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No. The accounts available do not show that Mark Harmon was kicked off NCIS or that he asked the network to remove co-creator Donald P. Bellisario. They describe friction over the show’s early production process, followed by Bellisario stepping back. Harmon left the series much later, during season 19.
What the accounts say about Harmon and Bellisario
NCIS grew out of a two-episode backdoor pilot on JAG and premiered in 2003. In a 2023 oral history, executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson recalled that the early production process could leave actors with incomplete scripts and unclear story arcs. By about the show’s fourth year, Johnson said, Harmon felt it was too difficult to work that way. Read the oral history.
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Johnson drew a clear distinction between Harmon’s frustration and a demand to remove Bellisario: “He never said to anybody, ‘Get rid of Don.’ He just said, ‘This is too hard to work this way.’” Johnson said the network asked Bellisario to work from a distance and reduce his involvement, and that Bellisario was gone by the fifth year. That recollection does not establish a precise departure date or that Harmon caused Bellisario’s exit.
Why Bellisario left—and why the accounts differ in emphasis
Bellisario described his departure as his own choice: “It was just time for me to move on and do something else. I had done enough on the show, so I stepped away. It was my decision.” Johnson’s account includes the network’s request that Bellisario step back; Bellisario’s statement emphasizes that he decided to leave. Both accounts can be true without proving that Harmon got him fired.
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- Genre: TV Action & Adventure
- Number of Discs: 81
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Rating: NR
- Number of Movies: 0
Co-creator Don McGill said the relationship had become strained: “I know that Mark was not happy, and that he and Don, their relationship became strained.” He characterized it as “classic Hollywood creative differences.” McGill also said he learned about the friction through trade reporting and did not know much about what happened behind the scenes. His description supports tension, but not the stronger claim that the relationship was “toxic.” TVLine’s 2026 account also places the show’s premiere in 2003.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Harmon’s departure came years later
Harmon remained on NCIS after Bellisario’s departure and played Leroy Jethro Gibbs from the series’ 2003 start through his on-screen exit during season 19 in 2021. In a 2022 interview, Harmon explained the later decision in terms of the character’s story: “Plot-wise, this character has taken the path that it did. I thought it was honest and OK with.” Gibbs was left alive in Alaska, making this a separate event from the early production dispute. Entertainment Tonight’s 2022 interview.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
- television-video-recordings
- NCIS: Complete Seasons 1-16 - Dvd
Rank #3
- NCIS NAVAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE: Dive into the thrilling world of one of television's most popular crime dramas.
- ACTION-PACKED STORYLINES: Follows a team of special agents solving crimes connected to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
- BELOVED CHARACTERS: Features an iconic ensemble cast delivering compelling performances across every episode.
- GRIPPING MYSTERIES: Each episode presents intense investigations filled with suspense, twists, and dramatic reveals.
- PERFECT FOR FANS: A must-have for followers of crime procedural dramas and military-themed television series.
Rank #2
- Genre: TV Action & Adventure
- Number of Discs: 24
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 4128
- Rating: NR
What can—and cannot—be concluded
- Supported: Johnson recalled that Harmon found the early work process too difficult, and McGill said the relationship between Harmon and Bellisario became strained.
- Not supported by these accounts: that Harmon asked for Bellisario to be fired, that Harmon was kicked off NCIS, or that “toxic” is an established description of their relationship.
- Separately documented: Bellisario stepped away during the show’s early years, while Harmon left as Gibbs during season 19, in 2021.
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