Will Gibbs return to NCIS? Fan theories for season 21 explained
ACTOR Mark Harmon portrayed the character of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS from 2003 to 2021.
Now, fans of the hit TV series want to know if the actor will reprise his role.
Why did Mark Harmon leave NCIS?
Mark Harmon left NCIS after portraying Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a main character for 18 seasons and with a “limited role” in season 19, per Today.
His final episode, titled Great Wide Open, premiered on October 11, 2021.
As Deadline reported, NCIS EP/showrunner Steve Binder released a statement about the episode’s airing and Harmon’s exit.
“As an executive producer and dear friend, Mark continues to be an integral part of the fabric of the show,” Binder said.
“Our north star has always been staying true to our characters, and that truth has always guided the stories we tell and where those characters go.
“So regarding the future of Gibbs, as long-time fans of the show may have noticed over the years…never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out,” he continued.
CBS Entertainment’s then-President Kelly Kahl spoke with the outlet about Harmon in September 2021.
“Mark’s always been part of the show, Mark’s always going to be part of the show,” Kahl said.
“In terms of his on-air appearances, we’re just going to have to see how it plays out going forward,” he continued.
Harmon discussed his exit in a season 19 DVD featurette shared by Entertainment Tonight in August 2022.
“What has always drawn me here is the character I play and to keep it fresh and to keep it challenging,” he said.
“Plot-wise, this character has taken the path that it did. I thought it was honest and OK with.”
“I’m not retired… The character is living in Alaska as far as I know,” Harmon continued.
How did they write Gibbs out of the script?
Gibbs was written out of the script when he decided to pursue a new life path.
Per Today, the agent was working on a criminal case in Alaska and, upon completion, informed his partner Tim McGee — portrayed by Sean Murray — that he was not “going back.”
“This sense of peace, I have not had this since Shannon and Kelly died and I’m not ready to let it go,” he told McGee.
“I could not have hoped for anyone better to watch my back for the past 18 years than you,” he continued.
As Today reported, executive producer Chas. Floyd Johnson spoke about Gibbs’ departure in the show’s featurette, saying that Alaska was a “very odd place for Gibbs to go” but that he could return in the future.
“I thought was a nice way to end the show where the audience felt ‘We[‘]re comfortable where he is,'” Johnson said.
“But I think the smart thing, we left it to the fact that we didn’t know if Gibbs could return. He didn’t say I’ll never come back. There was sort of a hope that if there’s ever a need, we might see Gibbs again,” he continued.
Why do fans think Gibbs could return to NCIS?
Fans think Gibbs could return to NCIS since the door was kept open following his exit.
Binder, Kahl, and Johnson all previously alluded to the possibility that the beloved character could return in the future, with Harmon also not ruling it out.
During a November 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier, the actor spoke about Gibbs’ uncertain future.
“He’s probably sitting in a stream up in Alaska fishing,” Harmon joked about Gibbs.
“Is he going to get out of the stream? I don’t know. But if he is, I don’t know about it,” he continued.
Fans have also speculated that Gibbs could return during season 21’s tribute episode for actor David McCallum, who passed away in September 2023 and played Donald “Ducky” Mallard in the television series.
As Screen Rant noted, Gibbs and Mallard had a close friendship in the show, so it would make sense for the former to return and pay his respects.
According to TV Line, the tribute episode will premiere on February 19, 2024, as the second episode of season 21.
It “will address McCallum’s passing and serve as a tribute to his beloved character, chief medical examiner-turned-NCIS Historian Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard.”
Season 21 will debut on Monday, February 12, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST/8 p.m. CST.
Harmon will also reportedly be reprising his role as Gibbs in an NCIS prequel.
In January 2024, The Hollywood Reporter reported that NCIS: Origins has a “straight-to-series order for the 2024-25 season.”
