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NCIS star Pauley Perrette didn’t hold back when calling out Donald Trump supporters who claim to be devout Christians. She slammed the hypocrisy, pointing out how true faith doesn’t align with mocking or divisive rhetoric.

Pauley Perrette in NCIS | Credits: CBS

Known for speaking her mind, Perrette made it clear where she stands, sparking major reactions online.

Pauley Perrette calls out Donald Trump’s cruelty Donald Trump in an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience | Credits: PowefulJRE/YouTube

Pauley Perrette took to social media to question Donald Trump’s leadership, especially as discussions heat up ahead of the midterm elections. She alluded (via USA Today),

Where is Jesus when voting for someone who does the opposite of Jesus?…I’m serious. I’m a faith-driven person.

Perrette, best known for playing forensic scientist Abby Sciuto on NCIS, a series with a strong Republican viewership, didn’t shy away...

Tensions between Mark Harmon and NCIS creator Donald Bellisario were no secret, but one alleged scene took their feud to another level. When Bellisario demanded changes, Harmon reportedly reshot it exactly the same way — then never spoke to him again.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

A power move or pure defiance? Either way, it was a turning point in their rocky relationship, leading to Bellisario’s controversial exit. Turns out, the drama behind NCIS was just as intense as the show itself.

Mark Harmon’s silent rebellion: The NCIS scene that ended Don Bellisario’s reign

The tension between Mark Harmon and NCIS creator Don Bellisario was a full-blown standoff. Bellisario claimed it all boiled down to one scene where Harmon’s special agent, Leroy Gibbs was traveling to his hometown to meet his aging father. Bellisario admitted (per LA Times),

I asked Mark to re-shoot a scene. He...

Before NCIS, Mark Harmon was often seen as just a pretty boy, but one standout role proved he had the grit to play Gibbs. His performance exuded quiet strength and control — exactly what the showrunners needed to see. It shattered any doubts and made him the obvious choice for NCIS’s no-nonsense leader.

Mark Harmon on NCIS | Credits: CBS

So, which role changed everything? And how did it convince CBS that Harmon was more than just a charming face?

How Mark Harmon’s West Wing role proved he was more than just a ‘pretty boy’ for NCIS Mark Harmon in The West Wing | Credits: Warner Bros. Television

When NCIS creator Don Bellisario first considered Mark Harmon for the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, two words popped into his head — pretty boy. Harmon, the charming heartthrob of St. Elsewhere and Chicago Hope, didn’t exactly scream tough-as-nails federal agent.

But then...

David McCallum, star of "The Man from Uncle" and "NCIS," died in 2023 at age 90. Because his long-standing role as the CBS procedural's first and longest-serving chief medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard deserved a worthy goodbye, "NCIS" devoted the entire season 21 episode "The Stories We Leave Behind" to McCallum's character, with people closest to Ducky gathering to remember their dear friend and mentor. Still, the deep roster of characters and references in the episode has one glaring omission. Ducky's arguably oldest friend, Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), doesn't appear in person to pay his respects. 

According to "NCIS" co-showrunner Steven D. Binder, a key reason for omitting Gibbs from the episode was that after Harmon left "NCIS" in 2021, bringing him back for just a quick cameo would be a disservice to the fan-favorite character. Speaking to TV Line, Binder elaborated on this line of thinking:

"Of course the door is...

"NCIS" is still trucking along on CBS. By now, though, the naval crimes procedural has been on the air for so long that it's already got its own rewatch podcast. "Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch" is co-hosted by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, two of the show's main stars who (along with Mark Harmon and Pauley Perrette) both eventually left after spending several years playing their respective roles.

Unlike most rewatch podcasts, however, "Off Duty" doesn't layer on the excessive nostalgia, which makes sense given the allegedly tough working conditions that several "NCIS" cast members have spoken about. Case in point: there's an episode where the two hosts dig into the apparently exhausting early seasons with former star Sasha Alexander, whose Special Agent Caitlin Todd was killed off after just two seasons of "NCIS."

Alexander was with "NCIS" from the start. She played Agent Todd in the early backdoor...

Krapopolis fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new episode!

Find out everything you need to know about the episode of Krapopolis, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

Krapopolis Preview

“Krapopolis” is gearing up for another hilarious episode this March 23, 2025, airing at 9:30 Pm on Fox. This animated comedy, set in the whimsical world of mythical ancient Greece, follows the misadventures of a quirky family comprised of humans, gods, and monsters. As they navigate the challenges of running one of the world’s first cities, chaos and comedy ensue, making for an entertaining watch.

In this upcoming episode, the family faces a new crisis that threatens their already shaky leadership. Tensions rise as the characters grapple with their flaws and the absurdities of their situation. Viewers can expect a mix of clever humor, witty banter, and the kind...

