What To Know
- Despite losing major characters like Gibbs, Tony, and Abby, NCIS has remained a success.
- Former executive producer Mark Horowitz discussed what keeps people tuning in through changes like that on the latest NCIS: Partners & Probies podcast.
NCIS is going into its 24th season, and while the cast does include two members who have been there since Season 1 — though neither was a series regular then — in Sean Murray (McGee) and Brian Dietzen (Palmer), there have been quite a few changes over the years. But despite losing some major characters like Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Tony (Michael Weatherly), Abby (Pauley Perrette), and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) over the years, the show continues to bring in viewers.
For the Tuesday, June 16, episode of the NCIS: Partners & Probies podcast, hosted by Dietzen and Diona Reasonover (Kasie), the guest was former executive producer Mark Horowitz, who worked on JAG and NCIS until its 20th season. (NCIS is a spinoff of JAG.)
When Reasonover asked Horowitz why audiences connected to Harmon specifically, he pointed out what’s important about the show and its cast as a whole.
“The connection happened in the same way it still happens between the energy between all of you. I mean, it really is the chemistry between this cast, no matter how it’s evolved over time. It hasn’t changed. As far as I’m concerned, that’s really been one of the most amazing things. You would think, ‘All right, well, Tony leaves the show, how could it possibly go on?’ And Wilmer [Valderrama] comes on and creates a different character, and life goes on. And the same is true with Pauley and you coming on,” he explained, looking to Reasonover, whose Kasie is now the team’s forensic scientist.
“Everyone just seemed to accept it as long as they believed that there was real chemistry between these friends, this family. If it still felt like a family, then it still resonated with them,” he continued. “I had always said the show is really about the kids trying to please dad, that’s really the show. Nobody really cares about the dead petty officer in Rock Creek Park. The kids want to know, ‘Did I please dad? Did I make him proud? Did I fail? Did I screw up?’ And then, you want to cut to those other kids, and they’re looking like, ‘Oh god, he’s in so much trouble.’ Like, that’s the show.”
That’s remained true through changes of the team boss as well, with Gary Cole‘s Alden Parker coming in as the new leader after Gibbs decided to stay in Alaska in Season 19. Parker’s remained with the team since, and so far, there have been no indications of any cast changes for Season 24 besides Rocky Carroll‘s exit with Vance’s death in Episode 500.
NCIS, Season 24, Fall 2026, Tuesdays, 8/7c, CBS