NCIS Season 21: Will Mark Harmon return as Gibbs?

Mark Harmon may not be on our screens, but he remains an EP on NCIS. Does that mean we could see him return in NCIS Season 21, even just for one episode?

Back in NCIS Season 19, we said goodbye to a character we didn’t think would leave without the series coming to an end. Mark Harmon decided that he was done with starring in the series, although he would remain as an EP.

After a four-episode story, we saw Gibbs find a sort of peace in Alaska, the first he’d felt since the loss of his wife and daughter. He decided to remain there, with FBI agent Alden Parker agreeing to leaving him behind instead of arresting him and bringing him back to the continental U.S.

Of course, there have been questions since whether we could see Gibbs return. Harmon remained in the credits for the whole of the 19th season but was removed for the 20th season. What about this upcoming season of the series?

Will Mark Harmon return for NCIS Season 21?

It doesn’t look like there are plans for Gibbs to make a comeback. While Harmon remains as an EP, he hasn’t said that he is willing to come back to our screens just yet.

Of course, never say “never.” He could decide that he is interested in doing a one- or two-episode cameo. We could see some sort of closure for the storyline, especially when it comes to other characters who felt abandoned by his decision. It wouldn’t be the first time a character has made a return after years of being away. Just look at Ziva coming back when she did!

There are no spoilers for NCIS Season 21 just yet. The writers haven’t started work yet due to the writers strike, and we’re not expecting the season until January 2024 at the earliest. We’ll need to see what the conditions are like then to see if there’s a chance Gibbs will be back.

NCIS is available to stream on Paramount+.