Shocking Revelation: Mark Harmon Unaware of Gibbs Returning to NCIS – The Truth Exposed!
As NCIS gears up for its 21st season, recent speculation about a tribute to the late original cast member David McCallum, who played Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, raises questions about the potential return of Mark Harmon’s character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Despite Harmon’s role as an executive producer on NCIS, he hasn’t appeared on-screen as Gibbs since early Season 19. Harmon’s name was officially removed from the opening credits almost a year later.
With McCallum’s passing on September 25, there’s anticipation regarding how NCIS might pay tribute to the beloved character. Considering Sean Murray and Brian Dietzen as the closest to the original cast, a fitting sendoff for Ducky could involve encores from former cast members like Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo, and/or Pauley Perrette. However, production on NCIS Season 21 is yet to start.
In a recent Q&A with Entertainment Tonight on November 16, Harmon was asked about Gibbs and the possibility of returning to his NCIS role. Harmon humorously responded, “He’s probably sitting in a stream up in Alaska fishing. Will he be able to get out of the stream? I’m not sure. But if he is, I’m not aware of it.”
In a Season 19 DVD bonus, Harmon had previously commented on Gibbs’ decision to retire in Alaska, emphasizing the sincerity of the character’s trajectory.
NCIS producer Steven D. Binder has been careful not to reveal Gibbs’ current location, describing an intriguing ambiguity surrounding the character. Binder emphasized that, in his vision, Gibbs is both nowhere and everywhere, akin to being transformed into pixie dust, floating in the sky until duty calls him back.
Binder argued that providing specific details about Gibbs’ current whereabouts would spoil the carefully crafted and ideal conclusion achieved for the character in Season 19. While Gibbs has only “appeared” in certain instances, offering no insight into his current life, the writing team aims to maintain the mysterious and open-ended nature of the character’s journey.
