Since 2003 NCIS has been gracing our screens! To date, that’s 333 episodes and 15 seasons. Yup, just go ahead and let ~that~ sink in. Statistics aside, the show’s concept and characters are the real heart of the story that keeps viewers coming back for more. Which is cause enough for us to roll up our sleeves and present you with facts you most likely didn’t know about long-running series.
‘JAG’ Inspired ‘NCIS’
NCIS is a spin-off from JAG, a legal drama for the U.S. Navy. Both NCIS and JAG were created by Donald P. Bellisario – who wrote episodes of the beloved Magnum, P.I. starring Tom Selleck.
JAG Inspired NCIS
Say My Name
To help viewers, the show was first called Navy NCIS – a decision made by CBS which Donald P. Bellisario strongly objected to! Come on, it is rather redundant. For the first whole season, it was known by this name until “Navy” was eventually dropped.
Say My Name
Tension
Show creator Donald P. Bellisario would retire in 2007, after seriously bad tension with NCIS star Mark Harmon. Yup, Bellisario actually stopped working with the show, however he still serves as executive producer. Although he hasn’t had any creative or executive involvement with NCIS since the altercation.
Tension
Background
It actually wasn’t all that difficult for Pauley Perrette to play the role of Chief Forensic Scientist Abby Sciuto. Why? Well Perrette actually studied sociology, psychology, and criminal science. Perrette told FOX411, “I was super into school, and I got my master’s degree in criminal science because I wanted to be a cop before all this happened.”
Background
Connections, Connections
There are a ton of family connections on NCIS! Firstly, Sean Murray, AKA Special Agent Timothy McGee, is the stepson of Donald P. Bellisario. Troian Bellisario, AKA McGee’s sister Sarah, is actually Bellisario’s biological daughter. Whereas even more family members have guest-starred on the show. Such as, Michael Bellisario, who played the role of a bent lab assistant in Season 3, and then there was Vivienne Bellisario. Vivienne is Bellisario’s wife and Murray’s mom, and she played the rather mysterious love interest of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, AKA Mark Harmon, in the first two seasons.
Connections Connections
Bottoms Up
Just like Gibbs, Abby is addicted to caffeine! And if that isn’t an understatement, well we don’t know what is. Anyways, Abby is almost always seen drinking large cups of her favorite drink, the fictional “Caf-Pow”. According to Pauley Perrette, at first the cups were filled with Hawaiian Punch, however when she quit eating and drinking refined sugar, the cup was then filled with unsweetened cranberry juice.
Bottoms Up
NCIS: Most Wanted
No doubt you’ve seen the epic Most Wanted Wall, but have you noticed that it also changes? Throughout the show, it showcases the bad guys the team is after. But more than that, it shows real life terrorists, like Osama Bin Laden, whose portrait was even X’ed out with some red tape after he was killed.
NCIS: Most Wanted
Repeat After Me
First of all, bring back Ziva David! Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way. In order to properly portray an Israeli, Chilean-American Cote de Pablo hired a language coach who helped her whenever she was required to speak Hebrew. When speaking of the process, Pablo said, “When I learn it, I learn it like a prayer, chanting it for a while. I have a good ear for language and, truthfully, I picked up the language pretty fast.”
Repeat After Me
Close But No Cigar
Originally Lauren Holly auditioned for the part of Caitlin “Kate” Todd, but the producers felt that Holly would make a better fit as the director Jenny Shepard. All in all, a good choice.
Close But No Cigar
Reasons, Reasons
Speaking of Kate. Sasha Alexander won that role instead and when she was killed off in season two, fans speculated that it was the producers decision to let her go. However it was Alexander who wanted out. Apparently she found the hours exhausting.
Reasons Reasons
In The Family
So every time there is a scene involving a flashback with Gibbs – it’s actually Mark Harmon’s son in real life who plays a younger Gibbs. Sean, the 29 year old, has also appeared on American Reunion, Agent Mx-z3Ro, and Takanakuy.
In The Famly
Cue Exit
After 15 years, everyone’s favorite character, Abby, is leaving the show! [All fans are basically sobbing hysterically at this farewell.] At it stands, Pauley Perrette’s decision to leave NCIS is mutually accepted by all. From the executives producers George Schenck and Frank Cardea to CBS and CBS TV Studios, everyone is thankful for Perrette’s incredible work over the last 15 years.
