NCIS has been a CBS hit since its 2003 premiere, featuring memorable characters like Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). Fans loved watching Gibbs solve cases and mentor his team, but he eventually left the show, leaving viewers missing the iconic agent.
Mark Harmon decided to step away from NCIS to keep his acting career “fresh.” In a season 19 DVD feature, he explained that Gibbs’ story had run its course. On The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2024, Harmon added that the demanding schedule-sometimes 22-hour days-also influenced his decision.
Gibbs was replaced by FBI Special Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole) in season 19. Parker, introduced in episode 2, “Nearly Departed,” is a tough, experienced agent who, like Gibbs, inspires his team and doesn’t tolerate nonsense. While Gibbs was hard to replace, Cole has been praised for bringing a gruff yet caring presence to the role.
Gibbs’ final episode, season 19, episode 4, “The Great Wide Open,” sees him settling in Naktok Bay, Alaska, reflecting on the tragic deaths of his wife Shannon and daughter Kelly. Though leaving NCIS was bittersweet, Harmon seemed satisfied with how Gibbs’ story ended.
Harmon also narrates the prequel NCIS: Origins, which premiered in September 2024, and even made a cameo in its premiere. The series explores a young Gibbs’ early career, giving fans a fresh perspective on the beloved character, much like Dexter: Original Sin did for Dexter.
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