When NCIS bid farewell to Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard and paid tribute to the late actor David McCallum, fans were left wondering why Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs was absent. Coshowrunner Steven D. Binder revealed that Harmon’s return had to be something special and that the door is always open for him to resume his role as Gibbs.
During the tribute episode, Gibbs wasn’t physically present to mourn the loss of Ducky, but his spirit was felt. A package from Alaska, where Gibbs was last seen in season 19, arrived for Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), containing a Polaroid of Gibbs, McGee, and Ducky from seasons past. The episode also included flashback clips of Gibbs working alongside medical examiner Ducky during their time at NCIS.
While Ducky’s character didn’t pass away on the show until the tribute episode, David McCallum, the actor who portrayed Ducky, sadly passed away in September 2023 at the age of 90. To honor the late star, CBS planned to pay tribute to him during season 21, which was delayed due to strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
Although Mark Harmon didn’t return for the farewell episode, another beloved NCIS icon, Michael Weatherly, made a brief cameo in the final moments. Weatherly, who played Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo for 13 seasons, appeared in the episode to celebrate Ducky’s life in his own DiNozzo-style. He helped current medical examiner Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen) fix his bowtie, a nod to Ducky’s iconic fashion choice, and shared wisdom with Ducky’s protégé.
The episode concluded with an In Memoriam card that paid tribute to David McCallum, saying, “In Memory of Our Dear Friend and Colleague David McCallum — We Will Miss You.”
According to Binder, the NCIS team carefully considered the connections Ducky had with various characters. Ultimately, they decided that Jimmy, who is still on the series, was the closest to Ducky and it would be impossible to bring back everyone who has left the show. Bringing back Michael Weatherly as DiNozzo provided both emotional weight and levity to the farewell episode.
Coshowrunner David J. North praised Weatherly’s seamless reconnection with the cast, saying, “He’s DiNozzo again, there’s nothing rusty [about him]. As soon as he walked into that autopsy room, I thought, ‘DiNozzo’s back.’” NCIS airs on CBS Mondays at 9 p.m. ET.