Cue Exit
Bob, The Builder
Leroy Jethro Gibbs is often found, when not on duty, working on his boat. But did you know that the tools that Mark Harmon uses when filming are pretty much his own? Yup, they’re from his very own personal workshop!
Bob The Builder
Nice To Meet You
When Mark Harmon met David McCallum, AKA Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, the very first time on set, Harmon called him Illya! See McCallum is known for playing the part of Illya Kuryakin from the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. To which McCallum replied, “Good God, that was 40 years ago!”
Nice To Meet You
Illya Kuryakin, Again
Going off of the last fact… There is an episode where Kate (Sasha Alexander) asks Gibbs (Mark Harmon) this question, “Gibbs? What did Ducky look like when he was younger?” To which Gibbs replies, “Illya Kuryakin”.
Illya Kuryakin Again
Comfy Clothes
Whenever we see Leroy Jethro Gibbs at home just lounging around – the clothes he wears are very authentic. Before you roll your eyes, let us explain! The shirts that Harmon wears when he’s just lounging were sent to him by his fans. Particularly fans that genuinely served in the Marine Corps or Naval units. So next time you see Gibbs wearing a plain shirt, it’s one that a former solider wore himself.
Comfy Clothes
Testing, 1, 2
At the end of every act, the audience hears a dramatic noise. You know the one. As soon as the noise is heard, the scene freezes and goes to black and white. Well it turns out that the dramatic noise was created by Donald P. Bellisario with a mere microphone.
Testing 1 2
Cameos
Two very real-life NCIS agents have made cameos on the show! That’s right, Special Agent David Brant appears in the season three episode titled “Frame Up”. Whereas the former director Thomas Betro appeared in “Identity Crisis” just two seasons later. Both agents used their real names as their character name on the show.
Cameos
Making The Cut
Could you imagine anyone other than Mark Harmon playing the lead of Leroy Jethro Gibbs? Neither can we! Turns out that it almost happened though. Donald P. Bellisario didn’t think Harmon fit the role as he initially thought that Gibbs would be more of a “flinty type with a strong sense of honor and respect for the military”. However after Bellisario watched a tape of Harmon’s role as a Secret Service agent from the hit show The West Wing – he changed his mind. The co-executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson also said, “We all looked at that work. And everybody said, ‘He’s Gibbs.'”
Making The Cut
Popularity
In 2011, reports came out that the role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs actually had made Mark Harmon the fourth most popular actor on all of primetime TV. What an accomplishment! Furthermore a few other members of the NCIS cast also made the top ten, such as Pauley Perrette (Abby Sciuto), Cote de Pablo (Ziva David), David McCallum (Ducky Mallard), and Michael Weatherly (Anthony DiNozzo).
NCIS
Purpose
When Pauley Perrette was cast for the role of our dear Abby Sciuto back in 2003, there was real meaning behind Abby’s character. Well strictly her character’s creation and the purpose of her character, Perrette said, “[NCIS creator] Don Bellisario told me that when he created Magnum, P.I. he wanted to introduce a Vietnam vet who defied the negative stereotype. So with Abby, he wanted to take an alternative-style person with tattoos and make her someone who is happy, totally put together and successful. All the script said about her was: black hair, caffeinated and smart…She’s completely unaware that anybody thinks she looks weird. She thinks she looks pretty and never calls herself anything other than happy. And I fight for that.”
Purpose
My Name Is…
Donald P. Bellisario really did keep it in the family! He actually named the character Leroy Jethro after two family members. See, his brother’s name is Leroy while his father’s middle name is Jethro.
My Name Is…
Payback Though
Back in 2005, Mark Harmon asked that no one make a big deal about his birthday. However, Lauren Holly had other tricks up her sleeve – especially as she often a “victim” of Harmon’s practical jokes. Therefore she teamed up with Michael Weatherly (Tony) to prepare a birthday extravaganza. The night before Harmon’s birthday, Weatherly called Holly when filming wrapped up and the duo got to work. Every member of the crew was given t-shirts that read “It’s Mark Harmon’s Birthday.” They covered Harmon’s trailer with crepe paper, helium balloons, and piñatas, then they dumped tons of confetti everywhere. Every single wall, truck, and trailer had a picture of Harmon on it. Holly had to fly back home so she wasn’t around to see Harmon’s reaction. Apparently the producers were worried that Harmon would react negatively and would want to know who was behind it so when they called Weatherly, he replied, “I’m not going to name any names. Lauren Holly”. Harmon was actually really touched by the gesture, but he did tell Lauren with a cheeky grin, “Payback’s a b**ch”.
