{"id":676,"date":"2024-08-08T17:27:52","date_gmt":"2024-08-08T17:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/?p=676"},"modified":"2024-08-08T17:27:52","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T17:27:52","slug":"ncis-the-8-saddest-character-exits-ranked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/?p=676","title":{"rendered":"NCIS\u2019: The 8 Saddest Character Exits, Ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"

The successful spin-off series, NCIS is one of the longest-running police procedural shows starring Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs who investigates Navy-related cases with his team of colorful agents. NCIS is noted for its clever cases, witty humor as well as memorable performances by an overall spectacular cast including Michael Weatherly, Sean Murray, and David McCallum.<\/p>\n

Throughout the series, there have been a number of characters like NCIS Director Leon Vance and Special Agent Eleanor Bishop who have come and gone, but there are some final exits that weigh heavily on fans compared to others. From the uncertain fate of Special Agent Ziva David to Gibbs\u2019 bittersweet departure, these are 8 of the saddest NCIS character exits, ranked.<\/p>\n

8Special Agent Ziva David
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Image via CBS
\nFormer Mossad Agent, Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) was introduced in the premiere episode of season 3, \u2018Kill Ari: Part 1,\u2019 and after saving Gibbs\u2019 life, she officially joins the team. David is a beautiful but fierce enigma who quickly catches DiNozzo\u2019s attention and for several seasons, the two engage in flirtatious banter that developed into one of the series most alluring storylines.<\/p>\n

Fans are initially led to believe that David\u2019s killed in a house fire in Israel, but in season 16, it\u2019s revealed that she\u2019s alive and had to fake her own death in order to protect her family. De Pablo returned to the show for several guest appearances in season 17 and even though things worked out for her in the end, her exit was still an emotional rollercoaster for viewers.<\/p>\n

7Abigail Scuito
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Image via CBS
\nNCIS\u2019 Chief Forensic Scientist, Abby Scuito (Pauley Perrette) is a vital part of the team who also cares deeply about her co-workers. Scuito marches to the beat of her own drum and while she might not appear like the traditional scientist, she has an immense amount of knowledge on a vast variety of topics that makes her a top-notch scientist.<\/p>\n

Scuito was one of the show\u2019s original and unique characters who was known for her bubbly personality, massive caffeine, and gothic style. The character made her first appearance in season 8 of the series, JAG, which served as a backdoor pilot for NCIS. At the end of season 15, Scuito informs the teams of her resignation leaving a major hole that no one could ever fill.<\/p>\n

6Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo
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Image via CBS
\nFormer Chicago detective, Special Agent Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) made his first appearance with Scuito in JAG and is known for his frequent pop culture references and playboy antics. Despite his sarcasm and humor, DiNozzo gradually reveals a softer side and eventually forms significant bonds with Gibbs and the team that make him one of the hardest characters fans have had to see go.<\/p>\n

NCIS fans learn in season 13 that DiNozzo and David\u2019s relationship had turned romantic and resulted in the pregnancy of their daughter, Tali. After David is presumably killed in the house fire, DiNozzo makes the difficult decision to leave NCIS and become a full-time father to him and David\u2019s daughter. It was incredibly difficult for fans to say goodbye to DiNozzo but watching him interact with Tali are some of the show\u2019s most touching scenes and make his exit a little easier.<\/p>\n

5Director Jennifer Shepard
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\nImage via CBS
\nFormer NCIS agent, Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly) is made the director of NCIS in the show\u2019s third season and viewers quickly discover that she and Gibbs have a romantic history. By season 5, fans are informed that Shepard\u2019s father, Colonel Jasper Shepard, was accused of taking a bribe, but before the investigation was completed, he died and his death was ruled a suicide.<\/p>\n