NCISstar Mark Harmon embarked on a feature film career with the 1987 comedy film Summer School, which was a modest box-office success and served as an effective showcase for the 1980s charm and handsomeness that led Harmon to be named People’s second-ever Sexiest Man Alive in 1986. Following Summer School, he starred alongside Sean Connery in the 1988 crime film The Presidio, in which he plays a former military cop turned San Francisco police detective who investigates a murder committed at the titular Army base.

However, despite the incomparable presence of Connery, whose role in The Presidio was immediately preceded by Connery’s Academy Award-winning performance in the 1987 crime film The Untouchables, The Presidio was a commercial and critical failure, which dealt a severe blow to Harmon’s feature-film aspirations. Indeed, while The Presidio became a virtually forgotten footnote in Connery’s legendary career, the failure of The Presidio heralded Harmon’s imminent return to television,...

The popularity surrounding NCIS has made it almost impossible to believe that it is, in fact, the spin-off of a 1990s crime procedural drama. The parent series, titled Jag, premiered in 1995 and ran for 10 seasons before the spin-off took shape with Mark Harmon in the lead.

Mark Harmon as FBI Special Agent Gibbs [Credit: CBS]

However, NCIS had one advantage that Jag lacked at its time of conception – the popularity of the crime procedural genre. With shows like CSI and Law & Order becoming the order of the day in every American household, NCIS took off amid high ratings and never looked back. Now, 22 seasons later, the show is still going strong, with more stories to tell and audiences to entertain.

Jag character gets recast in NCIS for being too soft Robyn Lively as Vivian Blackadder in Jag [Credit: CBS]

Contrary to popular belief, NCIS was not the first series where Mark Harmon...

A largely unknown cop thriller series has found surprising success on streaming. Released just last month, the police procedural On Call has seen audiences flock to the show to check out the latest take on this well-worn serial genre, with the series leaning into reliable cliché as it follows a rookie and a veteran as they attempt to navigate the morality of their job while protecting and serving in Long Beach, California.

Created by Tim Walsh and Elliot Wolf, On Call premiered on Prime Video on January 9, after starting life on IMDb TV. The first series runs for eight episodes, and stars Troian Bellisario as Officer Traci Harmon and Brandon Larracuente as Officer Alex Diaz. The rest of the cast includes Eriq Lasalle, Lori Loughlin, Rich Ting, and Lobo Sebastian. On Call has now entered the top 10 on the streamer, and you can check out the official synopsis below.

“On Call...

For years, rumors swirled that Mark Harmon was the reason NCIS creator Donald Bellisario was shown the door. But according to those in the know, Harmon never gave CBS the order to oust him. While tensions between the star and Bellisario were no secret, the decision to part ways wasn’t as cutthroat as many believed.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

So, if Harmon didn’t pull the trigger, who did? And what really led to Bellisario’s exit?

Mark Harmon didn’t get Donald Bellisario fired from NCIS Donald Bellisario and Mark Harmon on NCIS | Credits: CBS

Mark Harmon didn’t push NCIS creator Donald Bellisario out of his own show, despite the long-standing rumors. While there was tension, the decision to part ways wasn’t as cutthroat as some think.

The drama started with NCIS‘s grueling production schedule. Per executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson, the cast...

Community's Joel McHale opens up about the current status of the long-awaited movie, shining a light on the movie's three-year slow development and the status of the script. The cult sitcom created by Dan Harmon follows a study group of misfits at Greendale Community College and ran for six seasons across both NBC and Yahoo! Screen following a successful fan renewal campaign. Fulfilling the calls of Danny Pudi's character Abed, a Community movie was confirmed to be in the writing stages by Harmon in 2021.

3 years since Harmon confirmed the development of the Community movie, McHale provides a much-needed update to the production's status on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Dinner's On Me podcast. McHale confirms that the production has received an allocated budget and much of the core cast has committed to reprising their roles for the movie, stating that the 3-year delay had been due to a difficulty in aligning their schedules.

Mark Harmon has been in quite a few epic pieces throughout his star-studded acting career, though none compares to his iconic role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS. But, of course, that’s not his only epic role, for his performances in numerous other projects have earned him almost equal attention from fans worldwide—like 1987’s Summer School.

Mark Harmon. | Credits: NCIS / CBS.

One that had him playing a completely different role than his brilliant one of Gibbs, the comedy-drama has been widely underrated by professional critics. However, Harmon, for one, was always interested in taking on that respective part, no matter what, and it seems the only one begging him not to do so was his wife, Pam Dawber.

Mark Harmon’s wife begged him not to do Summer School Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley. | Credits: Summer School / Paramount Pictures.

Released in 1987, Summer School featured Mark Harmon as Freddy Shoop,...

