NCIS Boss Credits This Actor With Saving The Show When Mark Harmon Quit

Once upon a time, the idea of an "NCIS" without Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) seemed like spaghetti without meatballs. Harmon parted ways with "NCIS" after 19 seasons back in 2021, leaving the show without one of its special attractions. However, executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson believes Gary Cole has more than stepped up to the plate in the wake of Harmon's exit.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the "NCIS" boss noted that the creators thought Harmon leaving would be the end of the show, but it didn't take long for them to realize they had nothing to worry about. "In the end, we hit gold with Gary Cole," Johnson said. "There were a lot of names bandied about. When everybody finally decided we'd make an offer to Gary Cole, we didn't pitch it to him as, 'He was going to become the new Gibbs.' We pitched it to him that he was going to come in and wasn't sure he was going to stay with the team, so that he didn't have to feel like he was stepping into the shoes of someone who had been there for 18 seasons."

Gary Cole joined the "NCIS" cast in Season 19, with the actor portraying Supervisory Special Agent Alden Parker. What's more, fans of the long-running series have also taken to the character since he joined the team.

Replacing Leroy Jethro Gibbs was never going to be easy, but "NCIS" fans are happy to have Alden Parker on the team. That said, viewers of the hit procedural series enjoy Gary Cole's character because he brings something new to the table. "I'm glad they didn't try to make him Gibbs since there will never be another Gibbs. Parker is more laid back and stands on more equal footing with the rest of the team," one fan wrote on Reddit, noting that Mark Harmon's agent was more like a father figure.

"I think Gary Cole is awesome as Parker and a great addition to the show," another fan added.

Of course, Gibbs and Harmon aren't completely gone from the "NCIS" franchise. The character is the main star of the "NCIS: Origins" prequel series, with Harmon providing the narration as current-day Gibbs. However, only time will tell if he returns to the main show for one last hurrah.