The Major Change ‘NCIS’ Made After Mark Harmon’s Exit

For 18 full seasons, Mark Harmon led NCIS. Then, four episodes into Season 19, he exited the series as a regular (and remained on an as executive producer). And after that, a major change was made to the call sheet, series stars Brian Dietzen and Diona Reasonover revealed on the Tuesday, August 11, episode of the NCIS: Partners & Probies podcast.

With Austin Stowell of NCIS: Origins as their guest, the conversation turned to being number one on the call sheet. He said they “have a wonderful family” and he “hit the jackpot” with the cast, writers, and crew and named the CBS executives, noting they created an environment where actors feel comfortable.

Dietzen agreed that it’s “a top-down endeavor,” adding, “On our set, the number one, however that person operated was kind of how the rest of this cast and crew is going to operate. And so there’s a reason why, on our call sheet, we still don’t have a number one up there because that’s always Mark’s position.”

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Reasonover added, “We retired it.”

Dietzen explained, “Because he created the DNA of how our show was going to run, and he might not be on set every day with us anymore, but how we’re going to run and what our work ethic is going to be is defined by what he created there.”

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Earlier, they discussed how Harmon was “generous” with Stowell in taking on a version of the character he made what it is, and Dietzen remarked (and Reasonover agreed) that “he has been that dude for a lot of people. My life has been forever changed because of him, because of his actions, and how he supported and kept this show running for me to be on and eventually have the career that I’ve had.”

Reasonover called Harmon “the most generous number one I’ve ever worked with. I mean, he is at the top of the call sheet, he is our quarterback, and he really taught me a lot about how I want to interact with people, about how I want to interact with the crew, with my peers, all the artists working on the show.”

Harmon is also a major part of NCIS: Origins, having narrated every episode (and serving as an executive producer). He has also appeared in two episodes already and will be in all of the prequel’s upcoming third season.

NCIS, Season 24 Premiere, Tuesday, October 6, 8/7c, CBS