Payback Though
Daddy-O
Ralph Waite plays Jethro Gibbs’s father, Jackson. Well, Jackson Gibbs was a fighter pilot in World War II for the US Army Air Force. AND, get this, so was Mark Harmon’s real life father, Tom Harmon.
Daddy O
Moolah
If you recall, Tony DiNozzo’s extremely wealthy dad cut him off of his inheritance when he turned 12 years old. Which sounds normal until you learn that Michael Weatherly’s father in real life actually cut him off from his inheritance when he chose to pursue acting. **mind-blown**
Moolah
Jellyfish
Once upon a time, tons of rumors were floating around that Mark Harmon was going to leave NCIS. To which Michael Weatherly replied, “He’s the spine of the show. Without him it’s a show about jellyfish. We need our spine.”
Jellyfish
Winner, Winner
Now here’s a wild fact for you! NCIS is just one of a few (and by few, we mean a microscopic amount) spin-offs to run way longer than the original show.
Winner Winner
Lover Boy
There is a scene Michael Weatherly’s character says, “I’ve got a better chance of hooking up with Jessica Alba than these guys do of infiltrating SeaLift”. But you know that in real life, Michael Weatherly was actually engaged to Jessica Alba? He actually starred opposite her on the film Dark Angel.
Lover Boy
Works Out In The End
Donald P. Bellisario thought about casting Scott Bakula as Gibbs. I know, right?! However just 11 years later, Bakula was actually cast as Special Agent Dwayne Pride, who is Gibbs’s former partner and is now the star of NCIS: New Orleans.
Works Out In The End
Gibbs!
Speaking of characters who almost played Gibbs… As if the image didn’t give it away! Harrison Ford (who was in a bit of a slump at the time) was urged to try out for the part of Gibbs. He chose not to do so however. In the very first episode though, Mark Harmon drops For’s name and his classic film Air Force One.
Gibbs
Santa Claus
In-between seasons three and four, Mark Harmon actually got a call informing him that he needed to stop shaving – because his character needed to have a scruffier look, and a mustache.
Santa Claus
Every One
Even though David McCallum plays the the medical examiner, he appeared in every single episode. Up until Season 6, Episode 23, “Legend Part II” that is. Even when no murder had been committed, he appeared on-screen. Ducky would either speak to the psychology of the case, or he would just dish out personal advice.
Every One
Friends
Jennifer Aniston was interested in playing the part of Kate, odd but okay. However in order for her to be able to accept the role, production would have been forced to wait for Aniston to wrap up the final season of Friends.
Friends
Weight Loss
When season 8 kicked off, Sean Murray (McGee) decided to quit drinking and also gave up sugar. That’s why fans saw such a drastic change in his weight loss throughout the season. Nice work!
Weight Loss
No Thanks
Don Johnson, best known for his role in Miami Vice, was indeed offered the part of Agent Gibbs. However he chose to turn it down. Guess it all worked out in the end!
No Thanks
Hey Dad
So in the show Tony (played by Michael Weatherly) has a few scenes with his father, who is played by Robert Wagner. Before Weatherly joined NCIS, he had played Robert Wagner in the 2004 TV movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood, who is Wagner’s wife. Small world, eh?
Hey Dad
Picture Perfect
In the episode titled “Enemy On The Hill”, viewers see Abby holding a locket and the picture shows her adoptive mother. Turns out that the photo is actually Pauley Perrette’s real mother, Donna Bell.
Picture Perfect
Recycle!
During the opening credits of the first few seasons of NCIS, an aircraft carrier can be seen flying under the Golden Gate Bridge. Turns out that this is actually a clip from the opening credits of 1988 film The Presidio. Oh, and that same film starred Mark Harmon!
Recycle!
Sista Sista
Two of Donald P. Bellisario’s kids appeared on the show! Troian Bellisario, played McGee’s sister, and Michael Bellisario, played Chip Sterling.