Mark Harmon wasn’t just a narrator in NCIS: Origins — he shaped the show from behind the scenes. While fans already know he’s narrating the prequel, Harmon has also taken on a key off-screen role that proves he’s still deeply connected to the NCIS universe.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

More than just a guiding voice, he’s helping craft the early days of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in a way only he can. So, what exactly is his special behind-the-camera job? And how is he making sure Origins stays true to the legacy he built? Turns out, Harmon’s impact on NCIS is far from over.

Mark Harmon’s got NCIS: Origins covered — narrator, producer, and mentor behind the scenes Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

Mark Harmon isn’t just the voice guiding NCIS: Origins — he’s got a big hand in shaping it too. The...

The final two seasons of "Community" were a painful affair, as the beloved comedy series fought valiantly against its own inevitable decline. The show losing its original showrunner, Dan Harmon, after season 3 was the first strike. Harmon returned to "Community" in season 5, but then the show had to deal with the departure of two major cast members, Chevy Chase and Donald Glover. Strike two. 

By the end of season 5, there was still some hope that the show might have plenty of years left in it. The departure of Troy and Pierce was handled gracefully, and the quality of the writing itself had returned to pre-season 4 quality. Then "Community" was canceled, and then brought back to viaa little-known streaming service run by Yahoo, and then a whole other round of cast departures was announced. Not only would Buzz Hickey (Jonathan Banks) and Professor Ian Duncan (John Oliver) not be in season...

Mark Harmon saw his NCIS exit coming long before fans did. Two years before leaving, he hinted that his time as Gibbs wouldn’t last forever. And when the moment arrived, it felt more like a well-placed clue than a shocking twist. After nearly two decades leading the hit procedural, Harmon had already made peace with the inevitable.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits:: CBS

But was his departure always the plan, or was there more to the story? Turns out, his exit was set in motion long before he ever stepped off-screen.

Mark Harmon saw it coming: His 2019 words foreshadowed his NCIS exit in 2021 Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits:: CBS

Mark Harmon saw it coming. Even before his departure from NCIS in 2021, the longtime star had hinted at his eventual exit — two years earlier. Back in 2019, Harmon admitted he understood the nature of television (via People):

Nothing goes on forever,...

Trading epic quests for sitcom laughs? That was the dream for one Lord of the Rings star after years of solving crimes with Mark Harmon in NCIS. Tired of the procedural grind, he hoped to ditch the drama, do half-hour comedies, and just watch his kids grow up. But Hollywood had other plans.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credit: CBS

Did he escape the long hours and serious roles? Well, let’s just say his story didn’t wrap up as neatly as a sitcom finale.

Sean Astin wanted to ditch crime dramas for comedy after NCIS role with Mark Harmon Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

Sean Astin has played everything from beloved sidekicks to tragic heroes, but his next career move? He’s hoping for laughs. The Lord of the Rings and Stranger Things star, who once worked alongside Mark Harmon in NCIS,...

NCIS spoilers and updates tease the show has already had many surprises, however, cast member Brian Dietzen (Dr. Jimmy Palmer) says things are about to improve even more. In the last episode, the show featured guest star Erinn Hayes as Wendy Hill-Dietzen found this exciting, but he mentioned that the next guest will be even more impressive.

Brian Dietzen Says The Next Return Will Make Fans Lose It!

Dietzen mentioned that fans would be very excited, as he shared some details about the next episode. While Erinn Hayes was a nice guest star, not many fans were familiar with her.

However, Dietzen hinted that a future guest would be a much bigger surprise. He revealed that this person is from the show’s history and promised it would be amazing (according to TV Insider).

In the interview, Dietzen said fans should look forward to this guest soon. “I just worked with one,...

With over 22 seasons of NCIS and Season 23 officially greenlit, the series is showing no signs of slowing down. Throughout its run, the franchise has seen its fair share of characters who have come and gone. The face of NCIS, Mark Harmon's Leroy Jethro Gibbs, left the show in Season 19, and all hope seemed lost for his return. That was until NCIS: Origins was announced, with Austin Stowell playing a young version of the iconic character, and Harmon returning to occasionally guest-star while narrating every episode. Beloved characters like Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) and Tony Dinozzo (Michael Weatherly) also exited NCIS years prior, only for them to return in guest roles and lead the upcoming spin-off, NCIS: Tony & Ziva.

"NCIS" creator Donald P. Bellisario once threatened to cancel the series over a casting decision, proving that he wielded some major influence over the folks at CBS back in the day. However, some rumors out there indicate that Mark Harmon, who played Leroy Jethro Gibbs on the show, had more clout than the acclaimed showrunner -- and he used it to get him fired. In reality, though, the story isn't as simple as that.

