{"id":2148946,"date":"2025-11-11T14:26:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:26:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2148946"},"modified":"2025-11-11T14:26:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:26:03","slug":"mark-harmon-recalls-how-ncis-struggled-early-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/mark-harmon-recalls-how-ncis-struggled-early-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Harmon Recalls How NCIS Struggled Early On"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><i>When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Credit: CBS<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">With its 23<sup>rd<\/sup> season currently airing on the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinemablend.com\/television\/2025-tv-premiere-date-schedule-upcoming-new-returning-shows\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:2025 TV schedule;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">2025 TV schedule<\/a>, <em>NCIS <\/em>continues to be a phenomenon, and is well beyond its 1,000<sup>th<\/sup> overall episode, which aired in 2023. The franchise has spawned multiple successful spinoffs, including <em>NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva<\/em> (now streaming via <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/paramount-plus-price-plans-other-134445994.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Paramount+ subscription;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Paramount+ subscription<\/a>). But such eventual success wasn&#8217;t immedaitely evident, as Mark Harmon refeclted on the struggles the Mothership faced during its earliest years on CBS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">For those who don\u2019t know, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/32-tv-spin-offs-were-210425402.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:NCIS is a spinoff of JAG;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\"><em>NCIS <\/em>is a spinoff of <em>JAG<\/em><\/a>, which aired primarily in the \u201890s for 10 seasons. <em>NCIS <\/em>got a two-part backdoor pilot in early 2003 during Season 8, where fans were introduced to Gibbs, Tony, Abby, and Ducky for the very first time. When the show eventually premiered later that year without David James Elliott&#8217;s character in the mix, it actually struggled to get off the ground, as Harmon told <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thewrap.com\/ncis-origins-crossover-mark-harmon-interview\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:TheWrap;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">TheWrap<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">People don\u2019t remember this, but \u2018NCIS\u2019 wasn\u2019t a jump-off hit. We struggled, and sometimes the struggle is the most important part of doing anything. This is a tough process. It doesn\u2019t come off easy and it takes time. But I know that, creatively, this show is in really good shape. I\u2019m glad to be a part of it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It\u2019s hard for a show to be an immediate success, even when it&#8217;s a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/pitched-cbs-law-order-navy-130016923.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:spinoff of a successful and beloved show;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">spinoff of a successful and beloved show<\/a>, which can sometimes hurt more than it helps, since people might not want to give it a chance at first. It sounds like it took a while for <em>NCIS <\/em>to really find its footing, and it\u2019s a good thing it did because it\u2019s still popular 22 years later.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">When <em>NCIS <\/em>was just starting out as a backdoor pilot, it actually didn\u2019t take Harmon long to say yes to signing up for a serialized project. He previously recalled one thing that <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/didn-t-expect-taken-mark-143052190.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:helped him realize he wanted to join the series;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">helped him realize he wanted to join the series<\/a>, admitting that Gibbs\u2019 name is what took him in. Only he probably didn\u2019t know that he\u2019d stay with the show for close to 20 years, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/ncis-producer-remembers-thinking-mark-122848393.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:his exit was thought to be the death knell for NCIS;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">his exit was thought to be the death knell for <em>NCIS<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Harmon was on <em>NCIS <\/em>for the first 18 seasons before ultimately leaving as Leroy Jethro Gibbs at the beginning of Season 19. He\u2019s now back in the <em>NCIS <\/em>universe serving as executive producer and narrator of the Gibbs-centered prequel series <em>NCIS: Origins<\/em>. He <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/mark-harmon-guest-starred-ncis-123605612.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:returned on-screen for the series premiere;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">returned on-screen for the series premiere<\/a> last year and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/origins-got-mark-harmon-board-001915528.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:will be appearing in the upcoming crossover between NCIS and Origins;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">will be appearing in the upcoming crossover between <em>NCIS <\/em>and <em>Origins<\/em><\/a> on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The fact that <em>NCIS <\/em>struggled in its early years and is now 23 seasons deep, with six spinoffs, is impressive. And it makes me so happy that the series was able to come out of its creative slump because television would be a whole lot different without the <em>NCIS <\/em>franchise. And now there is much to look forward to as the franchise continues. <em>NCIS, Origins<\/em>, and <em>NCIS: Sydney <\/em>have taken over Tuesdays on CBS, marking the first time the franchise has taken over a full night on the network, and there is no telling what could possibly be next for it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The crossover begins on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET with <em>Origins<\/em>, followed by <em>NCIS<\/em>. New episodes of <em>Sydney <\/em>air at 10 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: CBS With its 23rd season currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule, NCIS continues to be a phenomenon, and is well beyond its 1,000th overall episode, which aired in 2023. The franchise has spawned multiple successful spinoffs, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2148947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[354243,315761],"class_list":["post-2148946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-mark-harmon","tag-ncis"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Mark-Harmon-Recalls-How-NCIS-Struggled-Early-On.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2148946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2148946"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2148946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2148948,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2148946\/revisions\/2148948"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2148947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2148946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2148946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2148946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}