Mark Harmon The Lead character of the most popular drama on television left the show on Monday without a scandal and without the instant audience growth that one would expect if it had happened.
“NCIS” star Mark Harmon, who has played special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs since the start of the CBS drama in 2003, had his last night as a series star on the show on Monday. Gibbs informed his partner after working on a case in Alaska that he would stay there.
At Harmon’s request, CBS didn’t specifically sponsor the event, a quiet departure into an industry that has never shrunk from promoting the steps of the big stars.
Read also
Scream 5 – Clues and Predictions about The New Ghost-Face Killer
Victoria Beckham Reveals the Secret of a Lasting Marriage With “Amazing” David
Part of that may be because Harmon, 70, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of an occasional comeback.
“Our North Star has always remained true to our characters, and that truth has always guided the stories we tell and where those characters are going,” said Steve Binder, executive producer of NCIS, in a statement. “Regarding the future of Gibbs, as longtime fans of the show may have noticed over the years.
Monday’s broadcast was seen by an estimated 7.37 million viewers, the company said Nielsen. That number is expected to grow significantly once delayed streaming and viewing are accounted for, especially as news of Harmon’s departure spreads.
“NCIS” has been the most popular drama on television for 11 of the last 12 seasons, the only exception being in 201718 when NBC’s “This Is Us” was all the rage.
Still, it’s on TV as a symbol of another era. While it was again the most popular drama on television last week, with 7.96 million live viewers, its audience is bigger. Five other dramas had more viewers in the 18-49 demographic that most advertisers crave, Nielsen said.
The show also does not match the buzz or award potential of radio or cable broadcasts. “NCIS” has never won an Emmy for best drama.Not even nominated, Harmon was also excluded from the best actor category.
NBC was the prime-time station last week, with an average of 6.1 million viewers. CBS had 5.9 million, Fox 5.3 million, ABC 3.5 million, Univision had 1.5 million, Telemundo had 1.1 million, and Ion Televisión had 910,000.