Gibbs & Dinozzo's NCIS Reunion Makes An Original Character Mistake Worse

Published Oct 21, 2026, 11:15 AM EDT Alexandria is a British-Canadian writer with a passion for network TV. She has a bachelor's degree in computer science from Aston University, Birmingham. After initially working as a software tester, she rekindled a passion for writing and has written for blogs and publications like Hidden Remote, Make a Living Writing, and The Daily Voice. She has interviewed various actors and showrunners, with her most memorably being Tony Shalhoub and Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Warning! Spoilers ahead for NCIS: Origins season 3, episode 3, "Return of the Mack."As soon as NCIS: Origins announced that Gibbs (Mark Harmon) would return to Washington, D.C. to get help from DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), there were a few hopes and wishes for the long-awaited NCIS reunion. One of those was the two reminiscing about the past, those who had fallen both in the line of duty and to old age. With bookended scenes, it almost got it all, although Gibbs' best NCIS relationship still hasn't been mentioned. NCIS: Origins season 3 episode 3 started with a moment in DiNozzo's office, once held by Vance (Rocky Carroll), and they had a moment to look back on the type of director that Vance was. Those are big shoes to fill for DiNozzo — the moment became one about Gibbs recognizing that SecNav picked the right man for the job. Gibbs & DiNozzo's Reunion Has Both Of Them Reminiscing About Ducky CBS After a fun and eventful hour in the 1990s, NCIS: Origins headed back to the present day, with Gibbs walking into the morgue. DiNozzo joined him, putting on a British accent as he talked about trains, noting how he had been practicing the impression of the beloved Ducky. It gave the two a chance to reminisce and remember the character, as well as the late actor. Gibbs even picked up a train that once belonged to the character, shortly after a scene from the '90s that involved Ducky sharing his excitement about the method of transport. It added weight to the episode in a beautiful way. Ducky was an important part of everyone's lives, sharing his knowledge and his empathetic nature, while encouraging everyone to be the best versions of themselves. As the '90s highlighted the friendship that Ducky and Gibbs had throughout the years, the moment with DiNozzo was a chance to focus on the legacy the late medical examiner was able to leave behind. Gibbs' Absence During Ducky's Funeral Was A Mistake CBS At the end of the emotional hour, the two got to reminisce about Ducky (David McCallum). After McCallum's death in September 2023, the show had to figure out what to do to honor the character. In the end, Brian Dietzen co-wrote a tribute episode, which involved Ducky dying of natural causes but leaving one last case for the team to close for him. It was a beautiful tribute, ending with a funeral that saw Weatherly return for a brief moment at the end. However, everyone wanted and expected Gibbs to be there, although maybe it was a blessing in disguise for NCIS. It felt like a mistake at the time, but the moment between Gibbs and DiNozzo during NCIS: Origins season 3 highlighted the major error. This was more than just a chance to look back and smile, but a chance to show just how important that friendship was between Gibbs and Ducky, and the idea of Gibbs not making it to say goodbye was offensive to that. While it was a sweet and emotional moment, NCIS: Origins highlighted a mistake from the tribute episode to Ducky during NCIS season 22. While Tony made it to the funeral, Gibbs couldn't. He did send a card to note that he missed his friend, but it didn't make sense considering the voiceover from the '90s part of the hour. Gibbs called Ducky his "best friend," and if that really was the case, he would have moved Heaven and Earth to be there at the funeral. It's not like there wasn't time, either. While Ducky died suddenly, it was at home, and there was an entire case to solve before the team could focus on a funeral. They would have all respected the time Gibbs needed to make it back from Alaska, as well. So, either the team didn't think of him, or Gibbs chose not to return, and both of those reasons are a disservice to the friendship the two men had. This isn't like when Vance died and Gibbs didn't return for that funeral. While there was a friendship between Gibbs and Vance, it was more of a working relationship that slowly developed. That friendship between Ducky and Gibbs formed over decades, and they bonded over humor, compassion, and knowledge. On top of that, they pushed each other to find their passion in their careers, while turning to each other in times of strife. It's clear that Gibbs misses his old friend. Viewers have needed to see the loss and the emotion based on everything NCIS: Origins told us about how close they were, and everyone was cheated out of that. Why Harmon Didn't Come Back For Ducky's NCIS Episode CBS To make matters worse, it wasn't even Harmon's decision not to return for what became a disappointing NCIS tribute episode. Shortly after the tribute, showrunner Steven D. Binder shared that he and the creative team decided they didn't want to waste Gibbs' return on a brief two-minute cameo. They all believed that a character like Gibbs needed a much more meaningful storyline to return to the halls of NCIS HQ, and that's what happened with NCIS: Origins season 3. At the same time, there were a few logistical challenges, as the team initially wanted multiple former cast members to return, almost like an Avengers: Endgame type of episode. However, cost and scheduling made that impossible, so only one cameo was included. Rather than focusing on Ducky, they decided that the cameo had to connect to Palmer, who was extremely close to his mentor and was the one to find Ducky, who had passed away in his sleep. Instead of cameos, the team used archival footage to highlight some of the bigger moments of McCallum's time on the series. They also made it clear that Gibbs could return in the future, but it still left a bad taste in the mouth, especially with the latest hour. Had scheduling conflicts made it impossible for Harmon to return or they really didn't want to show the brief cameo, a mention of Gibbs would have worked well. The audience could have learned that Gibbs was upstairs, waiting for DiNozzo to get Palmer, or there could have been a mention in the following episode about how Gibbs made it back from Alaska. Out of everyone, Vance or McGee would have tracked him down to make sure he knew about the date, and it's clear from the condolence card that they had informed him. The NCIS: Origins moment is a nice touch, but it doesn't make up for the mistake. NCIS: Origins Release Date October 14, 2024 Network CBS NCIS: Origins is set in 1991, preceding the events of the original series. The series introduces Leroy Jethro Gibbs as a new special agent at NCIS Camp Pendleton. Under the leadership of NCIS legend Mike Franks, Gibbs navigates his role within a tenacious, unconventional team. NCIS 6/10 Release Date September 23, 2003 Network CBS NCIS is a television series that follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Premiering in 2003, the show explores various cases involving Navy and Marine Corps personnel, ranging from murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines.