The NCIS 1000th episode confirmed that the franchise can survive the departure of one specific major character. Now airing NCIS season 21, the police procedural has been on CBS for over two decades. The franchise celebrated its 1000th episode this week, and the episode was a chance to flex the strength of the franchise. Naturally, the flagship NCIS was chosen to host the celebration of the franchise’s milestone event. The event saw the return of retired FBI agent Tobias Fornell, played by Joe Spano, but the episode didn’t bring back nearly as many original characters as it could have.
The 1000th episode was an accomplishment split between NCIS and its spinoffs: NCIS: Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawai’i, and Sydney. Although it could have been an opportunity to do a crossover episode, the 1000th episode opted for a more streamlined narrative based on the Major Case Response Team’s (MCRT) origins. As such, the episode was laden with nostalgia for the franchise’s past, and although featured in archival footage, a major original character was missing from the NCIS 1000th episode, and it proves that the franchise will survive without them.
Gibbs’ Absence In NCIS 1000th Episode Suggests The Franchise Will Survive Without Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon did not appear in the NCIS 1000th episode. His absence suggests that NCIS will survive the departure of Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and that the show officially has a strong enough base and cast to carry on without him. It was not evident that the franchise would survive without Harmon. Gibbs departed NCIS midway through season 19, rather than leaving at the end of a season, so that the network had time to see whether the show would perform well in Harmon’s absence. If not, it’s safe to say the network may have cut the cord.
The decision not to bring Gibbs back for the 1000th episode suggests CBS knew they didn’t need to feature Harmon in the episode for it to garner the hype that the franchise deserved. Gibbs hasn’t been seen in the NCIS universe since the character retired from his position as Special Agent in Charge of MCRT and moved to Alaska. Although bringing Gibbs out of retirement would be a significant development in the show’s storyline, bringing the character back is relatively straightforward since Harmon’s character is not officially retired from the franchise, and remains available for the right guest appearance.
Harmon’s Gibbs was a major part of the show, so the ability not to include him as a guest appearance is an accomplishment. The decision suggests the cast could carry the narrative without him, which is impressive when you consider Gibbs’ ties to the throwback case solved in the 1000th episode. Gibbs’ role in the inaugural NCIS pilot referenced in the 1000th episode not only set the tone for what he was capable of, but it set up what the entire MCRT and NCIS as a whole was capable of. Harmon was essential to audiences understanding the essence of NCIS.
Gibb’s Absence In NCIS 1000th Episode Suggests The MCRT Will Continue To Evolve Beyond Gibbs
The right blend of seasoned veteran characters and new characters saw the team persevere beyond Gibbs. In the 1000th episode, viewers witnessed Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) and Alden Parker (Gary Cole) drive their cars through barricades and onto the tarmac to halt Air Force One during takeoff, going to the same extreme extent for which Gibbs set the precedent. Familiar agents like Timothy McGee were crucial to the show’s success in the post-Harmon era, because McGee has the same established trust that characters like Gibbs have with the audience.
In addition, characters like Special Agent Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) and Special Agent Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) continue to evolve their abilities. Without a Special Agent in Charge, in a logistical sense, all MCRT members have had to step up in their roles. Gibbs’ absence extends beyond the absence of his character’s personality, and into his skills. The action the 1000th episode sees the team take suggests that the characters have stepped up successfully. The case may have been solved more quickly if Harmon had been present, but the team displayed they were equipped to operate without him.
It’s true that MCRT has featured a rotating roster of characters since season 2, when Sasha Alexander’s Caitlin Todd was shot and killed. The ability to replace beloved characters with new ones is one of the major strengths of the show. However, as the face of the franchise, replacing the void of Gibbs hasn’t been quite as straightforward, but the 1000th episode proves it can be done. Gibbs was the kind of agent who not only solved crimes, but prevented them, and the team exemplified major Gibbs energy when they halted Air Force One.
Harmon’s Absence Opens The Door For NCIS Characters To Become The New Face Of The Franchise
Characters like Timothy McGee and Alden Parker have been evolving since Gibbs’ absence, and with Harmon continuing to stay away from the flagship franchise for now, time will give rise to an opportunity for an existing character to come forward as the new face of the franchise. Although Harmon’s absence is palatable now, the team will continue to evolve beyond his influence, based on the groundwork that he laid, and will develop characters that rival Harmon’s Gibbs. Most notably, Murray’s McGee character has been on the show for 21 years, surpassing Harmon’s time spent on NCIS.
Mark Harmon Will Return To The Franchise To Narrate NCIS: Origins (But He Won’t Play Gibbs)
Mark Harmon has been absent from the mothership, but he’s been active in executive producing and narrating a new expansion spinoff for the franchise. Harmon will return to the NCIS universe for a Gibbs prequel series that will expand on Gibbs’ past, featuring other familiar NCIS characters in their younger days, such as Mike Franks, who is Gibbs’ mentor and former partner. Although Gibbs hasn’t returned to the original NCIS and didn’t make an appearance in the 1000th episode, that doesn’t represent Harmon’s current involvement in the NCIS franchise at large.
It’s understandable that audiences hoped the NCIS 1000th Episode was the occasion that would finally see the return of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. The current Major Case Response Team, however, has it covered, as does the franchise in Harmon’s absence. It’s clear from Harmon’s activity in the franchise that he isn’t parting ways with NCIS just yet, but the 1000th episode proves that the flagship series will survive without its maker.
