NCIS honored Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard and the actor who played him, David McCallum, in “The Stories We Leave Behind,” the second episode of Season 21. The installment aired February 19, 2024, and pairs the team’s grief with an unfinished case Ducky left behind.
Which NCIS episode is the Ducky tribute?
“The Stories We Leave Behind” is NCIS Season 21, Episode 2. CBS lists its runtime as 43 minutes and its rating as TV-14. It followed the season premiere, which aired February 12, 2024.
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What happens in “The Stories We Leave Behind”?
As the team mourns Ducky, the agents take up one of his unfinished cases. CBS’s synopsis describes a woman whose father was dishonorably discharged from the Marines. The case gives the team a concrete way to continue Ducky’s work while confronting his absence.
How the episode connects the case to Ducky’s legacy
Brian Dietzen, who plays Jimmy Palmer, co-wrote the episode with Scott Williams. Dietzen explained that they wanted to keep the familiar structure of an NCIS investigation while linking the case to the loss the characters were experiencing. The result is a tribute built around both the work Ducky left unfinished and the relationships he leaves behind.
#1 Best Overall
- Genre: TV Action & Adventure
- Number of Discs: 81
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Rating: NR
- Number of Movies: 0
Rather than making the installment only a collection of old clips, the writers used memories, flashbacks and acknowledgments of people from earlier in the team’s history. Dietzen told TVLine that the goal was to recognize Ducky’s connections with current and former colleagues without trying to gather every past cast member into one scene.
David McCallum and the character of Ducky
McCallum died on September 25, 2023, at age 90, according to the Associated Press. He played medical examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard on NCIS and was also known for playing Illya Kuryakin on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The tribute episode centers on Ducky’s place in the team while also marking the loss of the actor whose performance shaped the character.
Rank #2
- Genre: TV Action & Adventure
- Number of Discs: 24
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 4128
- Rating: NR
Where to watch the episode
CBS’s U.S. video page identifies Paramount+ subscription access for streaming. That is a statement about the CBS page, not a guarantee of current availability in every country or at a later date. A secondary release listing identifies an NCIS Season 21 DVD, but that does not establish a standalone DVD for this episode or current retail stock.
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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.
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