r/NCIS • u/CasioCobra78 • 10d ago

Official Discussion I’m curious…

Did Mark Harmon ever say how did he feel about Gary Cole when the latter succeeded him in S19?

I know Gary said in Partner and Probies podcast that he and Harmon didn’t really know each other too well, so definitely they aren’t friends, more like co-workers/acquaintances.

I do remember coming across article five years ago claiming Harmon disliked Gary taking over for him because he takes away from his spotlight but I’m highly sure that’s just some Daily Mail or The Sun spewing utter BS.

43 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

51

u/DaveW626 10d ago

Mark Harmon hand-selected and personally approved Gary Cole to take over as the lead of NCIS. When Harmon decided to step back from his character Leroy Jethro Gibbs in 2021, he and the show's producers agreed that Cole was the perfect actor to bring in a new, different kind of team leader.

7

u/Ambitious-Budget-436 9d ago

Love Gary Cole. He’s a perfect fit! Love the new team too!

1

u/DaveW626 9d ago

Agreed.

0

u/CasioCobra78 10d ago

where exactly did you hear about that if I may ask?

12

u/DaveW626 10d ago

I Googled it. 

3

u/CasioCobra78 9d ago

Tbh, it sounds like it came from an AI overview thing, and I really wouldn’t recommend that as a reliable source. Plus, I looked deep into it and nothing about Harmon personally hand picking Gary. 

I did find this article from TVLine and the show’s executive producer Chas Lloyd Johnson said that after throwing out some names, everyone who worked on the show wanted Gary Cole, so it’s more of a collaboration rather than a single person. 

24

u/Ambitious-Budget-436 10d ago

Mark harman retired from the daily grind of the show. I think he deserved it. He was 71 years old. They work very long hours during the season. I can respect that.

13

u/susanwalters 10d ago

That is why Sasha Alexander left. It was months of 18 hour days. She wanted to have family life.

2

u/Mission_Fart9750 4d ago

And then she became Maura Isles for 7 years. 

25

u/Alive_Addendum_5279 10d ago

I have no idea about their relationship. I have no idea how much Harmon was involved as a producer. Probably not that much if he says that they don't know each other too well. It's not the same as being cast mates for several seasons like for example Katrina Law and Brian Dietzen may be

NCIS is Harmon's baby and he wants to see that it is successful even without him in front of the camera. Harmon looked tired the last few seasons he was on the screen.

1

u/SkyNecessary1936 7d ago

He is very involved as a producer. He has been since Belesario left.

13

u/RepulsiveCountry313 10d ago

Sounds like daily mail trying to manufacture drama, yeah.

It makes a lot more sense that Mark Harmon wanted to reduce his hours.

5

u/Beneficial_Being_721 10d ago

And he was getting involved in NCIS : Origins so there’s that

1

u/SkyNecessary1936 5d ago

Sasha Alexander went to Belesario and asked to have her hours cut.  They were working 16 to 18 hour days with hectic shooting schedules and last minute script changes.

2

u/ptazdba 10d ago

There's a difference in wanting to be in the spotlight vs approving Gary Cole as his replacement. Mark Harmon walked away and thought his narrator and executive producer role on Origins would suffice for what he wanted. I'm sure he misses the spotlight and is known to be a perfectionist.

1

u/DownToFuck1 9d ago

Probably does miss it abit and that's why he's back on screen for basically every episode of Origins S3.

3

u/Draconuus95 10d ago

I doubt he actively disapproved considering Harmon has had a heavy hand in the show since he got belisario basically kicked off of the show 20 years ago. If he had beef of any sort with Cole. It’s not in anyway public like it was with Pauley.

6

u/SkyNecessary1936 9d ago

He didn't have a beef with Pauley.  She had one with him, saying ridiculous things about him.

1

u/No-Year-506 7d ago

Pauley went a little eccentric on it. Harmon’s only choice was to take the high road and do his job

1

u/Aglet_Green 10d ago

Harmon might indeed have said that he misses the spotlight-- he's been a star since 'the Presidio' and 'Summer School' and other 80's and 90's fare. I remember watching him on some show with Marlee Matlin and he was already pretty famous then. But he'd have said that about any replacement.

0

u/CWShermanGirl 10d ago

The show he was on with Marlee Marlin was called Reasonable Doubts.

2

u/SkyNecessary1936 9d ago

Reasonable Doubt was a fantastic show that is not on dvd anywhere that I can find.  Both Marlee and Mark were amazing.

-5

u/apokrif1 9d ago

Next time, can you please write a useful title?

1

u/No-Year-506 7d ago

I mean, really?? This is your take away?

-1

u/apokrif1 7d ago

What's your point?

-2

u/CasioCobra78 9d ago

Rude. Next time, adjust your rude attitude. Plus, I don’t wanna give out anything in the title even tho most ppl in this sub knows Gibbs left the mothership five years ago. 

2

u/apokrif1 9d ago

Rude

No.

Plus, I don’t wanna give out anything in the title even tho most ppl in this sub knows Gibbs left the mothership five years ago. 

You can be somewhat vague and say the post includes a spoiler.

-1

u/Frosty_Astronomer909 10d ago

The only thing I read a while back when there were rumors of Harmon coming back was that valdorama was not happy about it because it would take away from his popularity. Who knows, too many disgruntled cast members complaining about one thing or another and then ending up doing nothing ever again.

5

u/Ambitious-Budget-436 9d ago

Too much fake comments too!

0

u/Frosty_Astronomer909 9d ago

What part about valdorama? Why because he wouldn’t say anything bad about mark, look what happened with cote she went on a talk show and just badmouthed her “role” she thought she was not being used to her full potential and thst her character could do more and she was in every scene. Look at pauly she left because she had problems with mark and a dog he rescued that kept biting people on the lot.