Mark Harmon Unsure if Gibbs Will Return to NCIS

Mark Harmon will be heard narrating as the present-day Leroy Jethro Gibbs on CBS’ upcoming NCIS: Origins prequel series starring Austin Powell.

However, fans are left wondering when Harmon will be seen again on the original NCIS series, where he served as the team’s former leader.

Harmon remains an executive producer on NCIS but has not appeared on-camera since the early episodes of Season 19. During that time, Gibbs informed McGee that he would not return to D.C., choosing instead to stay in a quiet Alaskan town.

Appearing at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Harmon shared insights about his NCIS exit. “It wasn’t so much a decision to leave, but the right timing to push away a little bit,” he said. He was pleased with how the storyline handled his character’s departure. “I was thrilled with the storyline they came up with and how they handled the character,” he noted. “And the show continued on.”

Updates on Gibbs have been scarce until recently. In the second episode of the last season, a glimpse into Gibbs’ whereabouts was provided. An envelope addressed to McGee from Naktok Bay, Alaska, included a Polaroid of Gibbs, McGee, and Ducky, symbolizing that Gibbs is still situated in Alaska.

Despite this clue, Gibbs did not appear in the episode dedicated to the late David McCallum’s Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard. Nor did he show up in the franchise’s milestone 1,000th episode aired in April. Instead, Michael Weatherly made a cameo as former team member Tony DiNozzo.

So, when will Gibbs be seen again? And what will it take for him to reappear?

At the TCA panel for NCIS: Origins, Harmon fielded questions about a possible return. “I have been asked that a lot,” he acknowledged. “But I’ve always let the writers do what they want to do.”

When asked if NCIS had directly invited him back within the past three years, Harmon replied, “Directly, like a phone call…? Not that I’m aware of.”

As for returning for the eventual NCIS series finale? Harmon remained non-committal. “I don’t know,” he said. “It’s really about feeling like you’re fulfilled with a role, or complete with a role.”

One thing seems certain: Harmon indicated that Gibbs is no longer in Alaska. “I don’t think he’s still standing in the stream,” he remarked with a chuckle.

NCIS co-showrunner Steven D. Binder previously discussed Gibbs’ absence from the 1,000th episode. He mentioned that the door is always open for Harmon’s return, but emphasized it would need to be for a significant storyline, not just a brief cameo like Weatherly’s.

Source: TVLine