Jimmy Palmer actor Brian Dietzen reveals how Leroy Jethro Gibbs may react to the news of Ducky Mallard’s death in NCIS season 21. In light of David McCallum’s death in 2023, the CBS procedural is honoring its late cast member and his beloved character via a special episode. Titled “The Stories We Leave Behind,” NCIS season 21, episode 2 will be devoted to celebrating the life and legacy of Ducky, the organization’s dependable and quirky medical examiner-turned-historian.
In a new interview with TV Line, Dietzen discusses how Ducky’s former co-workers, particularly Gibbs, might react once they find out that he has passed away. The studio wanted a bigger sendoff to the character, but since that’s difficult to pull off logistically, the NCIS season 21 episode makes sure that Ducky’s old colleagues can still pay tribute to him in other ways. Read his full quote below:
That’s one of those things where every idea under the sun was thrown at us, from the network on down. “Can we get every person that’s ever been in the history of
NCIS
,
and
all of its sister shows, back together for one scene where everyone’s sitting together?” Logistically, those things aren’t really a possibility, unfortunately, so we tried to have shout-outs to these other field offices around the country, throughout the show, and also show tokens of admiration and honor that are coming from past team members — as well through flashback scenes, or even gifts that they’re sending, tokens of love.
Will Mark Harmon’s Gibbs Appear In Ducky’s Special NCIS Tribute Episode?
It would be great to see all the former NCIS characters back for one final salute to Ducky. Considering how much Dr. Mallard was loved by his colleagues, it’s safe to assume that most of them would be willing to travel back to Washington DC for his funeral, especially since several of them simply left the force. However, out of all the possible cameos, Gibbs is arguably the most important one. His friendship with Ducky predates the events of the police procedural, with the show even devoting an episode to revealing how they met.
Mark Harmon officially left NCIS season 19 after devoting himself to the job for decades. Gibbs opted to stay in Alaska and retired from his stint as team leader. Before he left, he had a brief moment to say his farewells to Ducky, wherein he expressed how much their friendship meant to him. It’s uncertain if they have remained in contact since they last saw each other. Gibbs is staying in a remote area, so communicating with him isn’t exactly easy. That said, chances are that Timothy McGee would do everything to reach out to his former colleagues.
Gibbs’ Biggest Unresolved Plot Continues To Bog Down NCIS 2 Years After His Exit
Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs has been retired for a couple of years now, and yet, his biggest unresolved case continues to hamper NCIS season 21.
From there, it would only be a matter of who shows up for the sendoff to Ducky. It’s difficult to imagine Gibbs not making the trip back to DC to pay tribute to his friend. He doesn’t even have to show himself to the rest of the team; he can sneak in and out without anyone knowing. The NCIS season 21, episode 2 trailer prominently features him and DiNozzo via a flashback, which can be interpreted as a tease for their eventual appearance.
NCIS
NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. Special Agent Alden Parker, a quirky former FBI agent who solves his cases with calm professionalism and sharp, sarcastic charm, leads the NCIS team, which includes NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee, an MIT graduate with a knack for computers who has now graduated to senior field agent; the charismatic, unpredictable and resilient NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres, who has spent most of his career on solo undercover assignments; and sharp, athletic and tough NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight, a formidable REACT agent who specializes in hostage negotiations and high-risk operations. The naïve Jimmy Palmer is assisting the team, who graduated from assistant to fully licensed medical examiner and now runs the morgue; and forensic scientist Kasie Hines, Ducky’s former graduate assistant. Overseeing operations is NCIS Director Leon Vance, an intelligent, highly trained agent who can always be counted on to shake up the status quo. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.
- Release Date
- September 23, 2003
- Cast
- sean murray , Wilmer Valderrama , Katrina Law , Brian Dietzen , david mccallum , Mark Harmon , Rocky Carroll , Gary Cole , Joe Spano
- Seasons
- 21
- Network
- CBS
- Writers
- Donald P. Bellisario
- Streaming Service(s)
- Paramount+
- Franchise(s)
- NCIS
- Showrunner
- Donald P. Bellisario
- Where To Watch
- Paramount+
