There are some NCIS Major Case Response Team (MCRT) members that are impossible to forget. Many of the original MCRT characters were introduced in a backdoor pilot for NCIS in the legal drama Jag. Others were introduced in the main series throughout its 21-season run. Original characters include team members who stayed with the show long enough to be considered a mainstay and who are remembered in the shared NCIS universe long after they departed the series.

Going into NCIS season 22, only a few of the core characters will remain. Mainstays like McGee and Jimmy are more important than ever heading into the upcoming season because their legacy dates back to the show’s debut. While most of these original characters probably won’t be featured in NCIS season 22, they are the foundation of what made the show such a success. While characters come and go, the best part of the NCIS‘s ever-changing nature is creating characters that are hard to say goodbye to. Regardless of whether they feature again, many original MCRT members remain impossible to forget.

1

Jack

Jacqueline “Jack” Sloane

While Jack Sloane wasn’t with the team until later in the series, Maria Bello’s character was a mainstay while she was on the show. She joined the team early on in season 15, forming a close relationship with Gibbs. This made her character central to the narrative while serving as the team’s forensic psychologist. She provided the team with profiles detailing the people they were investigating, adding a richness to the case-of-the-week investigations that the show is known for.

Flashbacks of Sloane appeared in two episodes of NCIS season 21, signaling her character’s enduring importance to the NCIS franchise. She appeared in a flashback in season 2, “The Stories We Leave Behind.” She also appeared in a flashback in the 1000th episode of NCIS, confirming her status as one of the original MCRT characters that helped to develop the team. Mario Bello doesn’t have any bad blood with NCIS, signaling that her character could potentially return to the franchise.

2

Ellie

Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop

Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop is a former NSA analyst who joins the MCRT in season 11 after Cote de Pablo left NCIS. Bishop was portrayed by Emily Wickersham, who was on the cast of NCIS from seasons 11 to 18. She first serves the team as a liaison officer and then is later promoted to the team as an NCIS probationary agent. Agent Bishop was one of NCIS’s most intelligent members, with her analytical skills from the NSA setting her apart from many of her NCIS colleagues.

After eight seasons with the show, Bishop departed the MCRT to work with Odette Malone (Elayn J. Taylor) on an undercover operation. She had a spark with Special Agent Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) following her divorce from ex-husband Jake Malloy (Jamie Bamber). Some viewers hope to see Bishop return to the flagship series to continue her relationship with Agent Torres, since it was one of the NCIS relationships fans could get behind.

3

Ziva

Ziva David

One of the most memorable MCRT members is Ziva David, portrayed by Cote de Pablo. Ziva joined forces with the team at the beginning of NCIS season 3, and her appearance was connected to the antagonist from NCIS seasons 1 and 2, Ari Haswari (Rudolf Martin). Ziva was introduced to fill a vacancy on the team after the shock death of NCIS Special Agent Caitlin Todd at the end of season 2.

Ultimately, Ziva would go on to kill her half-brother to defend Gibbs in “Kill Ari”, which is considered one of the best episodes in NCIS’ 21 seasons. Ziva officially joins the team later on in season 3, and stays with the show until her departure in season 11. Ziva is one of the most-loved MCRT characters of all time, and Cote de Pablo will reprise her role in the upcoming Tony & Ziva spinoff: NCIS: Tony & Ziva.

4

Kate

Caitlin “Kate” Todd

Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander) was an original MCRT member, joining the team in NCIS season 1, episode 1, “Yankee White.” Kate joined the team after being fired from the Secret Service. She collaborates with Gibbs and his team on an investigation aboard Air Force One, and her performance on the investigation impresses Gibbs enough to offer her a spot on his team.

Ultimately, while Kate was cut out for the NCIS job, Sasha Alexander needed to leave the show. After wanting to end her contract after two seasons, the showrunners let Alexander off the hook by having her character shot in the head. Kate’s death was one of the most memorable of every major character who left NCIS. Unfortunately, since Kate was killed, it won’t be possible for her to return in any upcoming season of NCIS.

5

Tony

Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo

Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) is another one of the most memorable characters in the fabric of the MCRT over its 21-year history. Tony appeared on Jag, and joined NCIS in season 1, episode 1. His character is foundational to the setup of the show, being one of the major characters who made NCIS what it is today. Tony would be a main feature on the show until Michael Weatherly left NCIS in season 13.

Thanks in large part to his captivating will-they-won’t-they relationship with Ziva, Tony’s character is so popular that he will be returning to the NCIS universe. He will appear alongside Cote de Pablo in the upcoming Tony & Ziva spinoff that will premiere on Paramount+. The spinoff will bring exciting firsts for the NCIS franchise, including its streaming format. What’s more, the serialized narrative chosen for their story can fix Tony and Ziva’s biggest NCIS romance problems.

6

Abby

Abigail “Abby” Sciuto

Abby Sciuto was a mainstay on NCIS for 15 years and one of the most original characters on the team. Abby was the Chief Forensic Scientist for the team until Pauley Perrette left the show at the end of season 15. Pauley Perrette left NCIS after a clash with Mark Harmon, and her character was replaced by Kasie Hines (Diona Reasonover).

Abby was so essential to NCIS that CBS directly addressed the return of Abby Sciuto. While Pauley Perrette has said that she will never return to NCIS, she is one of the legendary characters that viewers hope will return someday. Her classic goth style and attitude made her one of the more outstanding characters from the series, and a nod was given to her character in Ducky’s tribute episode when she left a large black bouquet for the doctor.

7

Ducky

Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard

Dr. Mallard was one of the most foundational NCIS characters. He was an NCIS mainstay from the outset and was featured on the show until the actor who played Ducky, David McCallum, died at 90. He was one of the longest-running characters on the show, appearing from seasons 1 to 20. While the character can’t appear in the show moving forward now that the actor has passed, his legacy will live on as one of the best cast members of NCIS and one of the longest-running appearances on the show.

The second episode of NCIS season 21, “The Stories We Leave Behind,” paid tribute to McCallum and his character. The episode is the highest-rated NCIS episode of all time, according to IMDb. Ducky’s character had evolved into an NCIS historian throughout the series, which is why Ducky had limited appearances later on. His role was handed over to his protégé, Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), when Ducky retired from his role as Medical Examiner.

8

Gibbs

Leroy Jethro Gibbs

The most important and unforgettable NCIS MCRT member of all time is Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by Mark Harmon. Gibbs was the face of the franchise for nearly two decades, only recently departing the series near the beginning of season 19. While the NCIS 1000th episode confirmed NCIS could survive Gibbs’ departure, many viewers hope to see him return to the original series. There are essential NCIS episodes for Gibbs’ character that make it clear why he was chosen to be so central to NCIS, and why casting Mark Harmon paid off for the franchise.

While Gibbs has yet to return to the series since Mark Harmon’s NCIS departure, Gibbs’ presence will be felt in the upcoming fall TV schedule with the premiere of NCIS: Origins. The expansion series will focus on Jethro Gibbs’ early days as an NCIS agent in the 1990s when he was freshly assigned to Camp Pendleton. The spinoff has cast Austin Stowell as young Gibbs, choosing not to continue with Sean Harmon’s portrayal of the character. While the series won’t feature either of the Harmons as Gibbs, they will both return to produce the series, with Mark Harmon narrating the NCIS spinoff

Source: IMDb