NCIS Season 21 Drops A Clue When Mark Harmon’s Gibbs Might Return (& It’s Soon)

Warning! Spoilers ahead for NCIS season 21, episode 3.

NCIS season 21, episode 3’s case unexpectedly offers a clue when Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs might return, and it’s surprisingly soon. Life goes on for the police procedural’s titular team even after losing several notable characters, including the squad’s fearless leader. Despite being an ensemble, Gibbs was NCIS‘ main protagonist, with Harmon functioning as the franchise’s poster star for almost two decades. Given this, it shouldn’t be shocking that there is still interest in knowing when Gibbs might come out of retirement and rejoin NCIS, even at a limited capacity or just a cameo.

Ducky’s tribute episode was the perfect opportunity to bring back Gibbs. The pair’s friendship predated the events of the series, which would be enough motivation for the former Special Agent to come out of retirement in Alaska. However, instead of Harmon, NCIS season 21 featured the return of Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo for a brief appearance to console the grieving Jimmy Palmer. The wait for Gibbs’ return continues, and while NCIS season 21’s storytelling has moved on from nostalgia, the team’s new case offers a clue as to when Harmon may get involved in a case again.

NCIS Season 21, Episode 3 Retired CIA Reveals The Truth About Gibbs Retirement

In NCIS season 21, episode 3, “Lifeline,” the team rally around a troubled former NCIS agent who is trying to stop a domestic terror attack to make amends for his past failure. During the investigation, they bring in his friend, an ex-CIA, who retired three years ago. Unlike many of the people invited to participate in a case, he is more than thrilled to be involved, saying that it helps him with the boredom of not having anything to do. Somehow, this sentiment can also relate to Gibbs’ situation, as he enjoys his time away from NCIS in Alaska.

Gibbs is around two years retired —assuming that each season takes about 12 months, which means that he can potentially return in NCIS season 22. When he retired, he explained to McGee that Alaska gave him a sense of peace that he had always been chasing since Kelly and Shannon died. That being said, as someone who devoted his life to service for many decades, it’s possible that boredom eventually settles in, especially if he doesn’t have anything worthwhile to do in Alaska, other than fishing and indulging himself. He needs a purpose which his job gave him.

Why Gibbs Still Needs To Return To NCIS

Being retired from the NCIS keeps the door open for Gibbs to return, and luckily, there are several ways and opportunities to bring him back, even after he missed Ducky’s funeral. For starters, he can be involved in the franchise’s upcoming overall 1000th episode, which will put Director Vance at the center of its storytelling. It would be the perfect way to honor the show’s past, present, and future, by having Gibbs team up with the active roster. Secondly, he is supposedly the executor of Ducky’s will, and it’s difficult to do his job if he is out of state.

NCIS

NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. Special Agent Alden Parker, a quirky former FBI agent who solves his cases with calm professionalism and sharp, sarcastic charm, leads the NCIS team, which includes NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee, an MIT graduate with a knack for computers who has now graduated to senior field agent; the charismatic, unpredictable and resilient NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres, who has spent most of his career on solo undercover assignments; and sharp, athletic and tough NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight, a formidable REACT agent who specializes in hostage negotiations and high-risk operations. The naïve Jimmy Palmer is assisting the team, who graduated from assistant to fully licensed medical examiner and now runs the morgue; and forensic scientist Kasie Hines, Ducky’s former graduate assistant. Overseeing operations is NCIS Director Leon Vance, an intelligent, highly trained agent who can always be counted on to shake up the status quo. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.

Cast

sean murray , Wilmer Valderrama , Katrina Law , Brian Dietzen , david mccallum , Mark Harmon , Rocky Carroll , Gary Cole , Joe Spano

Release Date

September 23, 2003

Seasons

21