Since the shocking departure of Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs four episodes into the show’s nineteenth season, fans have been waiting for Harmon’s return as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

It seems to reason that of the show’s many departures over the years, Harmons has had the most impact on viewers. Gibbs was the team’s North Star and the show’s fixture for 19 seasons.

Despite all of the other cast changes over the seasons, Gibbs was always the one constant on which viewers could rely.

That is, until Gibbs elected to hand up his pistol and badge in the fourth episode of season 19, leaving NCIS in a storyline intended to act as Harmon’s farewell storyline.

Mark Harmon’s departure represented a significant shift for the show, ushering in a new team leader in Gary Cole’s Special Agent Alden Parker.

Parker has rapidly won over audiences, but there is still optimism among supporters that Harmon may return as Gibbs.

Is Gibbs returning to NCIS for Season 21..?
Although the door has been left open for Mark Harmon to return to NCIS since his departure in season 19, there are currently no plans to bring Gibbs back in the forthcoming season.

When Harmon left in season 19, it was evident that the storyline utilized to explain his departure was intended to leave the door open for a future comeback. However, Harmon has not expressed a desire to return to the show, and there has been no sign that the writers intend to bring Gibbs back.

Although there is still the possibility that Harmon’s Gibbs will make a surprise comeback in season 21, with the show facing the shortest season ever owing to the strikes, it’s difficult to envision them trying to balance a significant event such as Giibbs’ return in season 21.

What’s more likely is that we’ll receive a few updates on the character during the season, similar to how we saw in season 20 with subtle references to Gibbs to keep his presence on the show alive.