According to the scuttlebutt, Harmon and Bellisario's feud stemmed from the Gibbs star being unhappy with the former "NCIS" showrunner over the behind-the-scenes working conditions. The cast and crew had to work long days, and Harmon reportedly felt that there was too much disorganization and chaos on the set. Bellisario parted ways with "NCIS" after four seasons shortly after, leading to the belief that CBS fired him from his own series at the behest of Harmon.

Many actors have walked through the revolving door of the NCIS Major Case Response Team's Navy Yard headquarters. Some of them have been relatively fresh faces, but "NCIS" has also filled many roles with actors who had plenty of pedigree even before they joined the show. Actors like Mark Harmon, David McCallum (Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard), Lauren Holly (Director Jenny Shepard), Gary Cole (Alden Parker), and Wilmer Valderrama (Nick Torres) had all tasted success in previous projects before "NCIS," but even they pale in comparison to one name who was once considered for a big role in the show: Jennifer Aniston.

In a joint oral history interview with The Hollywood Reporter, several makers of the show discussed casting, and they revealed that Aniston's name was once on the table to play the tragic Caitlin Todd, a role that ultimately went to Sasha Alexander. " I think Jennifer Aniston was available at the time,...

As glamorous as working in Hollywood often sounds, it sometimes seems like it would actually be a nightmare. If you get really famous, paparazzi and fans follow you around and critique your every move. If you don't get famous, you spend years trying to earn enough roles to keep your SAG card without doing work that's demeaning or stereotyping. The easiest level of fame seems to be working on network TV, where the paychecks improve over time, your shows sometimes last for over a decade, and people know you but don't put you on tabloid covers every week. But even that career track can be a minefield: network shows can shoot dangerously long hours, and even the most standardized Hollywood sets have intense, messy power structures that can allow for some loaded interactions that wouldn't fly at, say, an office job.

Even the most popular shows in the country deal...

Spending 20 years on NCIS is one thing, but holding a record Mark Harmon doesn’t? Now that’s legendary. Sean Murray’s been a rock on the show, but he’s got one milestone that puts him in a league of his own. And no, it’s not just about seniority.

Sean Murray in NCIS | Credits: CBS

Even Murray admits it’s a “privilege” most actors never get. So, what makes him stand out in NCIS history?

Sean Murray’s NCIS legacy outshines even Mark Harmon’s record Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

Sean Murray’s done something even Mark Harmon didn’t — he’s officially the longest-serving NCIS team member. And after more than two decades as Special Agent Timothy McGee, he’s well aware of how rare that is. Murray told EW,

It’s been interesting because when the show started, McGee was the penultimate rookie character.

It's been more than ten years since Community left the airwaves in 2014, but in that time, the cult-favorite sitcom has gone on to be widely regarded as one of the best in the modern era of television. Created by Dan Harmon, the series focused on the colorful cast of characters at Greendale Community College in Colorado, and starred the likes of Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, and Chevy Chase. Though it's been available to stream on Peacock for a while now, viewers who haven't yet gotten the chance to see it are in luck, because all six seasons of this hilarious sitcom will be available to stream for free this weekend.

Tubi announced in a press release today that starting Saturday, March 1, all 110 episodes of Community will be available to stream for free on their service, which is one of the fastest-growing streaming outlets in the world,...

Despite the show's massive ensemble cast, the first character that comes to mind from "NCIS" is Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). The stern former Marine Sniper steers the NCIS Major Case Response Team with a fatherly hand, establishing himself as the show's face and de facto lead during his 19-season tenure with the show. 

However, things almost didn't play out this way. In fact, Harmon was very close to walking away from the show a mere four seasons into its run. According to TV Guide's Michael Ausiello, the reason behind the "NCIS" star's near-exit was the procedural's co-creator and original showrunner, Donald Bellisario. Per Ausiello's anonymous source, Bellisario's tardiness with the show's scripts and tendency to over-involve himself was a source of great frustration to Harmon, prompting the star to consider an exit after season 4:

"Mark's been working every single day, 16 hours a day. Don tries to micro-manage everything.

Quick LinksAmerican Horror Story’s Sixth Season Changed the GameRoanoke Was Controversial Upon ReleaseI’m Sorry, But Roanoke is Actually Fantastic

People always talk about how they would give anything to go back in time and experience something for the first time again. I often say that I would sell an organ to feel the serotonin and dopamine boosts I’ve felt while doing specific things for the first time. Most people who long for time travel abilities easily remember what they want to go back in time for, but I am not one of those people. My memory is horrible, so I rarely remember anything, let alone random first experiences. Even when I do remember them, I rarely remember the feelings attached. That said, I distinctly remember discovering American Horror Story and how it made me feel.

I was in fifth grade around 2014, and as I’ve always been a weird introvert,...

