Many fans of NCIS believed that the reappearance of other beloved characters would follow the death of the show’s primary character, David McCallum, earlier this year, in an episode honoring his memory as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard.
For all 20 seasons, McCallum portrayed Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, a former chief medical examiner who is now an NCIS historian. He most recently made a brief appearance (remotely) in the last two episodes of Season 20 this past spring. He was the final surviving original cast member of the program after series lead Mark Harmon left early in Season 19, according to TVLine.
Movieguide previously reported on McCallum’s death:
“We are grateful that CBS was David McCallum’s home for so many years and are deeply saddened by his passing,” a statement from CBS read. David was adored by people all throughout the world and was a talented author and performer. He lived a remarkable life, and his family and the innumerable hours of timeless television and movies will carry on his legacy forever.
We would miss his kind demeanor and charming sense of humor, which brightened every space he entered or staged, as well as the insightful tales he frequently told about a life well lived. The network finished their statement by saying, “Our hearts go out to his wife Katherine and his entire family, and all those who knew and loved David.”
Since his passing, fans have clamored for the return of actors like Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo and Emily Wickersham.
However, that might be easier said than done.
TVLine’s Matt Webb Mitovich explained, “The fact is that — any scheduling/availability issues aside — you can’t simply ‘bring back’ Gibbs. Or DiNozzo. Or any of the above. No matter how much their presence might be warranted for this occasion.”
“I mean, you can absolutely bring back Gibbs — especially if Mark Harmon knows about it. But then you’ll have to commit some dialogue/screen time to coaxing updates out of the team’s taciturn former leader,” he continued, adding that some explanation for each character would be required if they returned for a memorial episode.
While Harmon hasn’t confirmed a return, he has teased the possibility.
“He’s probably sitting in a stream up in Alaska fishing,” he joked of his character. “Is he going to get out of the stream? I don’t know. But if he is, I don’t know about it.”
“We might see Gibbs again,” added Rocky Carroll, who plays Leon Vance on NCIS. “I think as long as this show stays on the air, there will always be a little bit of a tease that we might see Gibbs again.”
Whether or not previous characters make an appearance to honor Ducky, fans can rest assured that the show will continue for another season.
NCIS Season 21 will premiere on Feb. 12, 2024.
Movieguide® previously reported on Harmon:
Mark Harmon is revealing some secrets about his time on NCIS, including the name his character almost had.
“I didn’t expect to like the script as much as I did when I first read it,” Harmon told Entertainment Tonight. “I was reading other things and I was also trying to stay home — young family and I wanted to try and be home more.”
So, what changed his mind?
“After reading ‘Leroy Jethro Gibbs,’ I realized that I really liked that name,” Harmon remarked. And then, for a split second, the project’s name was altered once I decided I liked the concept. Bob Johnson, or a similar figure. “No, no, it has to be Leroy Jethro Gibbs,” I exclaimed. The actor and writer responded, “No, you can’t play a guy named Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Why not?” to which the creator replied. “And then it returned, which made me happy.”