Cote de Pablo's Sick Day
Cote de Pablo remembers how Mark Harmon gave her a talking to for not being on the Ncis set because she was sick. Ziva, played by de Pablo, was introduced in NCIS season 3 as a replacement for Kate Todd. She, Sean Murray's Tim McGee, and Michael Weatherly's Tony DiNozzo are widely considered to be Leroy Jethro Gibbs' best NCIS team.
As the longest Major Case Response Team (MCRT) leader, Gibbs was known for his rules. As it turns out, Harmon also had rules in real life. One of them was about not missing work. During Sean Murray's guest appearance on the Off Duty: An Ncis Rewatch podcast, de Pablo reveals that Harmon gave her a talking to once for not going to work despite being sick.
Mark Harmon's Stern Talk
In de Pablo's story, she says that she was pulled aside by her co-star, who told her that even though she was ill, she still needed to show up so that they could decide how to handle the situation. De Pablo says Harmon told her, "You come to set, and then we will determine how we address this." It seems that this stern talk worked because de Pablo says she never got sick again while working on NCIS.
It's probably safe to say that being on the set of NCIS is stressful. After all, the show is known for its high-stakes cases. De Pablo also said, "But when you think about it, you know, anyone can do a job, better, worse, whatever. But no one can play McGee, no one can play DiNozzo. No one can play any of the characters. So you really had to be there, and that’s a lot of pressure."
Will Harmon's Gibbs Appear in NCIS: Tony & Ziva?
The incident with the sick day happened early on in de Pablo's time on the show. She appeared as a main cast member for almost a decade, being a core player in countless episodes — many of them with Harmon. De Pablo has even returned in NCIS Season 17 with an arc that sent Ziva and Gibbs on the run. DiNozzo recently returned in NCIS Season 21, in light of Ducky Mallard's tribute outing. After that, the pair are spearheading their own spinoff.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva will see the couple on the run across Europe with their daughter, Tali. It's currently unknown what trouble they are in. That said, if Tony and Ziva need help, they can always rely on Gibbs. It's doubtful that he wouldn't do anything in his power to be of assistance. This opens the door for Harmon to play Gibbs again in the Paramount+ series, even for a limited time.
A Young Gibbs
Before de Pablo and Weatherly's new show, Harmon will be back in the NCIS universe via NCIS: Origins. Starring Austin Stowell as a young Gibbs, the prequel will tackle the character's earliest days in the agency as part of Mike Franks' rag-tag team. Harmon won't have a physical appearance, however. Instead, he will only narrate its events, similar to Jim Parsons' role in Young Sheldon.
It's clear that Harmon has a deep love for the character of Gibbs and his commitment to the show. From the sound of it, he is a true leader and mentor and probably a bit of a tough boss, but that's what makes NCIS so compelling! Fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the NCIS universe with the new spinoff and prequel series.