The world is filled with people who enjoy crime shows to a whole new level. From the gripping tales of Criminal Minds to the mind-blowing storytelling of NCIS, the television universe has a little something for everyone. The latter, however, brings forth a perfect mix of crime and drama, and for this, the entire applause goes to the stunning cast and crew. While this show skyrocketed Michael Weatherly’s career, it also brought forth the acting genius of actor David McCallum.

David McCallum in a still from NCIS | Credits: CBS

He was part of the original cast and continued to be so until his passing in 2023. In order to honor him, NCIS planned a special episode, and while the entire thing was quite emotional, fans did not spot actor Mark Harmon.

Why was Mark Harmon missing from David McCallum’s NCIS tribute episode?

Everyone is already well aware of David...

The early adventures of a certain NCIS Special Agent will continue on CBS next season. The network has renewed NCIS: Origins for a second year and the 2025-26 TV season. Five of the first season's 18 episodes are left to air.

A police procedural and action series, the NCIS: Origins TV show stars Austin Stowell, Mariel Molino, Kyle Schmid, Tyla Abercrumbie, and Diany Rodriguez, with Mark Harmon as narrator. Recurring players include Daniel Bellomy, Caleb Martin Foote, Robert Taylor, Patrick Fischler, Julian Black Antelope, Tonantzin Carmelo, Lori Petty, and Bobby Moynihan. The sixth series in the NCIS franchise, this prequel follows the early days of Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Harmon). Back in 1991, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office. He forges his place on a...

Every great fictional character has a great name. Duncan Idaho, Atticus Finch, Ebenezer Scrooge, Spike Spiegel; these are all names that immediately sound just too good to be picked at random and too evoking not to belong to a memorable character. These are the kind of names that make anyone go, "Whoever that name belongs to is either a total badass or at the very least a very interesting person."

Such is the case with Leeroy Jethro Gibbs, the main character of the military police procedural "NCIS" that has run on CBS for 22 seasons as of this writing. After starring in an underrated TV movie adaptation of a classic "Twilight Zone" episode, Mark Harmon became a hugely recognizable face on television for nearly two decades as Gibbs, the head of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that was actually first introduced in an episode of "Jag" before going on to star in "NCIS.

While most know her for the unparalleled acting she perfectly put on display through her movies, Jamie Lee Curtis has also given impeccable performances in some really hit television shows as well. This includes the all-time best and one of the biggest fan-favorite crime drama shows ever, NCIS, in which she gave a guest appearance for a few episodes.

Jamie Lee Curtis. | Credits: NCIS / CBS.

But even that one guest cameo role in the series was nothing short of iconic, both because of her own performance as well as the ones she worked with, which included Mark Harmon too since he was still a part of the smash hit saga back then. In fact, the actress’ even owes her favorite scene from the series to the former Leroy Jethro Gibbs!

Jamie Lee Curtis’ favorite NCIS scene was with Mark Harmon Jamie Lee Curtis and Mark Harmon. | Credits: NCIS / CBS.

In NCIS,...

NCIS fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 22 Episode 13 episode titled Bad Blood!

Find out everything you need to know about the Bad Blood episode of NCIS, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

NCIS Bad Blood Season 22 Episode 13 Preview

The upcoming episode of “NCIS,” titled “Bad Blood,” promises to deliver another thrilling installment in the long-running series. Set to air on CBS at 9:00 Pm on February 24, 2025, this episode will see Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, portrayed by the iconic Mark Harmon, leading his team through a complex investigation that tests their skills and resilience.

In “Bad Blood,” the NCIS team will tackle a case that intertwines personal histories with professional duties, hinting at emotional stakes that could impact their dynamics. The episode is expected to explore themes of loyalty and betrayal, as the team uncovers...

Television is one of the most vast and varied entertainment mediums, and new shows are added to streaming services and networks by the day. However, there are certain TV shows that have left an indelible mark on the audience psyche, and they remain extremely iconic to date; in fact, these shows only seem to get better as time passes and shine even brighter when rewatched for the second, third or even fourth times.

With every new watch, these shows offer new layers, hidden details, and a deeper insight into characters that fans couldn't spot earlier. They have memorable characters and unforgettable plot lines that were executed so masterfully that they reveal something fresh every single time they are rewatched. Whether it is the nostalgia factor or being able to point out the subtle foreshadowing in every plot, these shows have aged like fine wine and continue to be top picks for a night of binge-watching.

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It doesn’t seem so long ago when original NCIS franchise star Mark Harmon left the series and was replaced by Gary Cole, whose run as Special Agent Alden Parker on NCIS presently encompasses more than 60 episodes and spans four seasons. Just as Harmon’s iconic portrayal of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS over 19 seasons redefined his acting legacy, Cole’s attachment to NCIS seems destined to overshadow his long and varied previous career.

