Why Mark Harmon Gibbs Left NCIS

Together with the late David McCallumMark Harmon is undoubtedly the actor most often associated with the “NCIS” franchise. His character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, debuted on JAG before season 19 of NCIS. At the time of this writing, Gibbs is also the only character to receive his own prequel series, which we'll cover in more detail later. In short, Harmon is the poster child for this franchise, which is why fans were shocked when he parted ways with the hit procedural in 2021.

Harmon was 70 years old when he left NCIS, but he didn't quit because he wanted to retire and enjoy the fruits of his labor. In fact, Gibbs' star stayed on as an executive producer and continued to work on some passion projects. He then returned to the “NCIS” universe in a more substantial capacity, though it's far from the full-on screen role most fans would like to see. With that in mind, let's find out why Harmon left “NCIS” and what he's been up to in his absence.

As mentioned above, Mark Harmon never fully left NCIS. At the time, both the actor and the show's creators believed that Leroy Jethro Gibbs' story had reached its natural end, but Harmon's behind-the-scenes role ensures that he remains involved in the series' development.

“On this show, I always creatively focused on the writing space,” the actor said Paradecommenting on his decision to leave “NCIS” in 2024. “It wasn't so much a decision to leave, but maybe just the right time to push back a little bit,” he explained, adding that he knew the show would happen. keep going because “NCIS” is bigger than any actor.

Additionally, the break from the long-running crime drama gave Harmon more time to expand his artistic repertoire. In 2023, he was a co-author “Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, a Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor” containing historical accounts of real espionage and naval intelligence. In a way, it's the perfect companion piece to a theme often explored on “NCIS.”

Fans will be happy to know that Harmon is still part of the fabric of the universe that made him a network television mainstay. At the same time, the desire to reduce his professional commitments was a motivating factor in his decision to leave “NCIS”.

Mark Harmon accepted the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in hopes of finding a better work-life balance. However, the actor quickly learned that he would have to spend long days on set, which over time took a toll on him. 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 for the longest time I was just tired. Part of working (involved) at home, with a new family, not so much traveling, watching movies. The first day we worked 22 hours. So I thought, It's not exactly what I I think it will. But we had a lot of days like that in the first four years.”

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

While retired “NCIS” stars like Paul Perrett have vowed never to return to actingMark Harmon never hung up his boots. In fact, he returned to the procedural franchise shortly after leaving it, narrating the elder Gibbs on “NCIS: Origins.” Austin Stowell's newest iteration of the agent is the star of the prequels, but Harmon's voice of the character is present in every episode. He also appears in a couple of episodes, which is better than no screen role, right?

Discussing his decision to return to the prequel with Diversity In 2024, Harmon revealed that he actually pitched the idea to showrunners David J. North and Gina Lucita Montreal. The actor felt there was more Gibbs story to tell, and the prequel series allowed them to change things up. In his own words:

“I couldn't be more excited about Gene and David who they represent and their history with his show. They were the best I've ever worked with on this show and I love what they've done and what they've worked on .my job is to try to protect it.

Unfortunately, around the same time, “NCIS: Origins” was greenlit CBS Cancels 'NCIS: Hawaii' which caused 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. Still, “NCIS: Origins” provides some closure for those who weren't happy with Gibbs' send-off on the flagship show.

In Leroy Jethro Gibbs' latest case, he tracks down Paul Lemer (Jason Wiles), a hitman with ties to the corrupt company Sonova Industries. Basically, Lemere was hired by a corporation to kill anyone who risked revealing its dark secrets and the dangers it poses to the environment. The case takes Gibbs to Alaska, where he kills Lemere and the corrupt CEO of 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 solving the case, he chooses to leave the NCIS team and stay in Alaska. The story ends with him fishing and writing in his journal, hobbies he continues to do today on “NCIS: Origins.”

Despite Gibbs being technically a criminal, his story ended on a happy note. Fishing has always brought him some peace of mind and he seems content to be away from the dangerous world of hunting criminals. However, with Harmon still involved in the franchise, the door is always open for Gibbs to potentially tackle more things.