1 ‘NCIS’ Star Is Absolutely Onboard For Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, or Even Pauley Perrette to Return

If Brian Dietzen, aka Dr. Jimmy Palmer, had his way, several fan favorites would be returning to NCIS in the near future. Along with his acting duties, Dietzen has co-written a few episodes of the hit crime drama – and he’s looking forward to writing more storylines for the show’s most iconic characters. 

In a recent interview, Dietzen admitted that he would love to create stories for Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Tony (Michael Weatherly), and even Abby (Pauley Perrette), teasing some major reunions as the series heads into the final leg of season 20.

Brian Dietzen talks about bringing back former ‘NCIS’ stars in future seasons

NCIS fans may know Dietzen as Dr. Jimmy Palmer, but he’s also a talented writer who has co-written two episodes of the show with Scott Williams. However, his previous writing credits came in seasons 19 and 20, which means that there are still several characters he hasn’t had the opportunity to write for due to cast departures. Which characters would he like to write for in the future?

“I love so many of these characters. Obviously Gibbs [Mark Harmon], obviously Tony [Michael Weatherly], Ziva [Cote de Pablo], and Abby [Pauley Perrette]. All of these voices are just iconic,” Dietzen shared in an interview with TV Insider. “So if any one of these were to come back, I would be ecstatic to write for any of them.”

Dietzen admitted that he doesn’t have a favorite character he’d like to write for because they each have compelling stories of their own. But he would love to write jokes for Tony, tell an engaging emotional story for Gibbs, and find an interesting way to incorporate Abby’s energy into an episode. 

While Dietzen confessed that fans will probably not see all three characters return at once, there is a chance Harmon comes back sooner than expected. 

Could Mark Harmon return to ‘NCIS’?

The announcement of Mark Harmon’s departure from NCIS in season 19 caught many fans by surprise, particularly as we approach another significant crossover event. Despite his exit, the show hasn’t been hesitant about alluding to the iconic role, having dropped hints as recently as last fall.

As viewers will recall, the fall finale included Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) discussing his passion for writing stories. One of his main characters is named Agent Tibbs, which is clearly a reference to Gibbs.

Later in the installment, McGee’s wife told him that he hasn’t written anything significant since Gibbs departed for Alaska. We don’t know if the series is setting up a potential reunion between McGee and Gibbs, but fans are definitely excited about the possibilities.  

According to Hello Magazine, NCIS showrunner Steven D. Binder added to the hype when he revealed that they are constantly thinking about how they might bring Gibbs back.

“We are always thinking about ways to involve [Gibbs] in a way that doesn’t ‘rip off the scab’ and doesn’t ruin what I thought was the only fitting send-off for this guy,” Binder stated.

Michael Weatherly dishes on possibility of the return of Tony and Ziva 

Apart from Gibbs and Abby, Weatherly’s Tony is another character NCIS fans would love to see back in action. Weatherly left the series way back in 2016 to star in his own show Bull. But now that Bull has been cancelled, fans have been excited about Weatherly’s possible return. 

Taking to Twitter, Weatherly fanned the flames after a fan asked him if Tony and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) would be reuniting on NCIS this season. The actor did not confirm his involvement but he did tease some exciting things to come. 

“Stay tuned… for this might be an interesting year for such “moments”!” Weatherly wrote.

New episodes of NCIS air Monday nights on CBS.