Is Gibbs Back?! Mark Harmonโs Surprise Return in NCIS Season 22, Explained
Even after leaving NCIS in Season 19, Mark Harmonโs Leroy Jethro Gibbs continues to cast a long shadow over the team. While fans saw a younger version of Gibbs in the NCIS: Origins premiere, many are still hoping for Harmon himself to return โ and Season 22 just gave them a glimmer of hope.
In Episode 19, titled โIrreconcilable Differences,โ Gibbs makes a surprise appearance โ sort of. While he doesnโt show up in person, he appears in a dream sequence as Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) wrestles with doubts during an investigation into Deputy Director LaRoche (Seamus Dever). In a late-night scene, McGee imagines Gibbs in a basement, wearing his signature sweatshirt and holding a postcard from Alaska. The moment blends nostalgia with humor, especially when Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) admits heโs dreamed of Gibbs too โ who told him to โstop slouching.โ
Later, Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) explains that the dream reflects McGeeโs internal struggle to live up to Gibbsโs legacy โ something still very present in the teamโs culture. The episode also nods to Gibbsโs famous Rule #45: โLeft a mess I gotta clean up.โ
Is Mark Harmon Retired?
Not quite. In a 2023 interview with Parade, Harmon clarified heโs not retired, just being selective. โIf the right thing comes along, Iโll probably go to work. If it doesnโt, I have plenty of other things to do,โ he said. In the meantime, fans can catch him in Freakier Friday, set to hit theaters August 8, 2025.
While Gibbs may be enjoying the quiet life in Alaska, his presence is still deeply felt on NCIS โ and the door for a real return remains wide open.
