Why Every Main Character Left NCIS
Who Hasn’t Left NCIS Yet
Most of the original NCIS cast didn’t make it through to the upcoming 21st season, save for one cast member who is still on the show, albeit in a limited capacity.
Donald “Ducky” Mallard was introduced in the NCIS pilot episode as the Chief Medical Examiner and quickly became a fan favorite.
Some of his memorable quirks include speaking in-depth with the dead as he performs autopsies, a phenomenon often interrupted by Gibbs, and a vast collection of colorful bow ties. And his eccentricities are not the only aspect of his character.
Ducky was given his own backstory and character arc, which includes his time working for the Royal Army Medical Corps.
Associations with the CIA and alleged war crimes aside, the character of Ducky (played by David McCallum) retired from his role as Medical Examiner in NCIS season 15, but remains on the series in a limited capacity.
After NCIS season 16, it was announced that McCallum would only appear in a reduced capacity in order to spend more time with his family. The fact that the actor is 89 years old could also have something to do with it. All in all, McCallum has appeared in 443 episodes of NCIS and remains in the series to this day.Who Has Returned To NCIS?
The biggest return to NCIS of any of the departed cast members was Cote de Pablo, who returned in a shocking moment since most fans felt she had died. However, she faked her death and then returned in NCIS season 17 to seek help from Gibbs.
Once that ended, she left again and this time seemingly went to Paris to reunite with Tony and their child to get their happily ever after moment. There was one problem – Tony didn’t show up for the end of this storyline. This means that fans who wanted to see Tony and Ziva finally together for that big farewell moment haven’t got to see it yet.
However, that could happen eventually. There have been rumors that both Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly could return for small bits in the next season of the show (via Radar Online).
This could finally give fans the chance to see that big Tony and Ziva moment they were denied up until now. It would also be a nice return for Harmon’s Gibbs as fans have always wondered if he would come back occasionally to help out here and there as a guest star on NCIS.
