5 NCIS character exits that hurt us the most

Now that it looks like we’ll have to wait longer for new episodes of NCIS, we’re looking back at some past characters who we loved but are no longer on the show. Over the years, there have been many beloved characters on the long-running series that have come and gone. Here are 5 NCIS character exits that hurt us the most.

Over the past 20 seasons, there has been no shortage of guest stars and series regulars who said goodbye to Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his team.

Whether it was through characters being killed off or through other means, we’ve had to see some of our favorites leave before we were ready. Some were a surprise while others, such as Mark Harmon’s Agent Gibbs, were something we were preparing to possibly see.

5 NCIS character exits we’re still not over

Even though these characters are no longer on screen, you can still watch their episodes on Paramount+. While we can’t possibly name all of the character exits that we have had to endure, here are just 5 NCIS character exits that are still on our minds.

Abby Sciuto

For 15 seasons, we watched Pauley Perrette play forensic tech analyst Abby Sciuto. She was one of the most beloved characters on the show and it was a surprise when she left following a mugging that left Agent Clayton Reeves dead. There were reportedly behind the scenes issues between the actress and series star Mark Harmon, who plays Gibbs.

Abby left NCIS in order to honor Reeves after his death and start a charity in honor of his mother. Her goodbye to the team was heartbreaking and she is still missed to this day.

Ellie Bishop

Agent Eleanor “Ellie” Bishop came to NCIS after Ziva resigned and she soon became a beloved character on the team. She worked at the NSA before joining NCIS and eventually had an almost-romance with Agent Nick Torres. However, at the end of season 18, fans were stunned when Ellie left the team after supposedly betraying her country. However, it was all a ruse in order for her to take on a new, mysterious undercover mission with Odette Malone, a former operative who knew Ziva.

While we miss seeing Bishop on screen, we’re hopeful that one day we will get to see her once again.

Ziva David

Since season 3, fans of the series have loved the character of Ziva David, a former Mossad agent who joined the team as a liaison following the death of Agent Kate Todd. For years, there was chemistry between her and Agent Tony Dinozzo (Michael Weatherly) and in season 11, she left the team and was presumed dead. However, in season 16, she was found to be alive and season 17 would find her being reunited with Tony and their daughter, Tali.

She is yet another character fans are clamoring to see once again but her exit still hurts since we would love to see what she is up to with her family now.

Tony Dinozzo

Agent Tony Dinozzo was a longtime staple on NCIS, with his many wisecracks and fun nicknames for Agent Timothy McGee. He would also leave the series after finding out he had a daughter and choosing to focus on raising her while also looking for information about Ziva’s death. Even though he did not appear on screen when Ziva came back, it was mentioned he was in Paris with Tali.

Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs

Mark Harmon has been the focal point of NCIS since the beginning, so to see him leave at the beginning of season 19 was still a shock, even if it did seem like he might be making an exit. Gibbs opted to stay in Alaska after a case, retiring in a peaceful, quiet spot. He had a touching goodbye with McGee before we had to say goodbye to him in the episode “Great Wide Open.” This also meant that McGee was last original team member standing when he returned to NCIS headquarters.

Gibbs’s departure is still one we’re getting used to, as things are not the same without him around.

Even though we could go on and on, these are some of the NCIS characters exits we still think about no matter how long it’s been since they left. At least there’s always streaming!