Cole made his starring television debut in the acclaimed 1984 television miniseries Fatal Vision, in which he plays Jeffrey MacDonald, a real-life former Green Beret physician who was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and two daughters on a military base in 1970. The miniseries...

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Mariska Hargitay was a relatively unknown actress when she was cast in the role of Olivia Benson on the crime drama television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. When the show debuted in 1999, Benson had the rank of a junior detective, which has been steadily upgraded over the course of the show’s 26-season run to sergeant, commanding officer, lieutenant, and then captain. In playing the longest-running character in one of the longest-running drama shows in television history, Hargitay has become one of the highest-paid actresses on television and won two Emmy Awards.

Just as Mark Harmon’s iconic portrayal of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS has overshadowed the rest of Harmon’s career, Hargitay has become so synonymous with the Benson character that her...

Do you have roughly 1,000 hours to spare and a passion for stalwart procedural crime dramas? Great news: you can start watching every episode of "NCIS" and its multitude of spinoffs now and be finished with the show sometime before the next decade! Seriously, though, the long-running, incredibly popular series has, by this point, garnered enough spinoffs, prequels, and sequels to help keep the lights on at CBS for a long, long time.

In the past two years alone, two "NCIS" spin-offs have premiered, one has been greenlit, and another has gone to the big TV graveyard in the sky. It's a lot to keep track of, but luckily, the show's chronology is pretty straightforward. With the exception of a new prequel, all seven "NCIS"-adjacent shows take place in the present day in chronological order, although crossover events still make any watch-through complicated. If you are in the market for a marathon binge-watch,...

Replacing Mark Harmon as Gibbs on NCIS? Yeah, that’s like trying to swap out Batman and hoping no one notices. But apparently, the showrunners didn’t lose a wink of sleep over it; they knew exactly who could fill those legendary shoes.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credit: CBS Studios

And honestly, that’s a bold move when you’re dealing with a fanbase that treats Gibbs like a sacred entity. But when you find the right fit, you just know. So, who was this chosen one?

Austin Stowell wasn’t just cast — Mark Harmon and NCIS knew instantly he was young Gibbs Austin Stowell in NCIS | Credits: CBS Studios

When NCIS set out to find a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, they needed someone who felt like Mark Harmon. Enter Austin Stowell — the second he walked into the audition, the team had their answer.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly,...

The hour-long procedural has long been one of network television's go-to genres. When done effectively, they can last for decades and launch multiple spin-offs that make a gazillion dollars for creatives and suits alike. What's the secret to the crafting of a long-running procedural? In the case of the broadcast war horse known as "Law & Order," it's to hit on a unique narrative format (i.e. the criminal justice system viewed from the street and court levels), and hit big on every casting choice. For shows as unabashedly formulaic as CBS' "NCIS," it's good enough to hit big-ish on every casting choice, and get slotted into a favorable spot on the broadcast schedule.

Initially, Mark Harmon's Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was the anchor of the series. The sun-kissed California hunk with sandy hair and blue eyes got his start on television as Dr. Robert Caldwell on "St. Elsewhere...

In hindsight, it's impossible to imagine anyone but Mark Harmon in the role of gruff "NCIS" boss Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It wasn't exactly a career-reigniting role for the actor, who had already built a legacy on shows like "St. Elsewhere" and "Chicago Hope" before joining the CBS military police procedural's inaugural 2003 season. However, it soon became apparent that Gibbs would be his defining role. Harmon embodied the character in a way that made him the unquestionable centerpiece of the ensemble cast throughout his 19 seasons with the show. He left "NCIS" in 2021, but Gibbs perseveres: In 2024, CBS rolled out the prequel show "NCIS: Origins," with Austin Stowell playing young Gibbs while Harmon narrates, "Young Sheldon"-style.

Knowing Harmon's importance to the "NCIS" franchise, it may be surprising to find out that the people behind the show didn't call his agent the second they conceived the character of Gibbs. In 2023, the makers...

When "NCIS" premiered on CBS during the fall television season of 2003 (initially as "Navy: NCIS), there was good reason to expect it would be a solid performer for the network. Created by noted TV hitmaker Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill, the military procedural entered the marketplace during a moment of extreme war hawkishness in the United States, which was taking out its 9/11 frustrations on Iraq for reasons we now know were extremely dubious. Many viewers were amped up about anything relating to Americans in uniform, and they already loved crime-of-the-week dramas, so surely this would hit one if not both sweet spots.

"NCIS" also had the good fortune to land prime Tuesday night real estate at 8 Pm, where ABC and NBC were struggling to make some direly unfunny sitcoms work (like "8 Simple Rules" and "Whoopi"). The WB had solid niche performer "Gilmore Girls," while Fox would have the...

