CBS Studio Heads Say Mark Harmon Could Rejoin NCIS: ‘Door…is Always Open’
By Movieguide® Contributor
CBS Studios President David Stapf and CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach recently spoke with Deadline about NCIS, its spinoffs and whether Mark Harmon will ever return to the series.
The franchise, which will air its 1,000th episode on April 15, has many upcoming projects.
“The master plan started a long time ago,” Stapf said when asked about NCIS’ expansions from the original show. “We had NCIS. It certainly worked well enough to spawn a spinoff, LA, which also worked really well, that was on for 14 seasons, I think that show doesn’t get the credit it deserves as expanding the franchise but also deepening the love of the franchise for viewers.”
He continued, “We knew and always wanted to expand it, but when you’re dealing with a franchise, you don’t want to oversaturate the market, you don’t want to dilute the value of each individual show. So it really comes down to somebody coming in with an idea for a show that could stand on its own and could be part of the franchise but is wholly unique from any of the others.”
The most recent spinoff announced will see the return of Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo as Tony and Ziva.
“The new series picks up after Tony and Ziva were reunited in Paris (off-screen) following the revelation she was alive and her completing one final mission with NCIS,” TV Insider reported. “‘Since then, Tony and Ziva have been raising their daughter, Tali, together,’ according to the official description. ‘When Tony’s security company is attacked, they must go on the run across Europe, try to figure out who is after them and maybe even learn to trust each other again so that they can finally have their unconventional happily ever after.’”
When asked about the future of NCIS: HAWAII, Reisenbach shared that nothing has been decided yet, but NCIS: SYDNEY has been picked up for a new season.
They also revealed that Mark Harmon could rejoin the cast someday if he wanted.
“The door for Mark is always open, it’s really up to him,” Reisenbach said.
While the franchise is approaching its 1,000th episode, it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
“For me, I attribute it to the fact that there’s always been a core feeling that the people who write the show, the people who produce it, the crew and the actors, no matter whether they were there from the beginning or not, they understand the DNA of the show, and they’ve always stayed true to that,” Reisenbach explained.
While Harmon hasn’t returned to the NCIS universe as a cast member, he’s taking on the role of producer for the spinoff series NCIS: ORIGINS.
“ORIGINS begins in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and chronicles Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ younger years. In the prequel, Gibbs ([Austin] Stowell) starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks ([Kyle] Schmid),” a summary reads.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Mark Harmon will return to the NCIS universe in the spinoff series NCIS: ORIGINS.
The series is a prequel to the long-running drama and will shed some light on Leroy Gibbs’ history.
“NCIS: ORIGINS is really different than any of the other NCIS‘s; it makes me feel so old to say it’s period when it’s set in the ‘90s, kill me now, right?” said CBS Entertainment president Amy Reisenbach.
“It’s a little edgier and grittier than previous NCIS‘s, it’s got a serialized element of it that we’re really excited about. And whereas I would say NCIS: SYDNEY too really had its own identity, it was very uniquely Australian and told stories that can only be told in Australia, so I feel like they’re both opportunities to gain new audiences while also being true to the DNA and loyal fan base of those shows,” she added.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