Sista Sista
Love Story
Donald P. Bellisario spilled the beans on the whole Tony-Kate relationship. Just before Sasha Alexander chose to leave the show, Bellisario planned for season three to build up their love relationship. But uhh, come on, Tony and Ziva 4EVA!
Love Story
Beethoven
In one of the episodes, fans get to see what Abby’s middle name is! And get this, her full name is “Abigail Beethoven Sciuto.” Not entirely sure how that came to be but hey we’ll go with it.
Beethoven
Vroom Vroom
Guys, remember NCIS: Chained in 2004? And do you remember how Gibbs was constantly receiving phone calls from random people inquiring about a Volkswagen Bug for sale? Yeah, it was hilarious! Eventually Gibbs got frustrated and said, “Do I look like someone who would drive a Bug?!” Did you know that Harmon starred in the 1986 film In The Deliberate Stranger, where he played the serial killer Ted Bundy…who drove a VW Bug. How witty!
Vroom Vroom
Location, Location
So the NCIS Headquarters are shown in the location of Washington, DC Navy Yard. Although in reality, the Headquarters were moved in 2011 to a brand new facility at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, VA. Small details matter sometimes!
Location Location
Real As Can Be
In season five, we see Ziva on the phone while searching for Devon, well if you look in the background, you’ll something peculiar! The building that can be seen through the window is actually the real NCIS building.
Real As Can Be
Lies!
Apparently various news organizations have been speculating as to why Pauley Perrette is leaving NCIS. And many are saying that it’s because she wants to focus on cosmetics. Naturally, Perrette is outraged at the false allegations. She took to Twitter and said, “THE LIES!” Perrette tweeted Tuesday. “EVERYONE asking me about this (FAKE) skin care line? I DON’T HAVE A SKIN CARE LINE! I think facebook Yahoo MSN and all sites making money off fake ads should be liable for posting false ads.”
Lies!
Two to Tango
In the entire NCIS franchise, only Pauley Perrette and Michael Weatherly of the original have appeared in all of the franchise series. Including JAG, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and NCIS: New Orleans.
Two To Tango
Pretty Woman
Here’s an interesting fact about NCIS: New Orleans! Scott Bakula plays the lead but it turns out that the Pretty Woman star Richard Gere was interested in the lead role! However the producers just didn’t feel he was a good fit.
Pretty Woman
Show Me Your Badge
Maybe you’ll find this next tidbit interesting, or maybe you won’t. In either case, here it is. So there are actually two kinds of NCIS special agents: either full time agents who wear a gold badge or the part time agents who wear a silver badge.
Show Me Your Badge
Crafty
On set, our very own Mark Harmon is quite crafty. How so? Well he uses a 1972 Airstream, a trailer, which he actually restored with his own hands.
Crafty
‘Nam
Born in 1951, Mark Harmon would actually be old enough to have served in the Vietnam war. However his character of Gibbs is said to have served in the Gulf War, therefore he was much too young to have been a Vietnam vet. So what does this mean? The charter of Gibbs is actually much younger than Harmon.
‘Nam
Puzzle
There is an episode, ‘Blowback’, where Gibbs is attempting to solve a crossword puzzle. It’s known that the character of Gibbs is not up to speed with pop culture so asks DiNozzo for the name of a TV drama that has eight letters. Tony says St. Elsewhere, which is from 1982 and also has more than eight letters. Gibbs laughs at Tony’s answer, but the audience wouldn’t really know why. Turns out that Mark Harmon actually played Dr. Bobby Caldwell on that same show from 1983 to 1986.
Puzzle
Farting Hippo
So thanks to Pauley Perrette, we have this hilarious fact for you. During the scene of the ‘tour of Abby’s lab’ which is an extra on the seasons 8 DVD, there’s a funny scene with Bert “the Farting Hippo”. Apparently Bert had to be locked up when shooting finished because extras and production interns tried to walk off with him!
Farting Hippo
A Fan
DiNozzo is actually quite a huge fan of the television shows Airwolf and Magnum, P.I., both of which were also created by Donald P. Bellisario. Told you the guy was a genius.
A Fan
Changes!
So the pilot for NCIS aired as a two-part episode of JAG in 2003. From there, two massive changes were created for the series. Which include a gimmick where Ducky talks to corpses, but from the corpse’s own point of view. Yeah, we’re happy that was dropped. Moreover the Viv Blackadder, played by Robyn Lively, was then replaced by Sasha Alexander’s character.
