Sasha Alexander’s shocking exit from NCIS changed the course of the show in significant ways. National Security Agency (NCIS) has been a top-tier military procedure since it was spun off from JAG in 2003. Los Angeles, New Orleans, Hawai’i, and Sydney are among the many spin-offs that emerged from its success. The show’s original, captivating ensemble deserves a lot of the credit for its popularity. Unfortunately, the dramatic Season 2 ending saw the tragic demise of Kate’s character.
The choice to write off Kate was explained in an insightful interview with The Hollywood Reporter by executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson and co-creator Donald P. Bellisario. Due to the difficult and long hours, Sasha Alexander had previously stated her desire to have her workload reduced on the series. Seeking a reduced schedule was more important than wanting to quit the show. Responding, Bellisario suggested the notion of murdering off her character, Kate, as a way to add more turmoil to the show. This is what they had to say:
Sasha told Don in the second year, “I love this show, but I just can’t work this hard,” according to Johnson, the executive producer. We put in a lot of time. My guess is that she was OK with a reduced workload and had no desire to leave the show. The catastrophic was always Bellisario’s go-to as a writer. “What if we eliminate her?” he asked. And then everyone says, “What?” He then approached her and broke the good news: she would have less work to do. “Yet you will perish.” “I can’t help but laugh.” It was the very last minute or two of the show — the shot through the head. That’s always been one of the more shocking things on the internet of endings that you don’t see coming.
BELLISARIO (co-creator): I wanted to do a shocker, so that’s what I did, and people didn’t expect that at all. It came out of nowhere.
Kate’s sudden death marked the beginning of NCIS’s reputation for unexpected character exits, establishing the understanding that characters could depart or meet unforeseen fates at any time, even without prior indications of danger. Sasha Alexander, initially signed on for a six-season run, had initially been set for a long tenure. However, the demanding shooting schedule, often exceeding 10 months with 17-hour workdays, took its toll. Her desire for a lighter workload was entirely understandable. What surprised fans was the decision to kill off her character.
Post-NCIS, Alexander went on to star in Rizzoli & Isles for seven seasons. Meanwhile, the show’s cast and creators leveraged Kate’s death to introduce a sense of vulnerability among the investigators. Instead of providing a sense of safety for each character, her death opened the door to the idea that any of the investigators could be killed at any moment. In retrospect, the decision to write off Kate’s character proved to be a significant turning point for the show.
