Exclusive: The Shocking Truth Behind the Abrupt Demise of a Major NCIS Character in Just Two Seasons – Prepare to Be Stunned!
The unexpected departure of Kate (Sasha Alexander) from NCIS had a profound impact on the show’s trajectory. Following its 2003 spin-off from JAG, NCIS quickly became a standout military procedural series, leading to successful spinoffs like NCIS: Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawai’i, and Sydney. The charismatic original cast played a pivotal role in the show’s success. However, Kate’s character met an untimely end in the shocking Season 2 finale.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson and co-creator Donald P. Bellisario shed light on the decision to write off Kate. Sasha Alexander expressed her desire to reduce her workload due to the demanding hours, prompting Bellisario to propose the idea of killing off her character to raise the stakes within the series. Here are their quotes:
JOHNSON (executive producer): In the second year, Sasha went to Don and said, “I love this show, but I just can’t work this hard.” We were doing long hours. I don’t think she wanted to leave the show — she just wanted a lighter workload. Bellisario was always a writer who went for the cataclysmic. He went, “Well, what if we kill her off?” Everybody goes, “What?” And he went to her and told her, “Good news — your workload is going to be lighter. But you’re going to die.” (Laughs.) It was the very last minute or two of the show — the shot through the head. That’s always been one of the more shocking things on the internet of endings that you don’t see coming.
BELLISARIO (co-creator): I wanted to do a shocker, so that’s what I did, and people didn’t expect that at all. It came out of nowhere.
Kate’s untimely death marked the beginning of NCIS’s reputation for unexpected character exits. This established the understanding that characters could depart or meet unforeseen fates at any time, even without prior indications of danger. Sasha Alexander, initially signed on for a six-season run, faced the demanding shooting schedule that took its toll on her. While her desire for a lighter workload was understandable, the decision to kill off her character surprised fans.
After leaving NCIS, Sasha Alexander starred in Rizzoli & Isles for seven seasons. Meanwhile, the show’s cast and creators used Kate’s death to introduce a sense of vulnerability among the investigators, emphasizing that any character could be killed at any moment. In retrospect, the decision to write off Kate’s character proved to be a significant turning point for the show.