Changes
Attack.
Ready? MTAC stands for Multiple Threat Assessment Center. Yes, there’s a point to this. Before it was called the Antiterrorist Alert Center (ATAC), however in 2002 it was changed as a response to its new role after two terror attacks. Including the bombing of USS Cole in Yemen and also the September 11th, 2001 attacks.
Attack.
Respect
Let’s talk about the opening credits again. There is a brief note that states just what NCIS represents. As such, it read, The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is a worldwide federal law enforcement organization whose mission is to protect and serve the Navy and Marine Corps and their families. #respect
Respect
Roll the Credits
Did you think we were done talking about the opening credits? Not even close. In the show’s 7th season, it was indeed the very first not to have a brand new set of opening credits when the years started. Even though the show was well into its most successful season as of yet.
Roll the Credits
Dell
In every single season of NCIS, you’ll notice this common thread – but you have to look realllll close. Dell is the sponsor of ALL the laptops and PCs that appear in the episodes. Free advertising, we suppose.
Dell
I’m On A Boat
Throughout the show, Gibbs is usually seen building a boat when he’s off duty. Well it turns out that what Gibbs is building is from an Amigo Kit from Glen-L. Whatever that means, honestly.
I’m On A Boat
Donald Duck
Have you ever wondered how “Ducky” got his name? Well, as you know David McCallum plays the character of Donald Mallard. But, did you know that Mallard is a breed of duck? Therefore, the nickname of Ducky makes so much more sense.
Donald Duck
Director’s Chair
Michael Weatherly, aka Tony, got to sit in the director’s chair on two occasions on NCIS. Yes, we’ll tell you which ones! The 2011 episode titled “One Last Score” and also the 2013 episode titled “Seek”.
Director’s Chair
Crossover
As there are plenty of crossovers between them, the NCIS series is in fact set in the very same universe that JAG, NCIS: Los Angeles, Hawaii Five-0, NCIS: New Orleans, Scorpion, and Macgyver exist in.
Crossover
The Sprint
Currently NCIS is the “second longest running scripted, non-animated U.S.” prime-time television series that is still on air. Which is number one? Law & Order: Special Victims Unit of course! SVU has been on air since 1999 and is still going strong.
The Sprint
List ‘Em
Going off the last fact, NCIS ranks pretty high as it is overall the 7th longest-running scripted U.S. primetime television series. The six ahead of it are The Simpsons, Gunsmoke, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Lassie, and Family Guy.
List ‘Em
Fav.
I know it’s 2017, but this fact is still relevant. In 2011, according to an online Harris Poll, NCIS was voted America’s favorite television show.
Fav.
I Recall
When the character of Caitlin Todd was set to leave the show, as Sasha Alexander wanted to go, not everyone knew. In fact, Michael Weatherly recalled that he didn’t know until February 2005, and only learned that Caitlin would be assassinated when he “saw the special-effects guy attaching a blood pack to [Sasha’s] hair.”
I Recall
Uproar
Immediately after Caitlin’s death, fans of the show instantly “flooded Internet message boards with angry postings directed at Bellisario”. However soon after Bellisario announced that Alexander’s replacement was coming soon and it would be “a new female lead character […], quite different from the conservative Agent Todd. A ‘European or Australian girl who is very comfortable with her femininity and sexuality'”. Ergo, welcome the Chilean actress Cote de Pablo, AKA Ziva David.
Uproar
That’s High Praise
Bellisario spoke highly on Tony’s character development over the seasons, “I can’t say enough about Michael Weatherly…He started out on NCIS [playing] a character who was just very unlikable to some women because he was just such a chauvinist, and he has gradually over the [seasons] changed. Taken his character and softened it.”
That’s High Praise
Like At First Sight
Speaking of Tony and Don Bellisario, Michael Weatherly landed the part when what was meant to be a short dinner turned into three hours! See, the casting director called Bellisario and said he wanted him to meet Weatherly. However Bellisario had dinner plans with his family and said he couldn’t. So Weatherly phoned him up, laid on some charm, and Bellisario said (along the lines of) come to dinner with me and my family and we’ll see what happens. Bellisario admitted, “I liked him from the first moment I met him.”
Like At First Sight