The “it was all just a dream!” episode can be a lazy comedy writer’s best pal. Why bother with all of that “story logic” and “continuity” when you can just write whatever you want with no consequences? Want to put the King of Queens gang into an episode of The Honeymooners? It’s all a dream! What if Gilligan was on trial in old-timey London? A dream! I won’t give away WandaVision if you haven’t seen it, but fond memories of sitcom dreams drive a lot of the action.

Call ‘em lazy if you want to — heck, I just did at the beginning of this story — but sitcom dream episodes can be a lot of fun. Don’t sleep on these five examples of dream work making the comedy team work…

1 The Dick Van Dyke Show

What a nightmare — Rob Petrie dreams that he’s lost both...

Mark Harmon thought he was signing up for a hard-hitting military crime drama — something dark, gritty, and intense. What did he actually get? A snappy, quippy procedural packed with banter, boat-building, and head slaps. Classic Hollywood bait-and-switch. But instead of walking away, Harmon leaned in, and NCIS blew up into one of the biggest TV hits ever.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

The guy went from thinking he’d be solving serious crimes to leading a show that practically defined primetime for two decades. Not what he expected, but let’s face it, when you end up with that kind of success, who’s complaining?

Mark Harmon’s unexpected journey: From NCIS star to best-selling author Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

Mark Harmon thought NCIS was going to be a whole different show. When he first signed on, he was told it would be based on real cases...

Prior to headlining NCIS as Agent Leroy Jethro Gibb, Mark Harmon played a tough homicide cop in 1988’s The Presidio, starring Sir Sean Connery. Even though it wasn’t a major hit, the movie did garner acclaim for its beautifully choreographed action sequences, which were pretty intense for Harmon, who didn’t resort to taping his ankles for the stunt sequences.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credit: CBS

Although the NCIS star rose to the challenge of performing the stunt work for the movie, surprisingly, it was a beer commercial that landed him his career’s biggest injury.

The beer commercial proved to be too costly for Mark Harmon The Presidio | Credit: Paramount Pictures

Even though Mark Harmon served as a Quarterback for the UCLA team back in ’72 and ’73, the rigorous physical demands of acting did take a toll on him. But while it was The Presidio that required him to jump over automobiles,...

Exclusive: Jesse Collins Entertainment and Concord Originals are partnering on a biopic of Robert Johnson, the influential musician nicknamed the King of the Delta Blues.

The project will mark the first authorized narrative feature on Johnson, a figure famous for his culture-defining influence on rock legends like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin. Ridgeway Wilson (Black Girls Rock!) is set to write the script.

Born in Mississippi in 1911, Johnson pursued his passion for music partly as a way to avoid the sharecropper lifestyle prescribed to him by the American South. He took the tortuous lifestyle that came with being a Black man in that time and place and transformed his personal experience into music of universal relevance and global reach. When he died at 27, allegedly murdered by the jealous boyfriend of a former lover, his few recordings debuted posthumously at Carnegie Hall. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,...

The Final Destination franchise is breathing new life with a teaser trailer for the first movie in the horror series in 14 years.

Warner Bros. released the initial promo for Final Destination Bloodlines, set to hit theaters and IMAX on May 16. Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein directed the sixth film in the New Line franchise that was last seen on the big screen with Final Destination 5, which premiered back in August 2011.

Final Destination Bloodlines centers on Stefanie (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) aiming to track down the sole person who can potentially stop the cycle that has inevitably led her family members to untimely deaths. Rounding out the cast are Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Rya Kihlstedt, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger and the late Tony Todd.

“My old man just died, I come in as a favor, and now they want me to lock up,” a tattoo artist (Harmon) gripes...

Michael Weatherly spent years as Tony Dinozzo on NCIS, always cracking jokes and charming his way through crime scenes. But for all his charisma, he was often seen as Mark Harmon’s second-in-command. That all changed when he finally stepped into the spotlight with Bull.

Michael Weatherly in Bull | Credits: CBS Studios

No longer just the wisecracking sidekick, Weatherly took center stage as Dr. Jason Bull, a character built around his talents.

How Bull let Michael Weatherly step out of NCIS’ Mark Harmon’s shadow Michael Weatherly as Agent Anthony Dinozzo in NCIS | Credits: CBS Studios

Michael Weatherly knew when to make his move. After 13 seasons as Tony Dinozzo on NCIS, he decided it was time to step away. But CBS wasn’t ready to let him go. Instead, they handed him Bull, a fresh start and a chance to finally step out of Mark Harmon’s shadow.

Unlike Dinozzo,...

