It couldn’t have lasted much longer anyway.
There is nothing worse than watching your favorite show become less entertaining with each new episode. Sometimes it’s the writers who lose their spark, placing characters in repetitive cycles. Other times, it’s the actors whose performances become lackluster. Either way, when a show stops feeling exciting and authentic, viewers start hoping for its end.
As NCIS celebrates the finale of its 21st season, it also celebrates the continued interest of its audience. However, if the show hadn’t dodged a major crisis in 2018, its fate could have been very different.
### Why Did Abby Leave NCIS?
Abby Sciuto, the fun and quirky forensic scientist portrayed by Pauley Perrette, has been an essential part of the team since the first season. With her unconventional looks but brilliant mind, Abby broke stereotypes about the profession and inspired many young people to consider it. Her impact on the show contributed significantly to its longevity. However, behind-the-scenes conflicts with Mark Harmon, who portrayed Special Agent Gibbs, led Perrette to leave the show.
Though heartbreaking at the time, and initially met with resistance from viewers who struggled to accept her replacement, Kasie Hines, it has become clear that Abby’s exit was ultimately beneficial for the franchise. Her character’s progression had hit a wall.
As one Redditor, whispering_unicorn, noted, “Since the show started with Abby at her peak, there was no room for her to get better, only for the death and loss of this job to get to her. Over time, seeing everything she had seen, Abby started to break. She became more childish as a defense mechanism to try to be innocent again and unsee everything she had seen.”
While Abby had been a fan favorite, her character was becoming stale, and the writers’ attempts to refresh her ended up alienating viewers. Her storyline was coming to a natural conclusion, and the tension between Perrette and Harmon was beginning to affect the show. This could have made the series worse in the future.
Fortunately, NCIS weathered the storm and continues to engage viewers as it always has. Keep an eye out for updates on season 22.
