Season 21 of NCIS marked a significant departure from tradition as it aired without any original characters, culminating with the passing of David McCallum’s character, mirroring Ducky’s fate within the storyline. Notably, despite their lengthy tenure on the show, Sean Murray’s Timothy McGee and Brian Dietzen’s Jimmy Palmer were not part of the original cast. Both characters were introduced in Season 1, albeit later in the season, and initially played recurring roles.
Currently, only Dr. Mallard and Sasha Alexander’s Caitlin Todd, who met her demise in the Season 2 finale, are permanently excluded from returning to the series. However, all other original cast members retain the possibility of making a comeback at any time. Mark Harmon’s probable return implies that Gibbs’s character will persist, even if not in the main NCIS series but in NCIS: Origins, where his early days with Mike Franks’ detective team at Camp Pendleton will be explored.
Reintegrating Abby into the NCIS storyline should be relatively uncomplicated. Given her expertise, any team would welcome her assistance. Fans would undoubtedly relish seeing Abby back in her former lab at the agency’s Washington, DC headquarters. Ultimately, the decision rests with CBS and Pauley Perrette on whether bringing Abby back is deemed necessary for the show’s narrative.
