Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Mark Harmon’s Special Agent In Charge, quit NCIS for the following reason: Naval Criminal Investigative Service in “Great Wide Open,” episode 4 of season 19. Since Harmon has been the face of NCIS since the show’s start in 2003, the dynamics of the series will undoubtedly change as a result of his retirement from the force. Despite Gibbs’ withdrawal from the show, Harmon will still be one of the series’ Executive Producers.
NCIS presently holds the title of CBS’ longest-running scripted primetime programme, and it has grown its franchise to include the long-running NCIS: Los Angeles, the recently departed NCIS: New Orleans, and the newest series NCIS: Hawai’i. NCIS was a spin-off of the 1995–2005 television series JAG. The series centres on the life and exploits of the government special agents tasked with pursuing felonies, stopping terrorism, and guarding Navy and Marine Corps secrets.
NCIS has seen numerous notable cast exits over its illustrious 18 years, but none as momentous as Harmon’s. The show was created by Don McGill and renowned creator-producer Donald P. Bellisario, who is also known for the Detroit Lions baseball cap-wearing Magnum P.I. It’s nothing new for CBS to replace prominent characters on their shows, but it’s still unclear how NCIS will do without Agent Gibbs. Harmon’s exit early in the season wasn’t a coincidence. Before deciding whether or not to renew the show for season 20, CBS will have lots of post-Harmon performance data on the programme.
Can NCIS Survive After Mark Harmon’s Exit?
The question of whether NCIS will survive Mark Harmon’s departure is one that is quite uncertain. After all, Gibbs is the major character of the programme, and viewers have come to know and adore him throughout the many years that NCIS has been shown. However, a lot of other series have managed to survive the loss of their star and continue for a few more seasons. The popularity of NCIS season 19 will be a major determinant of whether or not viewers can watch the show without Gibbs. This is a major factor in why Gibbs was fired from the show at the start of the season: to see if the show could continue without him. The public is at least accustomed to NCIS characters leaving the TV show at this time because the show has previously let go of a number of fan favourites. However, one of the most significant character losses that NCIS viewers will have to deal with is the loss of Gibbs. Hopefully Agent Parker will be able to bridge the gap left by Mark Harmon’s departure from the show.
Could Gibbs Return To NCIS?
The door has been left open for Gibbs to potentially return in the future because he chose to retire to the quiet life rather than pass away in a hero’s blaze of glory. In a statement issued the evening of Harmon’s departure, showrunner Steve Binder indicated as much: “As an executive producer and good friend, Mark continues to be a vital part of the fabric of the show.” “Staying true to our characters has always been our north star, and this fact has always driven the stories we write and the journeys taken by those characters,” continued Binder. Therefore, as long-time viewers of the programme may have observed throughout the years with reference to Gibbs’ future, “Never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out.”
How Gibbs’ Final NCIS Storyline Plays Out
Long had Gibbs been working on his final case. The squad learned in Harmon’s sixth and last episode that a hired hitman had actually committed the murders they believed had been committed by a serial killer (Jason Wiles). Gibbs took the hitman where he wanted to go in exchange for information after dumping FBI Agent Alden Parker, played by Gary Cole (who starred in Veep as Kent Davison from season 2 all the way to the Veep series finale). The assassin detonated himself, but not before telling Gibbs who hired him and admitting he was responsible for damaging his boat.
The research brought Gibbs to Sonova Industries, whose impending copper mining project threatened to destroy the region, near Naktok, Alaska. Gibbs and the NCIS team focused on gathering evidence to bring Sonova’s CEO, Sonia Eberhart, to justice after finding she had hired the hitman to assassinate anyone who may provide information about the environmental harm the mine would create. Documents were eventually found that showed Eberhart was responsible for the journalist’s demise and was aware of the environmental impact.
What Mark Harmon Is Doing After NCIS
Fans of Mark Harmon are left wondering what the actor will be doing after his surprise departure from NCIS. Not a lot, is the current response to that query. It makes sense that the actor would want to take a break from his job in entertainment. Mark Harmon from NCIS is still an executive producer, thus the actor has a lot of control over how the upcoming seasons will turn out. This might also give Harmon the option to return to the programme if he chooses to do so. For the time being, viewers will just have to accept Harmon’s departure and not count on the actor to make any further appearances in motion pictures or television programmes.
Gibbs was the most recognisable character to leave NCIS, which may be why he wasn’t killed off. Harmon will almost probably make an appearance on NCIS to bring viewers back if the show’s ratings drop. Gibbs might at any moment come up with a few justifications to drop by or invite the crew up north for some salmon fishing and bear watching. Even better, CBS might bring in the big guns and have Pauley Perrette’s Abby or Michael Weatherly’s Tony stop over for one or two story arcs. NCIS will attempt to stand on its own, at least for the remainder of this season. Thankfully, it has a talented cast of new and experienced faces to guide the series towards its second instalment. With 18 seasons under its belt, NCIS has never been short on storylines, and now that Gibbs is gone, nobody is quite sure what will happen. That’s a lot of fun.
Why Gibbs Decides To Leave NCIS
Key interactions between Gibbs and his staff, notably Wilmer Valderrama’s Nick Torres (who might return as Fez in That ’90s Show), were included in the NCIS episode. The team-building exercises were sprinkled throughout the show, obliquely hinting at Gibbs’ departure. He knew he wouldn’t need his phone after this case, as evidenced by the fact that he dropped the one he had been carrying around for so long inside a coffee mug before departing.
Gibbs didn’t, however, intend to retire. Gibbs had breached the law by abandoning the FBI and assisting the hitman in travelling to his intended death. He even gave Parker the exact location of where to find him. However, when Parker realised all that Gibbs had accomplished, he disobeyed orders to release him, which cost him his job. Gibbs made the decision to stay there since he was at ease. He hadn’t had tranquilly like that since the passing of his wife and daughter, and he wasn’t ready to let it go.
Why Mark Harmon Left NCIS After 18 Seasons
Harmon was prepared to leave NCIS after season 18, but he worked out a brief cameo at the start of season 19 to ensure the show’s continuation. He has a stake in the future of the series because he is a producer and a longtime member of the franchise. NCIS had the best chance of being renewed by leaving early at the start of a season rather than at the end of another. NCIS still has time to show that it can maintain a following without Harmon. Agent Parker will probably soon have a position waiting for him at NCIS because he was sacked for aiding Gibbs. Dwayne Pride might pay a call if Scott Bakula isn’t too busy filming the Quantum Leap revival, which did have a cliffhanger at the conclusion. There may soon be additional new and returning characters.
