a former Secret Service Agent who had been assigned to protect the President and First Family. She is very intelligent, no nonsense and strong-willed. Although she has a great sense of humor, she knows when enough is enough and can hold her own with the boys.

From Kip:

• Sasha and DPB share a heritage. They both have Serbian mothers and Italian fathers. Sasha is fluent in both languages.

• Too early [to tell whether or not Sasha would use her language fluency]. She never spoke Serbian or Italian on the show.

• Kate was hired for the skills she has shown.

Mr. Bellisario on Kate and the previous female lead (Robyn Lively as NCIS agent Vivienne Blackadder) in JAG Spinoff Secrets by Daniel R. Coleridge:
"No, completely different woman, completely different character," he emphasizes. While Lively was playing NCIS agent Viv Blackadder, Alexander portrays Kate Todd, who will start out as a Secret Service agent on presidential protection detail in the first episode. "Not that Sasha isn't soft," Bellisario laughs, "but she wears a jockstrap."

Mr. Bellisario on Kate and the new female lead (Cote de Pablo as Mossad agent Ziva David) in Ask Ausiello, 01 June 05:
"I want to bring somebody in who is different from Kate, a girl who is more sexually open. Kate was uptight. I think [the new girl] will give Tony a run for his money."
 

Kate Todd is based on the real life NCIS agent, Deborah Rocco, with whom Sasha Alexander met in order to get a feel for and to learn about the real NCIS. The much-honored Rocco instructed Alexander on how to use a weapon and on what it was like to be a woman and a NCIS agent. (l to r) Sasha Alexander and Rocco when Alexander visited. From Reality television: An isle Navy investigator serves as a consultant to the new CBS drama "Navy NCIS" by Gregg K. Kakesako