Why did Gibbs leave Mark Harmon NCIS?

along with The late David McCallumMark Harmon is arguably the actor most associated with the “NCIS” franchise. His character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, first appeared on JAG before going on to star in 19 seasons of NCIS. As of the time of this writing, Gibbs is also the only character to get his own prequel series, which we’ll cover in more detail later. In short, though, Harmon is a great role model for the series, which is why fans were shocked when he parted ways with the hit procedural in 2021.

Harmon was in his 70s when he left “NCIS,” but he didn’t quit because he wanted to retire and enjoy the fruits of his labor. In fact, star Gibbs stayed on board as an executive producer and has been keeping busy working on some passion projects. He has since returned to the world of “NCIS” in a greater capacity, although far from the kind of full-fledged role most fans would like to see on screen. With that in mind, let’s find out why Harmon left ‘NCIS’ and what he’s been doing while he’s been away.

As previously mentioned, Mark Harmon never left ‘NCIS’. At the time, both the actor and the series’ creators felt that the story of Leroy Jethro Gibbs had reached its natural conclusion, but Harmon’s role behind the scenes ensured that he was still involved in the series’ development.

“I’ve always taken care of the writing room on this show creatively,” the actor said. processioncommenting on his decision to leave ‘NCIS’ in 2024. “It wasn’t a decision to leave as much as it was just the right timing to step away for a little bit,” he explained, adding that he knew the show would be like that. Keep going because “NCIS” is bigger than any one actor.

Furthermore, the break from the long-running crime drama gave Harmon more time to expand his repertoire. In 2023, he co-authored it Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, a Japanese-American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor Which chronicles historical accounts of real-life espionage and naval intelligence. In a way, it’s a perfect companion piece to the subject matter often explored in “NCIS.”

Fans will be pleased to know that Harmon remains part of the fabric of the universe that turned him into a mainstay of network television. At the same time, his desire to reduce his professional obligations was a motivating factor in his decision to step back from “NCIS.”

Mark Harmon accepted the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs expecting to find a better work-life balance. However, the actor soon learned that he would have to spend long days on set, which affected him greatly over time. In a previous interview with “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Harmon revealed that he was exhausted when he left ‘NCIS’, and that he wanted to spend more time with his loved ones:

“I think I was tired longer. Part of taking the job (involves) staying at home, with a young family, and not traveling as much to see movies. The first day, we worked 22 hours. So I thought, ‘This is not exactly what I thought it would be.’ But we had a lot of days like that in the first four years.”

Fortunately, his time served allowed Harmon to recharge his batteries and return to “NCIS: Origins,” a prequel series about his character during his early days on the team. With that in mind, what prompted the veteran actor to give up more time at home and reprise his role as Gibbs?

While he retired “NCIS” stars like Pauly Perrette have vowed never to return to actingMark Harmon never hung up his shoes. In fact, he returned to the procedural series shortly after his resignation, providing narration for an elderly Gibbs in “NCIS: Origins.” The younger agent iteration of Austin Stowell is the star of the prequel, but the voice of Harmon’s character is present in every episode. He also appears on several occasions, which is better than no on-screen role at all, right?

Discussing his decision to return to the prequel with diverse In 2024, Harmon revealed that he had already pitched the idea to showrunners David J. North and Gina Lucita Monreal. The actor believes there are more Gibbs stories to tell, and that a prequel series allowed them to shake things up. In his own words:

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with Jenna and David, who they represent and their history with his show. They’ve been the best people I’ve ever worked with on this show, and I love what they’ve done and what they’ve worked so hard on and I tried to push that. My job is to try to protect that.” “

Unfortunately, “NCIS: Origins” was greenlit around the same time CBS cancels “NCIS: Hawaii” Which led to some pushback from fans who wanted the franchise to move forward with new characters. While people were happy to see Harmon back in the saddle, it arguably came at the expense of another fan-favorite series. However, “NCIS: Origins” provides some closure for those who weren’t satisfied with Gibbs’ farewell in the main show.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ latest case has him tracking down Paul Lemere (Jason Wiles), a hitman with ties to a corrupt company called Sonova Industries. Essentially, Lemere is hired by the Corporation to assassinate anyone who risks exposing its dark secrets and the dangers they pose to the environment. The case takes Gibbs to Alaska, where he brings down the corrupt CEO of Lemere and Sonova, albeit at the cost of his freedom.

Gibbs’ investigation sees him take the law into his own hands, turning him into a wanted fugitive. Instead of trying to clear his name after the case was solved, he chose to retire from the NCIS team and remain in Alaska. The story ends with him fishing and writing in his journal, hobbies that he continues to pursue in the present “NCIS: Origins.”

Although technically a criminal, Gibbs’ story had a happy ending. Hunting has always brought him some peace of mind, and he seems content to get away from the dangerous world of chasing criminals. However, since Harmon is still involved in the series, the door is always open for Gibbs to solve more cases in the future.