Why did Mark Harmon leave NCIS?
Following speculation of Mark Harmon deciding to quit NCIS, CBS confirmed that he is set to return in season 19, however, in only a few episodes.
NCIS is an American police procedural television series that follows the fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).
Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Mark Harmon, is one of the fictional characters on the show. Gibbs is a former United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper, and he is currently a special agent in command of a team for the NCIS.
He has been part of the NCIS team from the beginning, and he is described as the most accomplished member of the team.
Harmon was contracted until the end of season 18, which concluded in May 2021. This encouraged fans to believe that he would step down from the show.
The season 18 finale saw Gibbs taking his boat out onto water, which unexpectedly blew up in a surprising cliffhanger. This led to further speculation on his exit from the show.
Despite the rumours, CBS confirmed that Mark Harmon will return as Gibbs for NCIS season 19.
Harmon was told that if he decided to quit the show, CBS was likely going to cancel the show completely. He chose to renew his contract because he did not want to leave his fans and co-workers hanging.
Harmon’s decision to feature in the new season is ultimately the entire reason why CBS is renewing the series. However, Harmon will reportedly only feature in a few episodes.
Kelly Kahl, CBS’ Entertainment Head, admitted that they are not sure how many episodes Harmon will be part of. Kahl stated, “We take it year by year with Mark. We would love to have him as long as he’d like to be here.”
Adding, “Even in the past season, he might have been light in a couple of episodes, so we are happy to work around his schedule.”
CBS has a beneficial interest in keeping NCIS on air, so it is willing to fulfill Harmon’s wishes to keep him on the show.
Not only is NCIS the number one drama in the world, it is also the most-watched series on television, meaning that the show generates a big income for the network.
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