Showrunner Steve Binder stated that if he ever decides to come back to the show, the door would always be open to him.
Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is handing in his badge, putting an end to his NCIS role that lasted nearly 18 years. There had been rumors flying around that Harmon was hoping to leave the show way back in June when he signed the contract to return to the show only in a limited capacity, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.
In the latest episode, Agent Gibbs opts out of a future in law enforcement. The series is currently in its 19th season. Monday's episode titled "Great Wide Open" served as his final episode on the longest-running and most-watched CBS procedural drama.
In the episode, Gibbs is with Special Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) to solve a case out in Alaska. Following a contract killer, the two agents find themselves in a perilous situation almost costing their lives. In the aftermath of this near-death experience, Gibbs decides not to go back to his job. He informs his partner as well as the NCIS Director Vance (Rocky Carroll) that he will be staying out on The Last Frontier indefinitely. “I’m not going back, Tim,” he states. “I’m not going back home.” His story arc concludes with him trying to find peace in Alaska.
Gibbs explains that he feels a “sense of peace” there. Something he hasn’t felt since the deaths of his first wife Shannon (Darby Stanchfield) and daughter Kelly (Mary Mouser), and that he’s “not ready to let it go.” When asked by McGee what it was that he was looking for, he says, “I don’t know. My gut’s telling me I’ll know when I find it.” The two have an emotional and touching parting after Gibbs thanks McGee for having his back all these years. Before this, Gibbs had also been suspended in the previous season for assaulting a murderer and abuser of dogs, as per DEADLINE.
Although no particular reason for his departure was mentioned, showrunner Steve Binder praised Harmon for his dedication to the show. “As an executive producer and dear friend, Mark continues to be an integral part of the fabric of the show,” Binder said. “Our north star has always been staying true to our characters, and that truth has always guided the stories we tell and where those characters go. So regarding the future of Gibbs, as long-time fans of the show may have noticed over the years…never count Leroy Jethro Gibbs out.” He also added that if he ever decides to come back to the show, the door would always be open to him.
Harmon joined the show at the time of its premiere in 2003. In 2019, he told PEOPLE about what would probably lead to him leaving the show. "I've always thought if there's ever a time where the writers are walking into the room and going 'I don't know what to do,' then I think we all have to look at each other and call it a day," he had stated at the time. "But we're not there yet." Harmon had also expressed his gratitude for his long-running spot on the show.
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