RELATED:NCIS: 10 Best Episodes, According To IMDb<\/p>\n

Shepard\u2019s search for the truth about her father\u2019s death leads to her own demise in the finale of season 12. She dies from injuries sustained during an old-fashioned shootout that also claimed the life of Gibbs\u2019 mentor, Mike Franks (Muse Watson). Holly wasn\u2019t surprised by her exit and reportedly had also grown tired of playing the character and was eager to take on something new.<\/p>\n

4Ned Dornget
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Image via CBS
\nSpecial Probationary Agent Ned Dornget (Matt Jones) was the son of CIA agent, Joanna Teague (Mimi Rogers) and made his first appearance in the season 9 episode, \u2018Sins of the Father,\u2019 where he\u2019s blackmailed to look after DiNozzo\u2019s father (Robert Wagner). Like most young agents, Dornget wanted to work out in the field, and by the following season, he started taking on assignments with Gibbs and the team.<\/p>\n

Just as NCIS fans were starting to grow fond of Dornget, he is killed off in the season 12 finale, \u2018The Lost Boys,\u2019 after he selflessly stays behind to help people evacuate during a bomb attack at an event in Cairo. His death was a shock for viewers but while it was a tragic exit for a great character, Dornget still went out like a true hero.<\/p>\n

3Clayton Reeves
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Image via CBS
\nMI6 Agent, Clayton Reeves (Duane Henry) started working as a Liaison Officer with NCIS in season 13 and made his first appearance in the episode, \u2018Dead Letter.\u2019 Reeves\u2019 is soon welcomed into the tightly-knit team and just as he starts to find his footing in the group, his life is cut short while protecting one of the team\u2019s own.<\/p>\n

RELATED:The 10 Best NCIS Characters, According To Reddit<\/p>\n

In the season 15 episode, \u2018Two Steps Back,\u2019 Reeves is killed by former Army Specialist, Kent Marshall while protecting Abby Scuito. According to the actor, NCIS showrunner, Gary Glasberg, had developed his character and when Glasberg unexpectedly passed away in his sleep in 2016, producers weren\u2019t sure what to do with Reeves and decided it was best to kill him off.<\/p>\n

2Special Agent Caitlin Todd
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\nImage via CBS
\nSpecial Agent Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander) was a former agent with the Secret Service who is recruited by Gibbs during the show\u2019s first episode, \u2018Yankee White\u2019. Unlike Gibbs, Todd has a difficult time detaching herself from victims, but her extensive skills and natural intuition make her an ideal NCIS agent.<\/p>\n

Fans were floored by Todd\u2019s murder in the season two episode, \u2018Twilight,\u2019 making her death one of the show\u2019s saddest character exits. Many went online to express their anger at Todd\u2019s exit but according to Screen Rant, she was ready to move on to a different project. Alexander went on to make several guest appearances as Todd, bringing some sense of closure to the agent\u2019s unfortunate departure.<\/p>\n

1Leroy Jethro Gibbs
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Image via CBS
\nLeroy Jethro Gibbs is a former U.S. Marine sniper who now serves as the agent in charge of NCIS\u2019 Major Case Response Team in Washington D.C. Due to his heartbreaking past and dangerous profession, Gibbs mostly keeps to himself but still has the unwavering support of his team, friends, and family, who all greatly admire him.<\/p>\n

In 2021, Mark Harmon announced that he would be leaving NCIS after 18 years on the show, his exit has altered the series\u2019 entire dynamic. In the season 19 episode, \u2018Great Wide Open,\u2019 Gibbs decides to retire and stay in Alaska where he has found the first sense of peace since losing his wife and daughter. CBS has recast the faces of their popular shows before, but Harmon was the backbone of NCIS and without Gibbs, it just isn\u2019t the same for most diehard fans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The successful spin-off series, NCIS is one of the longest-running police procedural shows starring Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs who investigates Navy-related cases with his team of colorful agents. NCIS is noted for its clever cases, witty humor as well as memorable performances by an overall spectacular cast including Michael Weatherly, Sean…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":685,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=676"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":686,"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions\/686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzzflash1.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}