It took CBS 12 seasons, but when it finally happened, it was indeed worth the wait. Mark Harmon’s best NCIS episode had fans baffled, proving that sometimes, the best things really do come to those who wait.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credit: CBS Studios

After years of incredible performances, the show finally delivered the one episode that made fans shout, “Now that’s what we’ve been waiting for!” Here’s the full story.

Mark Harmon’s Gibbs takes center stage in NCIS’s most epic episode yet Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credit: CBS

It took CBS 12 seasons, but they finally gave us Mark Harmon’s best NCIS episode – and boy, was it worth the wait.

For over a decade, Harmon’s Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs has been the rock of the series, balancing tough guy charm with razor-sharp instincts. But in NCIS Season 12’s “Twenty Klicks,” they threw Gibbs...

The NCIS universe had its favorites, and Pauley Perrette had a theory: DC couldn’t get enough of them. Somehow, David McCallum and Mark Harmon weren’t just key players on NCIS, they seemed to have a special place in the franchise’s DNA.

Pauley Perrette as forensic scientist Abby Sciuto in NCIS | Credits: CBS

Through cast changes and plot twists, these two remained untouchable. Coincidence? Perrette didn’t think so.

Pauley Perrette’s theory: DC’s obsession with NCIS ran deep Pauley Perrette as forensic scientist Abby Sciuto in NCIS | Credits: CBS

Pauley Perrette had a theory about the NCIS universe: DC’s obsession with the show kept David McCallum and Mark Harmon at its core. She explained during an interview,

I guess they must like the NCIS people over there.

And honestly, she wasn’t wrong.

McCallum’s Dr. Mallard was the wise forensic expert, while Harmon’s...

Industry veteran Mark Harmon was a part of the popular CBS show NCIS for years. As such, his involvement in the series’ construction stands out from the rest. However, it wasn’t just Harmon who was dedicated to his role, it turns out the NCIS crew, too, was mighty appreciative of him.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credits: CBS

In fact, the love for him in the series became blatantly evident when his own character, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, made references to his glorious career on two separate occasions.

Although he left the show in 2021, his attachment to it never lessened. His recent return for NCIS: Origins, a prequel based on his character, is a testament to that fact.

NCIS paid tribute to Mark Harmon’s glorious career on two different episodes

Mark Harmon was a part of NCIS for 18 seasons until he said goodbye to the show in 2021. While the show...

Pauley Perrette spilled the tea on why NCIS stars didn’t flood Hollywood with movie roles, and the reason was simple: the show’s “grueling” schedule. With about 24 episodes a season, filming took up most of the year, leaving little to no time for side gigs.

Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto in NCIS | Credits: CBS Studios

That’s why Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, and Sean Murray stuck mostly to TV. While other actors juggled blockbusters, these guys were locked into the NCIS grind.

NCIS was a grind: Pauley Perrette chose purpose over Hollywood Mark Harmon and Pauley Perrette in NCIS | Credits: CBS Studios

NCIS was a full-time grind. Pauley Perrette made it clear: Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray, and even Cote de Pablo barely had time to breathe, let alone shoot movies. She explained in an exclusive interview,

When you’re on a sitcom, you work four days a week.

Quick LinksMark Harmon Reveals the Darkest Side in 'The Deliberate Stranger''The Deliberate Stranger' Shows Why Harmon Is the Consummate Television StarHarmon's Performance in 'The Deliberate Stranger' Remains the Best and Most Frightening Portrayal of Ted Bundy

Mark Harmon had an exciting year in 1986, beginning on January 27, 1986, when he was named People’s second-ever Sexist Man Alive. The following month, Harmon’s three-season run ended on the medical drama television series St. Elsewhere, in which his character, Dr. Robert Caldwell, became one of the first television characters in history to die after contracting AIDS.

After leaving St. Elsewhere, Harmon shocked audiences by playing real-life serial killer Ted Bundy in the 1986 four-hour television miniseries The Deliberate Stranger. In stark contrast to the inherent sense of integrity and morality that became the hallmark of his iconic portrayal of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, Harmon’s Bundy is a charming, sadistic creep...

The last part of Community's "six seasons and a movie" promise remains unfulfilled as the long-gestating film is still on hold years after it was announced. One of the revered sitcom's top stars offers a mixed update on the movie's future, admitting that "tricky" schedules continue to prevent it from beginning production.

Speaking with Collider at the Sundance Film Festival, Community actor Alison Brie was asked about the movie's status and what the production will look like when cameras eventually roll. According to Brie, conflicting schedules remain the main issue, though there's "optimism" that the cast's availability will clear up later this year. "I don't know. Obviously, everybody's schedules are tricky, and maybe that's the main thing," she said. "But I maintain an optimism. I'm always hearing, 'Checking of avails.' So that's always a good thing. 'We're checking new avails for later in the year.'

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