“NCIS” fans are well aware that each character is driven forward by their quirks and interests. Abby Sciuto’s (Pauley Perrette) penchant for gothic accoutrements, Ducky Mallard’s (David McCallum) bow ties, and Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon) obsession with building boats and fishing give fans little clues as to what makes them the people they are. But for those wondering why Gibbs doesn’t lock his doors, there’s a very sad reason for that — as revealed in a trivia segment on Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly’s “NCIS” podcast, “Off-Duty: an ‘NCIS’ Rewatch.”
After both Weatherly and guest Sean Murray failed to answer the question correctly, de Pablo explained that Gibbs keeps his door unlocked because he’s already lost everything that means anything to him. That’s a heavy statement that harkens back to the fact that Gibbs is forever driven by the murder of his wife, Shannon Gibbs (Darby Stanchfield), and his daughter, Kelly (Mary Mouser of “Cobra Kai” fame). “I feel really awful now,” said Murray, who had guessed Gibbs keeps his door unlocked in case his wife shows up some day. But it’s worth noting that, while Gibbs naturally never forgives or forgets the loss of his family, he manages to find a modicum of peace when he leaves the team behind.
What happens to Leroy Jethro Gibbs when he leaves “NCIS”? During Season 19’s “Great Wide Open,” a mission with Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) helps him discover joy in Alaska, and decides to relocate there. For the first time in years, he feels actual peace, and is last seen cruising a lake on his fishing boat.
While the series has left Gibbs in a positive place, there are rumors that “NCIS: Origins” may cover the worst event in Gibbs’ life. The show is set during the character’s first years at Camp Pendleton, when he becomes a part of the NCIS world. This is also tragically when Kelly and Shannon are murdered. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, and it’s possible that “Origins” may put us beyond that event. Still, it’s quite nice that Gibbs has been left to live a peaceful life, without the old baggage and memories.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ (played by Mark Harmon) whispered words to Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) in season seven have become part of NCIS lore. Fans of the CBS series have been left wondering for a decade what he actually whispered to her. Cote de Pablo, however, has revealed exactly why Mark Harmon whispers in scenes. If de Pablo is to be believed, Harmon likes to whisper to people things that will give them the right reaction for a scene. The actress told TVInsider: “Mark does that all the time. He’ll whisper in your ear right before a take or talk to you about stuff you don’t want to talk about. And then afterward he’ll go, ‘Oh, by the way, I was just doing that so we can get a take.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, you little—’”
Harmon, however, kept his cards close to his chest when asked what he said. He told the publication: “You’re not getting this from me. It’s not so much a secret but an actor thing.” However, he did go into more detail about this technique and why he felt comfortable about doing it with de Pablo. He said: “When you know people well and you know how they work, it comes from respect. It’s not about manipulation. I know how she rolls. And she knows me the same way.” However, with NCIS season 17 due to delve deep into the relationship between Gibbs and Ziva, the first episode could see an in-show explanation developed for what he said to her. Showrunner Steven Binder told Parade: “The initial genesis of this story was — and this is a clue — it’s something that has been part of the fabric of the show, her character and the introduction of her character from the very beginning. So, we’re playing with the DNA of Ziva David in terms of this jeopardy. This isn’t some newly created arch-nemesis conspiracy theory or conspiracy that she’s tried to get out from beneath. This will tie into the lore and history of the show.”
Cote de Pablo is a much-loved actress, best known for her role as Ziva David in NCIS. The star is relatively private, but has previously opened up about her personal life in a bid to help raise awareness and help others. Cote spoke out about a terrifying health scare she faced back in September 2015, in a video for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, revealing that she had a cervical cancer scare, that not only impacted her, but her loved ones. In footage, she said: “Cancer, we don’t want to think about it, but I had to, because well – I was busy. Working, travelling, enjoying life, completely forgot to pay attention to my health. Too much time passed since my last Pap. By the time I was tested, things didn’t look too good. We thought I might have cervical cancer. I was lucky, after lots of worries, no cancer. I’ve always been very close to my mother, when we finally got the results, she broke down. And that’s when I realised, it’s not just about me, it’s about your loved ones too.”
The star went on to urge women to get a Pap test: “So women, get a Pap test to test for cervical cancer. Pay attention to your health, for you and for the people who care about you.” Luckily since her health scare, Cote has been fit and healthy. Fans of NCIS are always hopeful that the star will one day make a return to the show – having left back in 2016 before making a surprise return to the show in seasons 16 and 17. While there are no plans at the moment, the show’s executive producer Steve Binder told TV Line back in 2020 that he is always open to the idea of the star returning. The actress played Ziva David on NCIS. “It’s always going to be, ‘Let’s not grab Cote and stick her in.’ It’s, ‘Let’s come up with a story first, and see if it’s something worthy of bringing that character back,'” he explained. “We’ve really played, for now, all of the cards there are to play [with Ziva], so we have no plans at the moment,” he said, “but we’re certainly always open to it.”
Source: TVInsider, Parade, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TV Line
