Why Did Pauley Perrette Leave ‘NCIS’? md24

The supporting character. It can be a thankless job, playing foil to the comic antics of the lead in a sitcom, the proverbial “beautiful wife married to the buffoon that gets the laughs,” for example. But every once in a while, a supporting character becomes synonymous with the show they’re on, and at times becomes more popular than the lead. Take Gary Burghoff‘s Radar O’Reilly from M*A*S*H*, a minor character that grew to become one of the series’ most beloved. Long-running CBS series NCIS has one in Pauley Perrette, whose Abby Sciuto quickly became a favorite. Make that NCIS had one in Perrette, who left the show in 2018. And she isn’t coming back anytime soon.

Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto Transcended ‘NCIS’

Perrette’s Abby Sciuto is one of the original NCIS characters, appearing alongside fan favorites Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), and Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum) in the backdoor pilot of the series, a two-part storyline during JAG‘s eighth season. From the beginning, Sciuto established herself as a cornerstone of the team, providing unrivaled experience and know-how that were invaluable in solving cases, and a wellspring of positivity and endearment that bonded the team together. She isn’t like the others, in their coiffed hair and suits, and that is the mismatch that made NCIS work so well, and made Sciuto the undisputed favorite, on and off-screen.

By rights, the character shouldn’t work. Clad in goth clothing, sporting pigtails, and a host of tattoos, her appearance is at odds with her expertise, bolstered by several degrees in forensics, criminology, and psychology, mixed with a healthy dose of caffeine. But in Perrette’s hands, it all comes together, a living, breathing disparity wrapped in a genuinely positive, friendly package. Her quirks only endeared her more to the fan base, and her prominence in the series inspired young girls to seek math and science degrees. Abby Sciuto transcended NCIS, with people instantly connecting her with the show, even if they had never watched a single episode. Networks kill for that kind of awareness, but it didn’t stop Perrette from leaving the series at the end of Season 15.

Behind the Scenes Conflict Led to Pauley Perrette Leaving ‘NCIS

On the show, Abby Sciuto resigned after an assassination attempt, bidding a tearful farewell to her colleagues at NCIS HQ, but in hindsight, there’s one telling moment that speaks volumes about why Perrette chose to leave. Pauley shares the screen in her farewell episode with all but one character, Mark Harmon’s Jethro Gibbs, who is delivered a letter from Sciuto, while Abby watches from the street as he reads it — a necessity given the falling out between the two actors off-screen that led to Perrette choosing to leave. Reportedly, the two stars had a number of clashes behind the scenes in 2016, after Harmon brought his dog to the set, which bit a crew member who needed 15 stitches as a result.

“Do people react that way because we’re NCIS, or do you just have that effect on them?”

Following the broadcast, Perrette vaguely referenced the incident on Twitter, saying, “I refused to go low, that’s why I’ve never told publicly what happened” before calling out tabloids for spreading lies and admonishing those who believed them. Further tweets suggested Perrette was struggling with trying to do the right thing, debating whether she should “spill the beans” in order to protect her crew, finishing with, “Multiple Physical Assaults. I REALLY get it now. Stay safe. Nothing is worth your safety. Tell someone.” Then, in 2019 (per Hello!), in response to confused and upset fans wondering if she’d return to the series, Perrette was more forthcoming, writing:

That new show, Broke, featured Perrette as a suburban single mother whose life is turned upside down when her estranged sister and her husband show up on her doorstep, needing a place to live because they are broke. Despite Perrette claiming that the show was her favorite to work on, CSB cancelled it in May 2020, after one season. Two months later, Perrette retired from acting, posting, “I’m HAPPILY RETIRED! Finally! Woot! All I ever wanted!” She turned to working on documentaries, and has been adamant about never coming back to the series that skyrocketed her to fame. NCIS has continued its impressive run on CBS since Perrette left the series, but has never been able to replace those things that Perrette’s Abby Sciuto brought to it. And she’ll never bring it back again, but now that Harmon has left the show…