5 Seasons Later, Every NCIS Episode Still Secretly Honors Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs

While NCIS has been without Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) for years, the series still takes painstaking care of its original leader with a behind-the-scenes ritual that honors him years after his departure. For nearly two decades, NCIS viewers watched as Gibbs led the MCRT with a set of rules to live by and expert precision. Throughout the show’s first era, Gibbs was the leader who found himself ready for any case, but didn’t give his team much by way of words. Instead, the MCRT was left with Gibbs’ expertise and his rules, which accounted for nearly every scenario possible.

Though Gibbs openly cared for those he worked with, his behavior often made it seem like he preferred to be a lone wolf. With incredible investigatory skills and an ability to pick up on the truth no matter where it would lead, Gibbs was able to pass on his wisdom to his team, but kept to himself in his quiet moments. Mournful and understanding of what the job had taken from him, he cared for the MCRT heartily, but when Gibbs’ presence seemed like it would put others in danger, he took his leave for the good of his team.

Although Gibbs left the show during NCIS season 19, his figure has loomed large throughout the series even after his departure. The CBS series’ cast appears to feel this way, too, making sure that the iconic character and the actor behind him are honored in every episode of NCIS.

NCIS Hasn’t Replaced Mark Harmon’s Gibbs On Their Call Sheet

CBS

Although Harmon hasn’t returned to the CBS hit in a traditional sense, the cast of the series spoke about his legacy on the show ahead of NCIS season 24, revealing that their former leader is honored within every episode of the series. Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover, who play medical examiners Jimmy Palmer and Kasie Hines on the long-running series, revealed on their podcast, NCIS: Partners & Probies, that the top spot on each episode’s call sheet has been left empty since Harmon’s departure. Dietzen shared it’s an homage to Harmon creating “the DNA of how [NCIS] was going to run.”

With Gibbs having been the leader of the MCRT, Harmon’s presence on NCIS was something that made or broke the series each episode. Dietzen went on to share that Harmon “might not be on set every day with us anymore, but how we’re going to run and what our work ethic is going to be is defined by what he created there.” In making it clear that Harmon was an integral piece of the NCIS puzzle, Dietzen and Reasonover made it clear that while Harmon’s influence impacts the cast, Gibbs’ still makes his presence known for the MCRT, too.

By preserving a space for Harmon on the call sheet, and in tandem, for Gibbs as the foundation of the MCRT, NCIS is honoring the character’s legacy, even as the show moves forward without him.

NCIS Wouldn’t Be A Hit Without Mark Harmon Having Jumped On Board

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NCIS, which began as a spinoff of the popular CBS series JAG in 2003, was a show that needed Harmon on board to succeed. Far more than a traditional procedural, NCIS hinged on the way that Gibbs and his team roved through cases, and specifically the lore that came with Gibbs as a character. From his multiple ex-wives to the tragic loss of his family, Gibbs was a character who had a lot of weight to him, and Harmon, who had been in a variety of roles prior to his time on the CBS series, was the perfect casting choice.

In order for the world of the MCRT to be believable, the team had to be anchored by someone who provided an interesting mix of humor, heart, and hard headedness. Gibbs’ vacillating between quiet scorn and outspoken stubbornness was a key component of the show coming together, as the rest of the cast needed to bounce off his leadership style in their own specific ways. As NCIS moved forward, Gibbs became more than just a leader, and Harmon’s larger role made the team comfortable to step into their roles authentically. NCIS honoring Harmon, and Gibbs, makes it all the better.

Release Date

September 23, 2003

Showrunner

Donald P. Bellisario

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  Sean Murray

  Timothy McGee

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  David McCallum

  Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard