‘NCIS’: What Does Mark Harmon Think About Getting Renewed Again?
Some TV drama concepts lend themselves to longevity, though maybe you can argue some shows are watched out of habit. Whatever the case it’s been with CBS’s NCIS, it’s now moving up to one of the longest-running dramas on television. A few of us thought it might end after this year, though it’s now renewed for a 17th season.
Not all actors want to continue on one show this long due to potential typecasting. With Mark Harmon the star of NCIS, this may not bother him considering he’s 67 years old now. He may want to retire from acting after NCIS finally ends its run.
How does he feel about doing the show longer? He hasn’t been overly specific other than a couple of words.
Harmon’s couple of words about the ‘NCIS’ renewal
After the news arrived CBS picked up NCIS for Season 17, the entire cast posted a video through the show’s official Instagram page. It was Wilmer Valderrama holding the camera, though Harmon was asked to make a comment to the fans about the renewal.
Rather than elaborate, Harmon simply said “Thank you.” Sean Murray concurred with only two extra words: “Thank you very much.”
Because this was Instagram, they obviously didn’t have time to go beyond general thanks. However, behind Mark Harmon’s “Thank You” was perhaps a cross of delight and trepidation. On the good side, he’s likely ecstatic since he’s also one of the executive producers of the show. The amount of money he’s made off NCIS alone likely exceeds the earnings he made from his prior acting career.
Maybe the negative side is that he’s not getting any younger. Playing the same role can also become stale after a decade, let alone 17 years.
Is the Leroy Jethro Gibbs character still interesting enough to keep going?
We’ve previously noted that Mark Harmon has stayed with NCIS this long because he prefers TV drama acting over movies. One good reason for this is he’s a true family man who wants to go home after work. He knew if he became a major movie star, he’d have to travel all over the globe and hardly be available to his wife (Pam Dawber), kids, and other family members.
This being said, just how interesting is it playing his character Leroy after almost two decades? From an outsider perspective, Gibbs is still a worthwhile character to explore because he’s gone through a lot and captures the essence of what it’s like to be an effective leader. The cast is also like a family, something fans continually appreciate.
CBS has an effective run going with some of their military and cop dramas offering characters showing us what ethical leadership is really like. In a time when we’re all questioning the ethical authenticity of our governmental leaders, these TV characters are well worth exploring for as long as possible.
Whether Harmon thinks the same about Gibbs is still a bit unknown. According to a People interview, he says he understands the commitment to a role like this since he thinks it won’t get any better once it ends.
The writers do a good job of keeping the stories relevant
It’s still debatable whether the Gibbs character is worth exploring more in depth. He takes a back seat to the plots anyway in episodes of more recent years. Regardless, the show’s writing team still creates compelling situations based on real-life situations.
Let’s also remember this is a true ensemble show with perfect chemistry among each other. Overall, this is what really makes it work. Harmon is just one piece of this machine, despite having some say in the creative direction based on his producer designation.
Should he go beyond 20 years playing Gibbs, he’ll beat out characters like Frasier Crane or Sheriff Matt Dillon for the longest-running on one TV show. With revivals always in the mix, those numbers could always change on a dime.
