When Mark Harmon left “NCIS” after 19 seasons in 2021, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
The veteran actor was a leader both on and off screen as supervisory special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, leaving a legacy that will not be forgotten.
In fact, “NCIS” co-star Diona Reasonover, who plays forensic specialist Kasie Hines, claims that the actor is “still very present” on the set, despite the fact that he is no longer in front of the cameras.
Harmon left things open-ended on the series, which is currently in its 20th season and airing Mondays on CBS, when his character decided on a whim to stay in Alaska and retire after completing his last case. Despite leaving the show in the fourth episode of the 19th season, he remained on the cast list until Season 20 premiered, and he is still an executive producer.
Is it possible that Harmon will return to the series in the future? Reasonover spoke with Looper exclusively about her thoughts.
Reasonover is hoping to see Harmon on NCIS again.
Mark Harmon saw a lot of action on the show as the patriarchal leader of the NCIS, which follows the highly trained Washington, D.C.-based team of agents who investigate cr1mes involving Navy and Marine Corps personnel. He and Diona Reasonover had a great on-screen chemistry as Gibbs and Hines, and their friendship extended off-screen as well.
“Mark is so funny,” Reasonover exclaimed. “When you’re doing your takes, he’s always very respectful, but he’s also very funny. He has a natural sense of humor that makes you laugh. [He’s] a real sweetheart. I always refer to him as our show’s quarterback, which isn’t exactly original given that he is, in fact, a quarterback. But he is an incredible leader, and I miss him. I really miss it.”
Nonetheless, Reasonover revealed that Harmon visits the “NCIS” set even after he’s retired. “He’s still there,” she confirmed. “He still shows up. He came to tell me how much he enjoyed my [‘Turkey Trot’] script. I’d like to believe that I was the sole reason he came up. I’m not sure if that’s true, but he’s definitely still around.”
As for whether fans will see Harmon return as Gibbs anytime soon, Reasonover, like many “NCIS” fans, is hopeful.