SUMMARY
- NCIS premiered in 2003, setting off a successful franchise loved by fans and sparking a resurgence in crime TV popularity.
- Original cast members have pursued various projects post-NCIS, with Mark Harmon set to appear in Freaky Friday sequel and new NCIS prequel.
- Spin-offs like NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, and NCIS: Hawai’i have continued the franchise’s success, with more on the way.
NCIS first hit television screens in 2003, launching the now widely recognizable franchise which continues to be popular with audiences. With its 22nd season announced earlier this year, many are curious as to what the original cast is currently up to. NCIS helped to consolidate the re-emerging popularity of American police and crime television in the 2000s, becoming very iconic in the process. The show follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, at times injecting comedy into quite a serious police procedural drama.
Way back in 2003, audiences were introduced to the well-loved group of characters, who all, during the now 21-year run, have parted with the original series in their own ways. With the lead, Supervisory Special Agent, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, (Mark Harmon), Special Agents Caitlin Todd, (Sasha Alexander), Anthony DiNozzo, (Michael Weatherly), as well as, Forensic Specialist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), and Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum), each character brought their own charm to the show.
Where Is Mark Harmon?
To the joyous surprise of fans of the 2003 comedy Freaky Friday, Mark Harmon is scheduled to make a return to the recently announced sequel, Freaky Friday 2. Reprising his role as Ryan, who eventually marries Jamie Lee Curtis’ character, Tess, at the end of the film, there are many mixed feelings concerning the project as it goes forward.
More in line with his NCSI roots, however, Harmon is set to narrate the upcoming prequel, NCSI: Origins. Although audiences do get to watch flashbacks to Gibbs’ past in the original show, producers have green-lit a full show about his backstory. Harmon is also set to be an executive producer on the show. This is not his first producer gig either, as back in 2008 he became producer and executive producer for the original NCIS, as well as another project for CBS.
Where Is Sasha Alexander?
As of 2024, Alexander has not yet appeared in any television shows or movies. In 2023, she made guest appearances on some big shows, such as Law & Order, where she played the Member of Congress Kristin Bartell for an episode. Alexander also appeared on The Morning Show, where she portrayed the character Salma for just one episode.
Interestingly, Alexander made a guest appearance on the podcast “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch.” As the name suggests, the show goes through and discusses old NCIS episodes. In this episode, she discusses the shooting of the first season of NCIS and the story behind her character’s death.
Where Is Michael Weatherly?
After leaving the show initially in 2016, Weatherly actually reprised his role as DiNozzo this year. First, Weatherly made just a cameo appearance on the show, then a week later the spin-off show NCIS: Tony & Ziva was announced to launch on Paramount+, making his return permanent. While Alexander appears on the show, “Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch” is currently co-hosted by Weatherly, and co-star Cote De Pablo, who plays Ziva David in the show
Where Is Pauley Perrette?
Unlike some of her other co-stars, Perrette has not been very active in her career recently. In 2017, she left NCIS following a rift between her and Harmon which was due in part to Harmon’s dog biting a crew member on set. Following that, she appeared on the CBS show Broke, which only lasted one season, which appears to be the end of her acting career for now. This may also be due in part to a stroke she unfortunately suffered in 2021.
Where Is David McCallum?
McCallum did maintain his popular role as Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard for 20 seasons. Unfortunately, the Scottish actor died in 2023. His career began all the way back in 1946 when he was just 13 years old and doing voice work on BBC radio. His on-screen career later began in 1957 when he committed to five separate roles in one year.
McCallum also appeared in several video game titles, including an NCIS game that was released in 2011, acting as both the narrator and his character “Ducky”. McCallum’s career remained relatively consistent until his death in 2023. In February 2024, a special tribute episode of NCIS was released dedicated to McCallum, which was received well among fans.
Where Is the NCIS Series at the Moment?
The immensely popular show has continued to capitalize on its success over the years, renewing the series for its 22nd season. At this point, the show also has six spin-offs, either currently airing, or already finished.
The first of these spin-offs was NCIS: Los Angeles, which ran from 2009 to 2023 and followed a similar style. The main difference was the group focused on undercover assignments. Next was NCIS: New Orleans, (2014-2021), which saw agents dealing with crimes involving personnel in the United States Navy and Marine Corps.
NCIS: Hawai’i took place between 2021 and 2024, investigating crimes related to the military and national security. Heading Down Under, NCIS: Sydney continues to focus on American military personnel. As already discussed, NCIS: Origins is set to release this year, and so is NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which is set to focus on Ziva and Tony’s reunion after Ziva’s apparent death.
