***Warning: This article contains spoilers about the NCIS season 18 finale***
NCIS fans have been trying to figure out how much screentime Mark Harmon will be getting in season 19, and showrunner Steven D. Binder has shared a slight update about what to expect.
The season 18 finale of Naval Criminal Investigative Service seemingly saw his beloved character, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, killed off.
However, the crime drama boss has confirmed that the character is still alive at that moment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Gibbs is in the all-clear.
Speaking to TVLine, he explained: ‘We shot a lot of different things for that [sequence], and there were a lot of different ways to cut it.
‘And what we left with was something that we felt left all possibilities open. We know he’s not dead right there, and we know he’s able to swim well enough…. All things are still possible with Gibbs.’
Binder added that the upcoming season will see Gibbs still ‘hunting down this serial killer. He’s cut off from his team… but in the beginning episodes, that’s going to change.’
As for the reports Harmon would only star in a ‘handful’ of episodes, Binder stated: ‘A lot of things are reported on this show that aren’t necessarily true’.
He explained that production and filming will continue to be ‘a bit more complicated’ due to ongoing Covid-19 safety protocols.
The TV boss added: ‘What we’re trying to focus on right now is telling the best stories we can with the characters we have — and Gibbs is a part of that world. And I think we’re doing a pretty good job with that.’
Leroy Gibbs has been a staple in the show since it first aired, so it’s going to take a lot to make the show work without him.
It had been a season of drama for the character after Gibbs was suspended indefinitely from his role at NCIS after assaulting someone who abused dogs.
As the finale came to an end, Gibbs was taking his newest boat for a spin when it suddenly exploded.
His seemingly lifeless body was seen drifting away just before the screen cut to black. Time will tell what happens next.
