Ever since Mark Harmon’s beloved NCIS character Leroy Jethro Gibbs said goodbye to his team and hello to Alaska in season 19, episode 4, “The Great Wide Open,” fans have missed his signature charm. The special agent was a sniper in the U.S. Marine Corps and lost his wife and daughter, two experiences that inform his approach to every case. He’s also known for his rules, which he applies to his personal and professional lives. After watching Gibbs for 19 seasons, fans got a glimpse into his past with season 1 of the prequel NCIS: Origins, which Harmon narrates.
Harmon has had other notable roles, including Simon Donovan on The West Wing season 3, but nothing stands out like Gibbs. The actor gave an interview and explained why he was interested in playing the special agent, and it’s fascinating to hear what he had to say.
Mark Harmon Said Yes To NCIS Because Of One Element
Leroy GIbbs (Mark Harmon) on NCIS
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Mark Harmon talked about reading the script for NCIS and what interested him in the role. He said:
“I was reading a lot of scripts, and I read this one, and the name Leroy Jethro Gibbs hit me. And there was a moment there where in that couple of days I think it changed to Bob Robinson or something. … And I right away called up and said, ‘The name has got to change back.’ And then someone said, ‘You can’t play a guy named Leroy Jethro Gibbs.’ I said, ‘Why not?’”
Harmon added:
“If that name had not been there, I don’t think I would have been there.”
Fans might have thought Harmon said yes to the role because of the action-packed premise or the chance to star on a hopefully successful and long-running series. While those might have been factors, it’s interesting to hear that he was drawn to the show because of Gibbs’s name.
Many fans would likely agree that there is something unique and perfect about the name Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It’s a tough, strong, and memorable name, and Harmon is right that “Bob” doesn’t have the same impact. Just like it’s hard to imagine another actor taking on Gibbs’s journey, it’s also tough to imagine Gibbs having another name. It suits him, and it sums up his determined personality.
No matter what the character ended up being called, there’s no doubt that this gruff yet kind special agent is an integral part of the show’s success, and fans appreciated Harmon’s performance. Even though many like watching Alden Parker (Gary Cole), it was tough for viewers to let go of Gibbs. In an oral history of NCIS that was published on The Hollywood Reporter for the show’s 20th anniversary in September 2023, Susan Bluestein, the casting director, shared more about Harmon getting the role. Bluestein said:
“Casting was very challenging. I cast Mark Harmon to play John Dillinger in a movie of the week in 1991, and he was terrific. Mark had been on my NCIS list from day one. I always felt like Mark really had the gravitas for this character.”
While it was fun to see Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) dream about Gibbs in a recent NCIS season 22 episode, there’s always the hope that Harmon will come back and Gibbs will assist his old teammates.
Fans Can Watch Mark Harmon On NCIS Seasons 1-19 On Two Streaming Services
Mark Harmon as Gibbs on NCIS
If fans want to catch up on NCIS and revisit Gibbs’s storylines, or perhaps catch some episodes they missed, they can find the procedural on two streaming services. NCIS seasons 1 through 11 are streaming on Hulu, and seasons 1-22 are on Paramount+. It never gets old watching Gibbs joke around with his teammates, decide what to do when a challenging case presents itself, or face a problem in his personal life. Gibbs is always in control of the situation while managing to seem mysterious at the same time.
The NCIS season 22 finale, “Nexus,” aired on CBS on May 5th, 2025, and season 23 is expected to premiere as part of the fall 2025 broadcast schedule. New episodes of season 22 were available to stream on Paramount+ the day after airing on CBS, and that will likely be the case for the new season, too. Fans can also look forward to watching Gibbs’s life story on the prequel NCIS: Origins season 2 later in 2025.
