‘NCIS’ Season 19: Would Pam Dawber Stay On the Show Even After a Mark Harmon Exit?
NCIS introduced the character of investigative journalist Marcie Warren toward the end of season 18. Played by star Mark Harmon’s real-life wife Pam Dawber, Marcie became an important part of Leroy Jethro Gibbs‘ storyline after his indefinite suspension from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Fans want to know — will Dawber be back for season 19? And if so, would she stay on NCIS even after a Harmon exit?
‘NCIS’ fans waited for years for an appearance from Pam Dawber
Harmon has been the star of NCIS since 2003. But it wasn’t until the spring of 2021 that his wife had a guest-starring role on the popular CBS procedural. For years, fans had been hoping to see Dawber make an appearance. After all, she was the star of Mork & Mindy alongside Robin Williams, as well as the lead on the 1980s sitcom My Sister Sam.
But after Harmon and Dawber tied the knot in 1987, she put her career on the back burner to focus on being a wife and mom to the couple’s two sons. She did appear in a few projects in the late 1990s and early 2000s. But for all intents and purposes, the 69-year-old Dawber is retired. When she accepted the role of Marcie, she admits she was nervous to act alongside her husband.
Dawber told TV Insider: “I haven’t acted in so long. It’s also, at my age, do you really want to be on a big screen?”
Pam Dawber fell in love with the character of Marcie Warren
Dawber told Entertainment Weekly that NCIS producers had approached her a few times to appear on the show since it has “been on for a hundred years.” However, they could never get the timing right. Or, she didn’t appreciate what it was they wanted her to do. When they brought her the role of Marcie, however, all of that changed.
“I guess they were running names for who they could bring in for it and Mark said, ‘You should be talking to my wife about this character.’ The character is so good. I just fell in love with what they wrote. And then I had anxiety like, ‘Oh my God, am I going to do this?'” Dawber revealed.
Would Pam Dawber stay on ‘NCIS’ after her husband exits?
Season 18 of NCIS ended on a cliffhanger after Gibbs and Marcie appeared to be close to cracking the case of a serial killer. It’s not clear if Dawber will be back as Marcie in season 19, but her storyline doesn’t appear to be over.
Ahead of her debut on the series, Dawber admitted she didn’t know if she would be back or not. But she hinted it was possible she would return. When asked if her four-episode arc was a one-time thing, the actor said, “I’m not sure it’s over!”
As for whether or not she would continue on NCIS if Harmon does leave, she hasn’t addressed that issue and it doesn’t seem likely.
Is this her big shot to get back into acting
One insider claims that Dawber is looking at the role of Marcie Warren as her ticket to getting back into acting. Despite the fact that Harmon “was looking forward to finally kicking back with his wife.”
“Pam feels this could be her big shot to get back out there. She’d like to have Mark’s support, but friends think she’ll follow her heart on this one,” the source claimed.
This is just a rumor, as Dawber has made it clear that she’s not interested in putting herself out there anymore.
“My husband is so supportive of me. He’s just a giving, great guy. He just gives me attagirls, you know?” Dawber said. “A good storyline is a good storyline, and honest to God, we don’t even know how it’s going to end.”
Mark Harmon is taking a reduced role in ‘NCIS’ season 19
After being the series lead for 18 seasons, Harmon is stepping back and taking a part-time role in season 19. He’s not leaving the show, but he will only appear in a handful of episodes. And, NCIS is also introducing new characters.
Gary Cole has joined the cast for the upcoming season. According to OK! Magazine, the buzz around Hollywood is that he’s “being groomed to take over the show.” That hasn’t been confirmed, though.
CBS was ready to cancel NCIS after season 18 if Harmon wouldn’t have come back. It’s not clear at this point if they would be willing to continue the series without him.
NCIS season 19 premieres Monday, September 20 on CBS.
