The unavoidable erasure of Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS will begin with the departure of Jessica Knight. It’s easy to forget that, for almost three years now, Harmon is no longer a part of the police procedural that he fronted for almost two decades. When Harmon announced his exit from NCIS, there were concerns that the show wouldn’t survive his absence. While it wasn’t new to cast reshuffles, the project was and remains synonymous with him. It survived losing so many main and fan-favorite characters because Gibbs continued to be the Major Case Response Team’s (MCRT) leader.
Moving on from Harmon had its challenges, but the uncertainty of it was already largely conquered by NCIS. Gary Cole’s Alden Parker stepped in to replace Gibbs as MCRT’s leader, and he has been effective in the role ever since. The writers were smart to introduce someone different enough from Gibbs that there would be minimal comparison. The squad continues to be effective in their job despite the massive changes it has gone through. There’s no denying that Harmon and Gibbs’ traces are still all over the series. That’s about to change if Knight ends up leaving, though.
Knight’s Replacement Will Be The First NCIS Agent Who Never Worked With Gibbs
Gibbs Worked With Every Single MCRT Member Since 2003.
Aside from the mystery of Parker’s Lily in the NCIS season 21 finale, one of the other big plots in the capper revolved around Knight’s future with the team. On top of the outing titled “Reef Madness,” Director Leon Vance offered Knight her dream job, but it would force her to leave MCRT and move to Camp Pendleton. At the end of the NCIS season 21 finale, Knight officially accepted the post. Assuming that she really leaves the team and is replaced with someone new, then it would be the start of Gibbs’ erasure from MCRT.
If/when Knight is replaced in NCIS season 22, it would be the first time that MCRT will have a member who has had the chance to work directly with Gibbs.
Gibbs worked with every single member of MCRT since NCIS started in 2003. He had a hand in choosing all of its agents, even Parker, who teamed up with him in Alaska for his final case. Knight arrived to replace Eleanor Bishop at the tail end of Gibbs’ time in DC, and while he was suspended then, she still had the opportunity to be a part of his team. If/when Knight is replaced in NCIS season 22, it would be the first time that MCRT will have a member who has had the chance to work directly with Gibbs.
Can Gibbs’ Legacy Stay Alive In NCIS?
CBS Has No Plans Of Ending The NCIS Franchise Anytime Soon.
Introducing new characters to be part of the core NCIS cast is inevitable; Knight’s potential replacement is only the beginning of it. Granted that Jane Tennant can step in and join Parker’s MCRT team, but it only delays the inevitable, especially since the flagship series is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. While personnel changes are inevitable, it’s worth noting that Gibbs’ legacy will thrive thanks to characters such as Tim McGee and Jimmy Palmer, not to mention Nick Torress, who will continue to be MCRT mainstays. Harmon’s character worked with them closely for years.
Beyond that, Gibbs’ legacy will be more prominent in the bigger NCIS universe even after his retirement.
Gibbs’ relationship with Director Vance will also contribute to this endeavor. While he didn’t have a hand in bringing in the current NCIS head to replace Jenny Shepard, the pair worked before. Despite the initial tension in their relationship, not to mention their professional conflicts, they fostered a close friendship. Beyond that, Gibbs’ legacy will be more prominent in the bigger NCIS universe even after his retirement. One of the upcoming expansion series, NCIS: Tony And Ziva, will put the spotlight on Michael Weatherly’s Tony Dinozzo Jr. and Cote de Pablo’s Ziva David — two of Gibbs’ best proteges.
Why Harmon Left NCIS After 19 Years
Harmon Played Gibbs Until 2021.
As the face of the franchise, Harmon’s decision to walk away from NCIS was his own. It’s worth noting that aside from playing the primary protagonist of the series, he was also involved behind the scenes as an executive producer. This was a clear indication of how much he meant to the police procedural. While losing him was difficult, his reason for leaving was totally understandable. Harmon was already 70 years old when he retired from playing Gibbs at the start of NCIS season 19. Continuing to play the role would have been unsustainable for him.
Admittedly, NCIS could have made some changes to cater to Harmon’s situation so that he could continue to play Gibbs. They did the same for David McCallum’s Ducky Mallard, who transitioned from the team’s medical examiner to the agency’s historian, so he didn’t have to spend many days on the set and could be with his family longer. This way, the actor remained an active character in the procedural until his death. This was reflected in the way NCIS wrote out Ducky in season 21.
However, it would be difficult to imagine Gibbs having a smaller part in NCIS, considering his need to be on top of his team. Diminishing his role would have meant that he would have to change titles, which he would likely have refused to do. Despite his professional record, he wasn’t interested in climbing the ranks, although he could have easily lobbied for a promotion throughout his years with the agency.
