NCIS’ Original Gibbs Actor Plan Would’ve Completely Changed The Show’s 20-Year History
CBS had lofty casting plans for Leroy Jethro Gibbs but had it followed its original scheme, NCIS would have ended up looking so much different.
- NCIS was initially created with Harrison Ford in mind to play the role of Gibbs, but the idea didn’t go beyond Ford being a placeholder.
- Mark Harmon was ultimately cast as Gibbs after the show’s creators saw his portrayal of a Secret Service agent in The West Wing.
- It’s better that Harrison Ford wasn’t cast as Gibbs in NCIS because Harmon’s portrayal has become synonymous with the character and he has been able to commit to the role for almost two decades.
NCIS‘ original plans for Leroy Jethro Gibbs would have significantly changed the beloved police procedural. CBS’ longest-running police procedural has just celebrated its 20 years on the air, making it one of the longest-running scripted American primetime television series, only behind NBC’s Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order. Debuting in 2003, NCIS was the network’s effort to match the growing popularity of crime shows, particularly Dick Wolf’s Law & Order franchise on NBC. Despite a slow start, it eventually picked up steam, with the show climbing the ratings chart. Considering its continued popularity, no wonder CBS wants to keep it on the air for as long as possible.
Co-creators Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill found a way to differentiate NCIS from its peers by making the team focus on crimes involving the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps and their families. As with many long-running shows, it has gone through several cast reshuffles, with many cast exits over the years including Sasha Alexander’s Caitlin Todd, who left after season 2, Michael Weatherly’s Anthony DiNozzo, who exited the series at the end of season 13, and Pauley Perretter’s Abby Sciuto, who stayed on until season 15. Despite their departures, however, NCIS continued to thrive because Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs remained the team’s undisputable leader.